Electronic hotel customer satisfaction : e-WOM comments of hotels in Pilgrims Rest, Mpumalanga.

Abstract

In the hotel industry, electronic-Word-Of-Mouth (e-WOM) has a significant effect on customers’ decision making. It helps them to reduce the risk along with buying services as intangible products. The purpose of this study was to measure hotel customer satisfaction using e-WOM comments of hotels. The survey instrument was based on Wong Ooi Mei, Dean and White (1999) HOLSERV model. In order to meet study objectives, structural equation modelling was conducted. The results show that the degree to which a promised service is performed dependably and accurately (reliability) highly impacts on customer satisfaction in hotels. This is followed by ‘the degree to which service providers are willing to help customers and provide prompt service’ (responsiveness), and ‘the extent to which service providers are knowledgeable, courteous, and able to inspire trust and confidence’ (assurance). To reduce negative e-WOM, hotels can make use of social media. Social media is a powerful tool to encourage positive e-WOM and a strategy to encourage interaction with past, current and future customers. The findings contribute to the existing literature on hotel customer satisfaction by analysing a less explored topic (e-WOM) by means of a comprehensive methodology that considers guest comments from an online source.