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The impact of employee behaviour on customers service quality perceptions and overall satisfaction
Received (in revised form): 16th May, 2008

Hanan Saad Kattara

is a professor at the Hotel Management Department at the Faculty of Tourism and Hotels, University of Alexandria. Her prime research area is in human resource management, applied to the hospitality and tourism sector. Particular work focuses on general hotel management, marketing, and hotel operations. She also has an excellent work experience with extensive practice knowledge and know-how. She has a relevant number of research publications in distinguished journals and is actively involved in collaborative research networks and projects with outstanding international education and research institutions.

Dina Weheba
is an assistant professor at the Faculty of Tourism and Hotels, University of Alexandria, Egypt. Her current research interests include the area of human resources, quality management in meetings, conferences and conventions, approaches to improve quality of human resources at work, as well as taking actual steps in providing the hospitality market with quality graduates. She co-authored a number of academic papers in these areas. She communicates with her students to achieve better teaching and apply new ideas in hospitality teaching.

Osman Ahmed El-Said

is an assistant lecturer at the Faculty of Tourism and Hotels, University of Alexandria, Egypt. He prepared his Master Degree in the area of employee behavior and was interested in studying its effects on customer perception of service quality and overall customer satisfaction. The author also contributes in organising various conferences, organised by the faculty of tourism and hotels. He will be starting his doctorate research soon, covering issues that are related to quality management in this career.

ABSTRACT The present study is an attempt to investigate the relationship between employees positive and negative behaviours, customers perception of service quality and overall customer satisfaction. Results of the current study revealed that all employees behaviours, either negative or positive, are highly correlated to the customers overall satisfaction. The study traced the impact of behaviours on customers perceptions and overall satisfaction through studying the relevant literature and by gauging opinions on the impact of employees behaviours on customers perceptions of quality and overall satisfaction. Findings in this context conrmed the correlation between these variables and their consecutive and exchanging effect. It was also concluded that employees behaviours have great effect on overall customer satisfaction regardless of customers gender, nationality, and purpose of visit, number of visits and length of stay. Finally, the study ends up by offering suggestions and practical implications for hotel practitioners to think strategically and implement effective tools to motivate employees towards behaving positively with customers.
Tourism and Hospitality Research (2008) 8, 309323. doi:10.1057/thr.2008.35; published online 13 October 2008

KEYWORDS contact employee behaviours, customer perception of service quality, customer satisfaction, Egypt

Hanan Saad Kattara Faculty of Tourism and Hotels Hotel Management, Alexandria University 394 El Gueish St., Zizinia, Alexandia, Egypt Tel: + 20 123 111 226; Fax: + 203 583 5399; E-mail: hkattara2008@hotmail.com

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INTRODUCTION In any hospitality organisation, there is a wide variety of employees behaviours that can occur within the workplace. Employees behaviours are dened as various sequences of actions carried out by employees within the organisation (Hanna et al., 2004). Some of these behaviours may be positive and refer to the constructive actions of employees on behalf of the organisation, employees and customers (Bowen and Shoemaker, 1998), while further behaviours may be negative and may destroy a productive work environment. The occurrence of negative behaviours can generate stress, provoke minor illnesses and even cause depression among employees (Helen, 1993). The threat is that these negative behaviours become epidemic and spread to others like the u, which is costly to the organisations productivity and eventually takes its toll on employees health and performance. King (2004) states that negative employees behaviour has ruined many businesses and cost employers millions of dollars every day. It also has the consequence of driving away customers, damaging employees morality and increasing their turnover rates. Employees behaviours are important in a service company as they connect the organisation with its customers and they represent a critical factor in developing effective working relationships with customers (Grnroos, 1990; Gwinner et al., 1998). They can also maintain customer satisfaction by fullling the promises made to the customer. In 2007, Saad and Amy suggested that the three most important variables that explain customer satisfaction are staff behaviour, service quality and price. Therefore, employees behaviours have inuence on customer perception of service quality and on customer satisfaction. Customer perception is dened as the degree of concordance between expectations and experience, where comparability is apparent, the customer is deemed to be satised (Parasuraman et al., 1994). Customer satisfaction is viewed as the outcome of a comparison process between perceived product/service

