DETERMINANTS OF CUSTOMER PERCEIVED SERVICE QUALITY IN FOUR STAR HOTELS IN HAWASSA TOWN SNNPR’S ETHIOPIA

Abstract

The main objective of this study is to identify the determinants of customer perceived service quality of four star hotels attributes and to determine the factors of service quality perception. The data for the study were collected from 124 customers drawn from two four star resort and hotels in Hawassa-Ethiopia. The survey included a questionnaire, which covers five service quality dimensions of tangibles, reliability, responsiveness, assurance and empathy furthermore core hotel benefits and technological aspects are also assessed. A modified version of SERVQUAL model was used to determine service quality perceptions from the perspective of customers using four star hotels in Hawassa. The factor analyses were run and the study result indicates three dimensions of SERVQUAL can be factored out to determine the perceptions of customers regarding service quality. The study has revealed that all dimensions in the SERVQUAL Model are not necessarily the constructs of the customers perceived service quality, instead “Reliability and/or Responsiveness.” “Core Hotel Benefits and Technologies” and “Empathy and Competence of staffs” are factored out. The outcome of the quantitative assessment of perceived service quality may offer some insights on how customers rate the service quality of the four star hotels. Thus, the findings can be used as a guide for the hotel industry to improve the crucial quality attributes and to enhance service quality and business performance.