Are hotels meeting customer expectations regarding service quality

Abstract

This study explores customers' perceptions of the service quality provided in the hotel industry in Pretoria, in the Republic of South Africa. Considering the growth of the hotel industry in Pretoria, this study revealed that customers expect to receive a high level of service quality, leading to customer satisfaction and producing a positive perception of hotel service quality. An exploratory research design was adopted, and qualitative data were collected by interviewing hotel customers. Regarding limitations, this study was conducted at one selected hotel in Pretoria. Atlas.ti software was used to analyse the collected data. The analysis of the data identified several specific themes that were relevant to shaping the perceptions of the respondents in terms of service quality and their satisfaction with the service quality received. The themes supported existing literature regarding (i) the factors influencing perceptions of service and (ii) the specific influences within those themes, which were elaborated on, finally leading to recommendations for managing service quality perceptions in the hotel industry.