'Four Factors' to Consumer Happiness
There are four factors which contribute towards consumers' perception of the experience they have received after staying in a hotel, according to research.
A study in the current issue of Cornell Hospitality Quarterly reports the findings of an investigation into 369 customers at six different hotels.
Lead author Bonnie Knutson asserts that the findings remain relevant despite the changing economic climate.
She argues that, even when consumers are tightening their belts, the driving forces behind their happiness remain the same.
Compromise is made in other areas - such as the type of establishment they select for goods or services.
But the four main factors in them being satisfied with their service do not change, she adds.
These include the environment in which the transaction takes place - including the physical bricks-and-mortar surroundings.
Price in terms of both monetary cost and the amount of time taken to complete the transaction is also a consideration.
Separate to this - although it may seem related in many cases - is the convenience of the sales process.
And finally, the benefit that is ultimately derived by the customer in terms of quality of service completes the list of four factors which determine their overall satisfaction.
