THE IMPACT OF CUSTOMER SERVICE AND CUSTOMER SATISFACTION ON HOTEL PATRONAGE OF SELECTED HOTELS IN OSUN STATE

Abstract

The hospitality industry's competitive nature requires exceptional customer service to improve guest satisfaction, loyalty, and repeat patronage. The study explores the influence of customer service quality and customer satisfaction on hotel patronage in Osun State, Nigeria. Using a survey research design, data were collected via a structured questionnaire from 351 respondents selected via simple random sampling. Regression analysis was used to examine the relationships among the variables. The findings show a significant positive correlation between customer service quality and hotel patronage (B = 0.240, t = 4.715, p < 0.001) and a significant positive effect of customer satisfaction on patronage intent (B = 0.142, t = 2.375, p = 0.018). The results also showed a positive correlation between service quality and customer satisfaction. Although customers exhibited loyalty, they encountered issues such as inconsistent service delivery and insufficient staff training. The study concludes that quality service and customer satisfaction are important to patronage in the hospitality industry. The study therefore recommends consistent staff training, investment in technology to create personalised experiences, and proactive strategies to address service failures.