Determinants Of Customer Satisfaction Of Banquet Services In Hotels In Kaduna Metropolis, Nigeria

ABSTRACT

This study sought to analyse determinants of customer satisfaction of banquet services in Kaduna Metropolis, Nigeria. The drop in influx of foreign and domestic tourists seeking for hospitality services in Kaduna State has forced hoteliers into competing for banquet events as a means of remaining in business. Customers are the focus of every successful service operations; it is important that banquet managers know what customers want in banquet service operations in order to stop them from switching to other providers and remaining loyal to a provider. The objectives of the study were: to determine the relationship between socio-economic background of customers and their satisfaction of banquet services offered in Kaduna metropolis, to examine the impact of hotel location on customer satisfaction of the banquet service, to assess the effect of price on customer satisfaction, and to investigate the effect of service quality on customer satisfaction of banquet services offered in hotels in Kaduna metropolis. The study adopted descriptive research survey design. Quantitative methods were used to collect primary data. Fisher’s formula was used to select a sample population of this study. The study targeted a population of 391, which comprised of the clients that sponsored the banquet functions and attendees of banquet services in hotels in Kaduna Metropolis. The study sampled 50% of the hotels whereby purposive sampling technique was employed to select 17 hotels representing three types of hotel classifications; ranging from ‘A’ to ‘C’ category. In addition purposive sampling method was used to select clients who booked for banquet events, while probability sampling techniques were used to select the attendees who participated in the study. The study used structured questionnaires to collect primary data from the respondents. Descriptive statistical analysis such as standard deviation, mean ranking was applied to describe the study variables in line with the study objectives. Gap analysis using the service quality measurement instrument (SERVQUAL) developed by Parasuraman, Zeithml and Berry (1988) was used to determine the customer satisfaction in relation to quality of service rendered. Spearman Rank Order Correlation (rho) and multiple regression analysis were used to assess the relationship between banquet service quality and customer satisfaction. The analysed data was presented in tables and charts to represent quantitative findings. The study findings were summarised and conclusion made in an attempt to describe the research objectives. The study, in summary, found that the demographic characteristics, price of the banquet services, location and tangibility aspect of SERVQUAL did not influence customer satisfaction. However, reliability, responsiveness, assurance and empathy dimensions of SERVQUAL influenced the customer satisfaction on quality service. The study recommends that hotels should develop standard operations procedures as a measure of ensuring coordinated service delivery to address the reliability, responsiveness, apathy and empathy dimension aspect of the service quality which the study revealed to be lacking in the service delivery process.