A Qualitative Model for Customer Behavioral Decisions and Satisfaction in the Hospitality Industry

Authors

  • Michael H. Chetta Talent Metrics
  • Sayeedul Islam Farmingdale State College
  • Andrzej Kozikowski Talent Metrics
  • David Cassel Hofstra University
  • Bhagya Bandara Touro College
  • Dana Cyrelda Sanchez Talent Metrics

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18059/jmi.v3i2.42

Abstract

It is increasingly important for organizations in the hospitality industry to utilize qualitative, customer-generated content on social media to gain insight into guest perceptions, intentions, and outcomes. On the basis of the service quality model, this research sought to investigate the discrepancy between expected and perceived service. Guest reviews from online review websites like Yelp and TripAdvisor were randomly sampled for 16 hotels across the United States of America. For each hotel, 20 written comments and their corresponding numeric ratings were coded and analyzed using Tropes. We found linkages to both average and positive experiences for staff and linkages to average, positive, and negative experiences for service. Guest experience was linked to staff and service, as well as room, location, meal, and time. Critiques of service, rooms, cleanliness and restaurants were strongly related to staff. Directions for future research, including the utility of crowd-sourced word dictionaries to aid hospitality research are discussed.

Author Biographies

Michael H. Chetta, Talent Metrics

Michael Chetta, PhD

Michael Chetta is a co-founder and a principal consultant at Talent Metrics. Along with his co-founders, he completed his Ph.D. in Applied Organizational Psychology from Hofstra University and a Master’s in Business Administration and Management from Dowling College.

In his career, Mike has worked for large Fortune 500 organizations managing client relationships, providing actionable analytics, and impacting the design of global engagement surveys. His efforts in corporate centers of excellence directly partnered with senior level executives has ensured alignment of metrics across organizations and geared towards the company’s overall strategy. Mike’s areas of expertise include survey design and implementation, employee engagement, customer loyalty, linkage research, and statistical analyses.

Mike is also an adjunct professor at Touro College in the Graduate IO Psychology program. He currently resides in the Greater Orlando, Florida area with his wife and two young sons.

Sayeedul Islam, Farmingdale State College

Assistant Professor

Department of Psychology

Sayeedul Islam has over 10 years of experience in a variety of corporate, academic, and applied settings. He completed his Bachelors in Economics from Rutgers University, his MBA in Human Resource Management and a Master’s of Arts in Industrial-Organizational Psychology from Fairleigh Dickinson University. He completed his PhD in Applied Organizational Psychology from Hofstra University. 

 

He is currently an Assistant Professor of Industrial Organizational Psychology at Farmingdale State College. In addition to his role as a professor, he is a co-founder and a Principal Consultant with Talent Metrics. In his role at Talent Metrics, he collaborates with organizations through consulting engagements in training and development, selection, and team building. He is a passionate advocate for the field of I-O Psychology. He currently serves as the President of the Long Island Chapter of the Association for Talent Development.

Andrzej Kozikowski, Talent Metrics

Andrzej is a scientist-practitioner with over 10 years of combined experience in management consulting, market research and health services research. He completed his double Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and Sociology from Stony Brook University, his Master of Arts in Industrial-Organizational Psychology, and PhD in Applied Organizational Psychology from Hofstra University.

Andrzej has expertise in applied quantitative, qualitative and mixed research methods and data analysis. In his current role he is a research analyst at North Shore-LIJ Health System, an Assistant Professor of Medicine at the Hofstra North Shore-LIJ School of Medicine and an adjunct professor teaching research methods courses at Hofstra University. He is a co-founder and Principal Consultant with Talent Metrics. At Talent Metrics, he helps organizations to improve their performance by analyzing existing organizational problems, providing evidence-based solutions and ensuring their effectiveness through innovative research designs. 

David Cassel, Hofstra University

David is a current graduate student in Industrial-Organizational Psychology. He completed his Master of Science in Industrial-Organizational Psychology at Baruch College, CUNY, where his thesis work examined the relationship between constructive deviance and leadership style preferences. He is continuing his studies at Hofstra University where he'll be working towards his Ph.D. in Applied Organizational Psychology.

He's spent 12 years working at a municipal employee union where he coordinated and assisted in coordinating a myriad of educational programs for various union populations. He developed and analyzed reaction surveys to gauge training participants' satisfaction with program facilities, instructors, and content. He facilitated test preparation workshops for a number of civil service exams and analyzed exam outcome data to determine workshop effectiveness. 

Bhagya Bandara, Touro College

Bhagya Bandara is currently a Talent and Organization Development Analyst at Newell Brands. She graduated with her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from CUNY College of Staten Island and went on to receive her Masters Degree in Industrial Organizational Psychology from Touro College. Currently, at Newell Brands, she’s focusing on HR Data Analytics and Diversity and Inclusion in the workforce.

Dana Cyrelda Sanchez, Talent Metrics

Dana Cyrelda Sanchez is currently working towards completing her Master’s degree in Industrial-Organizational Psychology at Touro College. She plans to graduate in December 2017. She is also a Consulting Research Intern for Talent Metrics, and a Graduate Teaching Assistant for Research Design and Methodology at Touro College.

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Published

2017-11-01

Issue

Vol. 3 No. 2 (2017): Fall 2017

Section

Articles

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