performance and previously held expectations, when performance exceeds expectations; positive disconrmation occurs leading to satisfaction, while performance below expectations results in negative disconrmation and dissatisfaction (Oliver, 1997). Bei and Chiao (2001) looked at customer satisfaction as the function perceived service quality, product quality and price which is measured by a customers overall judgment. Dimitris et al. (2007) dened customer satisfaction as a measure of how a product or service performs, compared to customers expectations. The employees of an organisation are therefore vital for ensuring success in customers perceptions and satisfactions, as they are the persons ultimately responsible for providing a quality service that meets the expectations of customers (Zeithaml et al., 1996). The present study is an attempt to investigate the relationship between employees positive and negative behaviours, customers perception of service quality and overall customer satisfaction. In essence, this involves determining whether 5-star hotel properties in Egypt consider their employees behaviours and their impact on customer perception of service quality and overall satisfaction; developing guidelines for improving the understanding of employees behaviour and its relationship with customer perception of service quality and overall customer satisfaction; and lastly, offering suggestions and practical implications for hotel practitioners to think strategically and implement effective tools to motivate employees towards behaving positively with customers.
BACKGROUND In reviewing the literature, there were many studies that tried to examine the idea of employees behaviour and its relation to customer satisfaction. For instance, Jones and Dent (1994) found that a smiling face has a benecial effect on customer satisfaction. In addition, a number of studies have indicated the importance of friendly type behaviours (friendliness, familiarity, caring, politeness,

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responsiveness, trustworthiness, helpfulness and understanding) of service staff to improved service outcomes and long-term relationships (Sparks, 1994). As well, Duboff and Heaton (1999) revealed that customer satisfaction is often at least somewhat dependent on a specic relationship with a contact employee, thus the cost of losing such an employee includes the weakening of satisfaction, if not loss of key customers as well. An important study that linked friendly employee behaviours to customer satisfaction was the one developed by Lemmink and Mattsson (1998). They demonstrated that the degree of personal warmth displayed by service employees toward customers was related significantly and positively to service quality perceptions and customer satisfaction. In 2003, Hansen et al. stated that customer commitment towards a service company signicantly relies on customer commitment to the customercontact employee. Thus, it was agreed upon, that a customers intention to remain with a particular service company is heavily determined by customer-contact employee behaviour. One experimental study introduced by Brown et al. (1996) investigated the effect of respectful employees behaviour on service encounter satisfaction. Their research found that positive employee behaviour increased customer service encounter satisfaction. Similarly, Mittal and Lassar (1996) developed a personalization dimension that sought information about the way a companys employees behave in general. The scale was found to be strongly related to overall satisfaction healthcare service but negatively related to overall satisfaction for a car repair service. Again, this personalization scale focused on employee behaviour rather than the customers response. Gremler et al. (2001) conducted a study to test the proposition that interpersonal bonds or relationships between employees and customers can signicantly inuence positive wordof-mouth communication. In this study, they looked at four dimensions of interpersonal

