SERVICE QUALITY DIMENSIONS AND CUSTOMER SATISFACTION: A STUDY OF SELECTED HOTELS IN OSUN STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

Customer satisfaction is a critical success factor in the service sector and it is one of the important marketing metrics. Satisfying the needs of customers is very important for the survival and continued existence of businesses especially hotel services. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between service quality dimensions and customer satisfaction with respect to hotel services in Osun State, Nigeria. A questionnaire was used to obtain data for the study. Six hundred and twenty - four (624) copies of the questionnaire were administered, but six hundred (600) representing ninety - six per cent (96%) were returned and used for the analysis. The data collected were analysed using descriptive statistics and multiple regression analysis. It was found that responsiveness is the most highly rated service quality dimension (82.3%, mean = 4.30, SD =0.05), while empathy has the lowest perception value (65.6% mean = 4.11, SD =0.06). The result also revealed that majority of the customers (70.9%), were satisfied with the hotel services in Osun State. Furthermore, it was discovered that the five service quality dimensions have a significant positive relationship with customer satisfaction. The study clearly showed that service quality plays an important role in customer satisfaction with hotel services. Therefore, managers should give more attention to the five (5) service quality dimensions namely: tangibility, reliability, responsiveness, assurance and empathy.