CUSTOMERS’ PERCEPTIONS, EXPECTATIONS AND EXPERIENCES OF SERVICE QUALITY FOR HOTELS IN MUTARE, ZIMBABWE

Abstract

This paper aims to expose the customers’ perceptions, expectations and experiences of service quality for hotels in Mutare, Zimbabwe. Netnography was used to collect data from Tripadvisor.com posts that were made from December 2018 to January 2020, the data was analysed using SERVQUAL themes. A total of eight hotels in Mutare city and those within the Vumba mountains trek were selected for this study. Results indicate that there is a difference between customers’ perceptions, expectations and experiences of service quality in hotels. A lot is desired to improve the tangibles, responsiveness and reliability in the hotels. It must be noted that the case hotels are not representative of the accommodation providers in Manicaland but representative of themselves. Nonetheless, they provide interesting entry points that help to draw conclusions relating to tourists’ views with relation to service quality in Manicaland. The study contributes to service sustainable quality management in hotels from the perspective of customers. A lot is desired to improve the furniture and fitting at the hotels, customer care and standardisation of service provision.

Keywords

• customer perceptions,customer expectations,customer experiences,service quality,hotel

Kaynakça

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