Customer satisfaction antecedents in uncertain hospitality conditions: an exploratory data mining approach

Abstract

PurposeInformed by trait and self-determination theories, the present study aims to extend the knowledge regarding the link between customer satisfaction (CS) and its antecedents, including job autonomy (JA), conscientiousness, customer uncertainty (CU) and extra-role customer service (E-RCS) in the hospitality industry.Design/methodology/approachA total of 306 frontline employees were selected from the hotels in North Cyprus, Turkey. Psychometric properties, including the validity and reliability of study variables, were assessed in the first step using confirmatory factor analysis. Then, the data were analyzed utilizing machine learning methods, mainly three exploratory data mining techniques, including lasso regression, decision trees and random forest, as well as partial dependence plots to visualize the role of suggested predictors on the outcome variable.FindingsData mining analysis shows that employees who can modify their job objectives are better equipped to satisfy customers in uncertain situations (JA8). In addition, the findings reveal that employees who believe they work hard to accomplish their personal and organizational goals (CON7) while also having the freedom to decide how to approach their job (JA1) and choose the procedures to utilize (JA2) are more likely to contribute to CS. In general, CS peaked when JA was high, but conscientiousness was moderate, while CU was low.Practical implicationsThis study bridges the gap among various factors at the employee and customer individual, corporate and macro-environmental levels. Hospitality organizations can cultivate a culture of autonomy and independence by promoting open communication and offering growth and development opportunities. This approach enhances conscientious employees’ engagement, leading to exceptional customer service performance, particularly, in uncertain situations.Originality/valueFrom the methodology perspective, this work proposes an opportunity for prospective scientists to broaden the trait and self-determination theories research model by relying on the riches of exploratory techniques without the limits imposed by traditional analytical techniques. Further, this study advances the current knowledge about service agility under uncertainty by extending organizational and service management research to consumer behavior literature.