– Quality Customer Care Practices

QUALITY CUSTOMER CARE PRACTICES FOR SUSTAINABLE CUSTOMER SATISFACTION: EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE FROM THE HOTEL SECTOR

IN RIVERS STATE

OBIORA, Judipat N.

Department of Hospitality Management and Tourism, Faculty of Management Sciences, University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria

judipat.obiora@uniport.edu.ng

and

ETUK, Joseph S.

Department of Hospitality Management and Tourism, Faculty of Management Sciences, University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria

ABSTRACT

This study empirically investigates the relationship between quality customer care practices and sustainable customer satisfaction in selected hotels in Rivers State.  This cross sectional survey was conducted with a sample size of 185 customers that was obtained using the Freund and William’s sample size determination formula. The scales used were within the acceptable Cronbach Alpha values of 0.7, which was interpreted to be reliable. A total of 183 copies of completed and usable questionnaire were used for data analysis. Furthermore, descriptive statistics were computed at the primary level of analysis, while the Pearson Correlation Coefficient was used at the secondary level of analysis. The result of the analysis showed significant relationships between the dimensions and measures of our predictor and criterion variables respectively. It was therefore recommended that hotel management should enlighten staff and lay emphasis on the role of service reliability and responsiveness. We also recommend that employees’ capability toward customers, such as interpersonal concern and personalised service should be emphasised and rewarded by management. This is because a combination of good customer care practice and customer satisfaction can lead to the survival of the business.

Keywords: Customer care, customer satisfaction, empathy, revisit intention, responsiveness