MARKETING PRACTICES AND CONSUMER SATISFACTION IN THE HOTEL INDUSTRY

MARKETING PRACTICES AND CONSUMER SATISFACTION IN THE HOTEL INDUSTRY
 
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1     BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
The hotel industry is regarded as a service industry whose product cannot be separated from it, in space or time. it provides intangible services as stated by George (1986) much credit is given to the article to PATHMELL, which he gave a good description of the difference between goods and services and went further to distinguish the marketing characteristics of services. In recent time, there has been difficulty in hotel, motel, Guest House, inns, clubs etc due to this factor. It has become difficult to distinguish between the provision of separated demand for meals and refreshments away from home for the demand of drinks in relation with overnight shelter.
          This study however intend  to use the hotel as a concept which aim to satisfy the demand for accommodation, food, drinks, and a spot for relaxation away from  home. To make it more explicit, GRACE and PAIGE (2003) use the hotel management which defines it as an establishment  offering food and drinks and sleeping accommodation if so required to any travel who appears to be able and willing to pay for service and facilities provided. Like all industries an effective marketing system is necessary for the achievement of the primary goals of the industry which is profit marketing orientation through consumer satisfaction.
1.2            STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
Marketing hotel services are those services which must attempt other profit oriented business. simultaneously, the interest of several group of the public (customers, share holders, employers) so is the total industry, whatever the market environment is, the management is faced with balancing the level of marketing effort directed to achieving customer satisfaction and corporate profitability. To some, “|Hotel” have came to be regarded not as autonomous institution but rather as a complex organ within the business activities. It is influenced by both social and technological changes with in its environment. This dynamic nature of society and technology call for the development of the right strategy to satisfy its market. The hotel functions as an organization of its success which lies in the philosophy of the marketing concept.
Drucker (1995) expressed it this way “that nobody pays for the products” what is paid for is satisfaction. On the other hand, ditcher (1992) puts it in another form that most purchase or actions are made less because of the satisfaction promised to the consumer ego. In Nigeria, there are different grades of hotels (international, medium, local, and others) they all practice one form of marketing function or the other to meet their objectives it is assumed that the size affects the level of marketing practice and level of satisfaction in the hotels. This study therefore hopes to dig this out.
1.3     PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
1.       This study intends to investigate marketing practices and consumer satisfaction in the hotel industry (A case study of Abia Hotel  Ltd. Umuahia).
2.       To develop a broad vision about Hotel industry business.
3        To acquire the necessary managerial stills require running the hotel industry.
4        To develop and strengthen the hotel industry.
1.4     SIGINIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
For any hotel industry, the consequences, marketing practices and consumer satisfaction attract are extremely important. By discovering the attitude of workers on factors related to the consumer satisfaction, hotel industry will know that there is high or low consumer satisfaction and they find out the factors, affecting the industry. An industry can then correct bad situation where necessary on the other hand, there is high satisfaction and the industry will make attempts to keep or even increases the consumer satisfaction at that level.
Moreover, if the level of consumer satisfaction affects their performance, it will benefit the hotel  but if they can equip available workers these factors that affects consumer satisfaction will hereby make them improve in sales volume of hotel industry. InNigeria, it hotel workers are provided, all they need is to make them satisfied. There will be industrial peace, whereby there will be less strikes and industrial action. These that will benefit from this study are:-
a)                 Politicians
b)                Travelers
c)                 Business men.
a)                 Politicians: They usually have their meetings and conference in the hotel, and sometimes lodge their for security reasons.
b)                Travelers: Many travelers lodge in the hotel because they may arrive lath in the night at the park and they need shelter, they will lodge at the hotel.
c)                 Business men: Some of these business sometimes do their business at the hotel or meet their business partners at the hotel for security reasons.
1.5     RESEARCH QUESTIONS
1.       How effective is the organization achieving the great influence in the environment?
2.       Is marketing hotels services simple like any other profit oriented business?
3        Is there any difference in satisfaction between young and old people as four as hotel services are concerned?
1.6     OPERATIONAL DEFINITION OF TERMS
Hotel industry: The hotel is regarded as a services industry whose product cannot be separated from it in space or time marketing: This is regarded as a social process by which individuals and group obtain what they need and want through creating, offering and freely exchanging products and services of values with other (Kolter, Philip, 2008). Consumer satisfaction: consumer satisfaction refers to the meeting of the needs physiological, cultural, economic of the consumer.