CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1      BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Housekeeping department is vital to the hospitality industry because they enhance and guide the performance of the room attendants. It is an assessment tool for the management and employees to ensure efficiency and proficiency during their work. Housekeeping department also provide a framework for developing quality competency checklists or proficiency assesement for a specific housekeeping manager or supervisor for the development of their attendants. These norms may be used as a comparison tool to evaluate the housekeeping staff's performance if the housekeeping manager or supervisor suspects poor performance, unsafe work habits and non-adherence to the organizational policies and widely- accepted housekeeping guidelines. The housekeeping department is one of the departments in the hotel organization whose primary responsibility is to keep the hotel area clean and tidy. The success and credibility of the hotels' business depend mainly on their quality standard practices and competent professionals who performed the tasks as mentioned above. One of the motivating factors to have top quality service is dedication, passion, and commitment among its housekeeping staff. The team succeeds in building and maintaining the right image and reputation of the hotel by providing excellent and quality service through standard practices (Phillips, 2017). A well-trained staff must be retained to ensure consistency and reliability of one's work; and productivity of performance towards the goals of the business industry. Moreover, variance training and seminars can enhance individual to improve their skills into the exceptional quality of service continuously. Quality in the modern hotel industry, in terms of increasing demands, needs and desires of consumers, has become a fundamental factor for achieving success and competitiveness in the demanding tourist market. Every hotel service is extremely complex, because all the tangible and intangible elements of hotel offer are interrelated and important for guest satisfaction. The quality of hotel services and products depends on the expertise and kindness of the staff, the accessibility of the building, in-house atmosphere, offer of food and beverages, equipment of accommodation units, the speed of serving. Especially great is the influence of the quality of employees that is associated with special knowledge and skills of employees in the hospitality profession, but also with the general culture, motivation and satisfaction at work. Quality of services is extremely important in the hotel business, as hotel guests rarely criticizes the lower level of equipment of the hotel, but are very sensitive about cleanliness and untidiness of rooms and other hotel facilities. In the housekeeping department, the room attendant is considered as the ambassador of the housekeeping department, since he/she is responsible for providing hospitality, ensuring guests' safety and comfort during their stay in the resort. Thus, resort owners and managers are putting more and more effort into monitoring and maintaining the high level of satisfaction of their guest. Because of expanding worldwide market rivalry, numerous inn organizations are confronting difficulties in holding visitors. Some market researchers have proven that most hotel companies will lose half their guest throughout five years because they are not satisfied on the services rendered by the room attendants (Carev, 2013). Also, some of the resorts provide poor quality in providing housekeeping services to the resort guests. Low-quality service leads to low satisfaction, discouraging guests from returning (Pesonen, 2015). The main goal of service industry business is to meet guests’ needs while achieving profit targets. This customer-orientation is now essential because of the increasing competition and quality requirements (Chikán 2010). The tourism hotel sector it has been proven that quality leads to both satisfaction (Patterson and Spreng 2010, Caruana, Money, and Berthon 2010, Baker and Crompton 2010, Cronin et al. 2010) and perceived value (Petrick 2015, Zeithaml 2009, McDougall and Levesque 2010, Sweeney and Soutar 2015). Also in some studies satisfaction has been found to lead to perceived value (Chang and Wildt, 1994; Petrick and Backman, 2015) while in others perceived value has been found to lead to satisfaction (Cronin, Brady, and Huit 2010, Tam, 2010). The Guest satisfaction is the very important the Hotel industry. It enhances Hotels’ reputation, increases room sales as satisfied guests are more frequent visitor and increases profitability. In this study, the researcher finds the role of Housekeeping department towards guest satisfaction in the hotel. A study on benefits to Housekeeping departments in Hotels(Honey Tyagi, July 2015).It has been observed through previous researches, Hotels Housekeeping services helps to sustain cost effective housekeeping operations, improves quality, efficiency and performance of the department. Therefore, the study examines the role of housekeeping department towards guest satisfaction in the hotel.

1.2      STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

Of all hotel and catering employees, those engaged in accommodation services work, including housekeeping have received least research attention (Guerrier & Deery, 2011; Wood, 2010). Moreover, there has been very little analytic research done on the role of housekeeping department towards guest satisfaction in the hotel (Rutherford, 2015). The main goal of service industry business is to meet guests’ needs while achieving profit targets. Hence the study examines the role of housekeeping department towards guest satisfaction in the hotel

1.3      AIMS OF THE STUDY

The major aim of the study is to examine the role of housekeeping department towards guest satisfaction in the hotel. Other specific objectives of the study include;

1.  To examine the role and importance of hotel housekeeping in the hotel.

2.  To examine the impact of Housekeeping Staff attributes on Guest Satisfaction.

3.  To examine the impact of housekeeping department on guest satisfaction in the hotel.

4.  To examine latest housekeeping trends in the hotel industry.

5.  To examine the relationship between housekeeping department and guest satisfaction in the hotel.

6.  To examine impact of outsourced housekeeping services on guest satisfaction.

1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1.  What is the role and importance of hotel housekeeping in the hotel?

2.  What is the impact of Housekeeping Staff attributes on Guest Satisfaction?

3.  What is the impact of housekeeping department on guest satisfaction in the hotel?

4.  What is latest housekeeping trends in the hotel industry?

5.  What is the relationship between housekeeping department and guest satisfaction in the hotel?

6.  What is impact of outsourced housekeeping services on guest satisfaction?

1.5 RESEARCH HYPOTHESES

Hypothesis 1

H0: There are is no significant impact of housekeeping department on guest satisfaction in the hotel.

H1: There is a significant i impact of housekeeping department on guest satisfaction in the hotel.

Hypothesis 2

H0: There is no significant relationship between housekeeping department and guest satisfaction in the hotel.

H1: There is a significant relationship between housekeeping department and guest satisfaction in the hotel.

1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The study will be of profound benefits to enlighten the hotel managers on the importance of the housekeeping department towards guest satisfaction in the hotel. This study would also be of immense benefit to students and scholars who are interested in developing further studies on the subject matter.

1.7 SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

The study is restricted to the role of housekeeping department towards guest satisfaction in the hotel.

LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

Financial constraint: Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview)

Time constraint: The researcher will simultaneously engage in this study with other academic work. This consequently will cut down on the time devoted for the research work.

1.8 OPERATIONAL DEFINITION OF TERMS

Hospitality Industry: The entire establishment in the practicing of entertainment of visitors with kindness.

Housekeeper: Employee in the hospitality industry responsible for keeping the rooms and hotel clean.

Houseman: Employee who works for Housekeeping; responsible for heavy cleaning jobs, lifting, and moving (Tucker and Schneider, 2011).

Housekeeping: This department is responsible for keeping the hotel clean. It maintains the overall appearance of the rooms and the maintenance of all public areas. Also this department provides laundry and dry cleaning service. Guests expect very high level of cleanliness. Housekeeping department plays an important role in meeting this expectation. According to Kandampully (2011), "satisfaction with housekeeping is operationalized according to the guest’s perception of the staff’s willingness and ability to provide service, room amenities, and room comfort"