Examining key drivers of customer delight in a hotel experience: A cross-cultural perspective

    Authors

    E. N. Torres; X. X. Fu;X. Lehto

    Comments

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    Abbreviated Journal Title

    Int. J. Hosp. Manag.

    Keywords

    Customer delight; Customer satisfaction; Culture; Hotels; SERVICE QUALITY; SATISFACTION; ANTECEDENTS; CONSEQUENCES; FOUNDATIONS; PERCEPTIONS; MODEL; Hospitality, Leisure, Sport & Tourism

    Abstract

    Welcoming all guests is the calling shared by those who work in the hotel industry. Everyday hoteliers strive to provide a service of excellence to all of those who visit. This can be somewhat of a complex endeavor, as hotels receive guests from different nationalities and cultures. Previous research in the area of customer delight has revealed some of the factors that define and drive the customer delight experience. Despite the emerging literature on the subject, the question remains: are guest from different cultures likely to be delighted by different things? In the present study, the researchers conducted extensive semi-structured interviews (n = 228) with guests from different nationalities visiting the Central Florida area. The guests interviewed came predominantly from the United States, Brazil, Germany, and Canada. Using a process of content analysis, the researchers analyzed the drivers of customer delight and concluded that while some universal service elements exists, guests from different cultures can also be delighted by different services and amenities. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

    Journal Title

    International Journal of Hospitality Management

    Volume

    36

    Publication Date

    1-1-2014

    Document Type

    Article

    Language

    English

    First Page

    255

    Last Page

    262

    WOS Identifier

    WOS:000330910300028

    ISSN

    0278-4319

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