Abstract

It is no exaggeration that the hotel industry has grown exponentially, and customers now increasingly expect a more satisfying experience in their service consumption encounters. This leaves hotel managers with the creative challenge of delivering innovative and exciting hospitality service offerings. The effect of major marketing mix elements on customers has obviously attracted wide scholarly interest and attention. But the influence of physical evidence, one of the additional mix variables in the service marketing domain, on customer satisfaction in consumption settings in hotels has been under explored hence the need for further explorative investigation. It is for that purpose that this study sought to assess the effects of ambient factors and cleanliness, as physical evidence dimensions, on customer satisfaction. The study adopted the survey research design from selected hotel guests in Enugu, South East, Nigeria as population from which a sample of 246 was drawn. The test of hypotheses was performed using regression analysis. Results from the study reveal that availability of ambience factors and cleanliness have significant influence on customer satisfaction. The study therefore recommends that hotel managers and proprietors should recognize customers as co-creators of service by making them active participants in the service production process. That results to a service delivery package that is of high networth value for enhanced customer satisfaction. This would further position the service organization as a distinctive service provider for greater competitiveness.

Key Words: Physical Evidence, Quality, Ambience, Cleanliness, Customer Satisfaction.

About the Authors

*Charles Eze Obeta, Ph.D., is a Senior Lecturer and former Head of Department of Marketing, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu Campus, Enugu, Nigeria. His core research interests include Marketing Communications, Service and Social Marketing as well as Ethical and Sustainability Marketing.

**Rita Agusiobo holds a Master’s Degree from the Department of Marketing, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu Campus, Enugu, Nigeria. Her areas of research interest include Service Marketing, Consumer Behaviour and Marketing Communications.

^JCMR Journal of Communication and Media Research, Vol. 15, No. 2, October 2023, pp. 98-110.

© Association of Media and Communication Researchers of Nigeria (AMCRON).

Article Citation

Obeta, C. E. & Agusiobo, R. (2023). Physical evidence dimensions as predictors of customer satisfaction in selected hotels in Enugu, South East, Nigeria. Journal of Communication and Media Research, 15 (2): 98-110.

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