Hospitality quality: new directions and new challenges

Abstract

Purpose – This article aims to discuss issues related to service quality in the hotel industry. It highlights unique aspects of hotel work and the implications for service delivery, and discusses methods used to measure service quality and expectations. Design/methodology/approach – Through an assessment of the extensive body of literature on quality service in general and within hotel contexts, some key themes emerge which have been explored in detail. Much of the analysis focuses on how the body of knowledge has developed over time and points to strengths and weaknesses in the literature. Findings – There has been much debate about what constitutes quality service and more specifically how this applies to the hotel industry. The industry is a dynamic one in which the guest dictates the pace and type of service, and in which increasing competitiveness has resulted in satisfactory service being the minimum expectation of guests. Different measurements of service expectations have been proposed for the hotel industry but the most promising is the quality function deployment (QFD) approach, which treats service as a process in which the guest ' s expectations are measured at every stage in order to create service that meets and potentially exceeds their expectations. Practical implications – The highlighted differences between hospitality, hotel and other service organisations indicate where managers and researchers need to place their emphasis in order to enhance the level of service quality. Originality/value – The paper adds new urgency to the need to develop effective measures and understanding of the hospitality and in particular the hotel experience.

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