Title

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

Authors

Authors

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

Comments

Authors: contact us about adding a copy of your work at STARS@ucf.edu

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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