Service Design and Delivery of Four- and Fivestar Hotels in Nairobi, Kenya

Abstract

The study sought to determine the service design implemented by the four and five-hotels in Nairobi, Kenya and to establish the relationship between the service design and delivery in the four- and five-star hotels in Nairobi, Kenya. Relevant empirical studies were reviewed to inform the conceptual framework. The study adopted cross-sectional descriptive survey research design. The study targeted 34 four- and five-star hotels in Nairobi and census was used. Primary data was gathered with aid of the questionnaire and the analysis was done through SPSS by means and standard deviations and regression analysis and presented through Tables. It was noted that service design had been implemented in the studied hotels where service concept (β=0.412) had the largest effect on service delivery followed by service delivery design to customer needs (β=0.280), delivery systems (β=0.255) and then service encounters (β=0.181). The study concludes that implementation of this service design had positively contributed towards service delivery of these hotels. In particular, service concept had the largest effect on service delivery followed by service delivery design to customer needs, delivery systems and then service encounters. The study recommends that the human resource managers in four and five-hotels in Nairobi, Kenya should have in place customer and service delivery training for employees to enhance their customer service and care skills. The operation managers working in four and five-hotels in Nairobi need to enhance the service delivery landscapes including the enhancement of the delivery systems.