Performance is the only thing that matters: A comparison study of front-line staff’s attitudes toward customer service and Actual service delivery in the hospitality industry

Authors:
Herb De Vries
Kelly De Lambert

Abstract: Tourism is a key service industry for the New Zealand economy, generating an estimated NZB$11.5 in overseas exchange annually, equating to 9.3% of GDP and 16% of export earnings. New Zealand offers the global traveller breath-taking scenery, unique heritage and culture, and an abundance of outdoor activities. That said, however, an important component of the New Zealand experience is delivered not through cultural experiences and landscapes but through the hospitality industry. Excellence in frontline customer service in hotels is a key component of competitive advantage, reinforcing the need for staff training programmes directed at achieving higher standards of customer satisfaction. Literature suggests that developing the ‘right’ attitude in staff is an important component of creating excellent customer service. This paper reports the findings of a study into the relationship between the quality of customer service within an organisation and the attitudes of that organisation’s staff towards factors relating to customer service as described by a specified marketing concept. The analysis is intended to engender discussion as to the relevance of such research with respect to the delivery of training programmes for frontline hotel staff.