bonds: trust, care, rapport and familiarity. They contended that as a customers trust increases in specic employee/employees, positive wordof-mouth communication is more likely to be increased about the organisation, and such trust is a consequence of three other interpersonal relationship dimensions: a personal connection between employees and customers, care displayed by employees, and employee familiarity with customers. A key nding was that the presence of interpersonal relationships between employees and customers is signicantly correlated with customer wordof-mouth behaviour. Tsai and Huang (2002) have empirically examined mediating processes underlying the relationship between employee effective delivery and customer behavioural intentions. Results showed that the inuence of employee effective delivery on customers willingness to return and pass positive comments to friends was indirect through the mediating processes of customer positive moods and perceived friendliness. According to Armando (2005), successful service providers are able to meet and, whenever possible, exceed consumers needs and wants in delivering services, due to certain specic characteristics of services (eg intangibility, simultaneity, variability and perishability) and to the human element, in particular the face-to-face interaction with the customer. In addition, Kong and Jogaratnam (2007) conrmed the fact that employee personalisation and courtesy were signicant predictors of customer satisfaction. Another study that cites the importance of employee behaviours during service encounters was conducted by Bulgarella (2005) who reviewed the relationship between nancial success and customer and employee variables (eg customer satisfaction, employee satisfaction, etc) and found that, depending on market segment and industry, between 40 and 80 per cent of customer satisfaction and customer loyalty was accounted for by the relationship between employee attitudes and customerrelated variables.

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Recent research also studied the relationship between employees and customers during service encounters. Subramony et al. (2004) found a positive relationship between employees internal service effectiveness and customers service quality perceptions, while Nicolini and Silvia (2006) stated that customer evaluation of the service received is shaped by factors linked to the psychological interaction established during the exchange transaction, and by factors connected to technical-specic characteristics of the service. Paull (2008) conducted a study in the airline industry and found that employees and customers did not share the same point of view when it came to dening a successful interaction, as 92 per cent of employees stated that they were exceeding customer expectations, while only 26 per cent of customers agreed with them. Liljander (2000: 162171) highlighted the importance of contact employees behaviours during service interactions in the hotel industry when he indicated that a major focus in any hotel should be the personal linkage between the service provider and the customer. He stated that more attention should be given to the service providers on the front-line (desk clerks, waiters, door and bell men, maids and stewards) interacting with the customer. In addition, Arnette et al. (2002) mentioned that in the hotel sector, because most hotels rely on their employees to deliver superior service, hotel employees can be a source of competitive advantage. They further stated that

service quality, customer satisfaction and loyalty are inuenced considerably by the beliefs and actions of hotel employees, and that by providing outstanding service, hotel employees can enhance the image of the hotel and the level of perceived and actual service quality. Furthermore in a similar point of view, Mattsson and Lemmink (2002) examined the notion that, as a customer, every one has experienced positive and negative emotions during service delivery. They found that low-skilled contact staff may not be able to cope with emotional situations when the entire image of the service rm is at stake. Because emotions are intangible, difcult to control and instantaneous, they have both short-term and long-term effects on customer perceptions.
HYPOTHESES Based on the review of literature and objectives of the study, ve hypotheses were formulated. Figure 1 shows the hypothesised relationship between the study variables.

H1: H1a:

Employees behaviours have an impact on overall customers satisfaction. Employees positive behaviours have a positive impact on overall customers satisfaction. Employees negative behaviours have a negative impact on overall customers satisfaction

H1b:

Customers' profiles Positive employees' behaviors + Customer perception is related to of service quality _ Negative employees' behaviors _ Customers' profiles
Overall Customer Satisfaction

Figure 1 The study hypotheses

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H2:

Employees behaviours have an impact on customer perception of service quality. Employees positive behaviours have a positive impact on customer perception of service quality. Employees negative behaviours have a negative impact on customer perception of service quality. Customer perceptions of service quality are related to overall customer satisfaction. The impact of employees behaviours on overall customer satisfaction differs according to the customers proles. The impact of employees behaviours on overall customer satisfaction differs based on visits characteristics.

