Abstract:
Service quality is vital for the success of a business within the hospitality industry. It is deemed crucial, as it contributes towards gaining loyalty of customers and establishes the reputation of a business, as well as whether a company can survive or not. The constant change in guest needs and the complex structure of the hospitality sector, are significant challenges in quality assurance within this industry. Additionally, developing countries such as South Africa, face challenges in service delivery. According to research, one of the most important pull factors that inspire customers to come to a destination, is service quality. The housekeeping department within a hospitality establishment, has been identified as a department worth investigating in terms of service quality, and the employees’ perceptions thereof. Hence the study focused on the housekeeping department, “the pillar” of hotel operations. It should be noted that housekeeping services are among the most important service quality contributors towards increasing customer satisfaction.
The study applied a quantitative research approach. The SERVQUAL model was utilised to measure the perceptions of the participants regarding service quality. A structured questionnaire was administered to the housekeeping employees of Bloemfontein 3, 4 and 5-star graded hotels. Seventy respondents completed the questionnaire. The main objective of the study was to identify employee perceptions of service quality delivery in the housekeeping department, as well as to report on challenges encountered within these housekeeping departments. The results indicate that the tangibles and reliability were perceived as the most important service quality dimensions. Overall results of the study indicate a need for improvement within the housekeeping departments of the selected Bloemfontein hotels.
