Quality of Service and Measurement of Service Quality in Hospitality Industry: Case Study of Marriot Karachi

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Summary

The quality of service in hotel industry is an important factor of successful business. The existing trend of complete quality management in hotel industry ensures the achievement of competitive advantage of hotel companies and is therefore the subject of contemporary research into service quality in hotel industry. The concept and the conceptual model of service quality is indispensable if we wish to understand the genesis of service quality and potential gaps in quality. The aim of this paper is to show the importance of service quality in hotel industry from both the conceptual standpoint and that of service quality measurement. The paper describes the most common criteria for measuring service quality, namely the model of internal service quality and the SERVQUAL model. The shown results are those of quantitative and qualitative application of such models in hotels.

Quality of Service and Measurement of Service Quality in Hospitality Industry: Case Study of Marriot Karachi

CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION

1. INTRODUCTION

The Karachi Marriott Hotel is located in the heart of the city, opposite Frere Hall and Park. The hotel enjoys excellent accessibility to and from all directions. It offers an array of services, including an executive level with private lounge, 24-hour business centre, 24-hour room service, health club, with outdoor swimming pool and spa.

Marriott is an upscale hotel that competes with Hyatt and Stouffer hotels. Although Marriott may have overextended itself in the 1990s, its performance continues to improve more rapidly than that of its direct competition. An important factor in the success of Marriott has been the effective management of its financial assets. Occupancy rates were identified that were needed to cover construction costs and established as goals. A second important factor in Marriott's success is the ability to provide total customer satisfaction. Concierge service, video checkout, frequent-flier points, weekend rates, and the administration of customer surveys to identify customer needs and wants were all elements of a successful service approach. A third reason for success has been effective leadership and the ability to know when to change. Finally, the development of a successful strategy of market segmentation has focused resources and promoted a loyal customer base.

Marriott was a fast-growing organization until it was derailed by a declining real estate market, an oversupply of hotel rooms, and a lingering recession. Profits tumbled by half between 1989 and 1992, and Marriott was devastated by $3.6 billion in debt. A controversial plan to split the company into two parts - one a profitable hotel ...