H2a:

H2b:

H3:

H4:

H5:

METHODOLOGY Study sample The data were collected from 5-star hotel customers in Egypt. From a total number of 108 ve-star hotels (EHG, 2006/2007), a random sample of 33 ve-star hotels was selected, representing 30.5 per cent of the population. Ten questionnaires were distributed among customers in each hotel counting for a total number of 330 distributed questionnaires.

customer satisfaction.The SERVQUAL scale of Parasuraman et al. (1998) was considered as a base while developing the format of the study questionnaire. Employees behaviours have been grouped into ve categories, based on the SERVQUAL: reliability, responsiveness, assurance, empathy and tangibility. The rst section of the questionnaire was directed to collect data related to the prole of customers and their stay, nationality, age, gender, social status, purpose of visit, previous lodging experiences, length of stay and number of visits. The second section of the questionnaire consisted of 40 statements identifying negative and positive employee behaviours. These statements were randomly mixed and listed in the questionnaire. In this section, the impact of the stated employee behaviours on customer satisfaction was measured through the use of a ve-point scale ranging from ( 2) to ( + 2), where ( 2) indicated, for positive behaviours, a low degree of impact on customer satisfaction, and ( + 2) indicated a high degree of impact on customers satisfaction, and (0) denoted a neutral condition. The scale indicated the reverse for the negative behaviours. While tabulating the results, responses were segregated in three categories, namely: Satised (included + 2 and + 1), Neutral (included 0) and Unsatised (included 2 and 1). The third section of the questionnaire included two questions asking customers to rank the impact of employee behaviours, either negative or positive, on their perception of service quality and overall satisfaction. Responses were collected through a ve-point Likert scale, where (1) indicated a low impact, and (5) indicated a high impact.
Questionnaire pre-testing and pilot study Face validity of the questionnaire was applied through the use of a panel of ve experts in the eld of survey designs and academics. They were asked to review a rst draft of the questionnaire and to provide feedback based on the clarity, wording, ow, completion

Questionnaire development Based on the work of Walz and Niehoff (2000), Parasuraman et al. (1998, 1991, 1988), Smith (1998), Aaker (1997), Mittal and Lassar (1996) and a comprehensive review of relevant literature, a questionnaire was developed to investigate the relationship between employees positive and negative behaviours, customers perception of service quality and overall

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time and the extent to which they believe the questionnaire measured what it was purported to measure. Their comments indicated the ambiguity of some statements and suggested the inclusion of some different employee behaviour statements. Appropriate modication has been carried out. The second draft was piloted to 20 customers in order to identify questionnaire deciencies and problems with layout and design, to get suggestions, to test the time proposed for answering the questionnaire and to investigate the level of comprehension of the constructed questionnaire. After a review of the pilot test results and consultation with relevant experts, several changes were made. Major changes were made in the second section of the questionnaire, where the seven-point scale used to gauge the impact of employees behaviours on customer satisfaction was changed to an easier ve-point scale. To reduce the time taken to answer the questionnaire, behaviours were ltered from 50 to 40 behaviours.

Questionnaire distribution and administration The nal questionnaire form was distributed in April 2007. Hotel customers were asked to return completed questionnaires to the front desk. Out of the 330 distributed questionnaires, 217 questionnaires were collected, from which 201 were valid, counting for 61 per cent of the total sample which represents a satisfactory response rate. RESULTS PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION Respondents prole The demographic prole of respondents and the characteristics of their visit are shown in Table 1. The respondents were from different nationalities: Arab (22.4 per cent), English (20 per cent), German (16.7 per cent), Italian (12.9 per cent) and other nationalities (23.8 per cent). They were distributed among different age categories, of which the category ranging from 30 to 40 years old presented the highest

Table 1: Respondents proles and characteristics of the visit Prole of respondents Nationality German Italian British Arabs Others % 16.7 12.9 20.0 22.4 23.8 Age group (years) < 20 2030 3040 4050 5060 60 or more % 5.0 25.9 27.9 21.9 13.4 6.0 Gender Male Female % 55.2 44.8 Social status % Single Married Other 29.9 59.2 10.9

Characteristics of the visit Purpose of visit Business Leisure Other % 19.9 74.6 5.5 Number of visits First time Second time Third time More % 41.8 28.9 19.9 9.5 Length of stay 1 night 24 nights 46 nights More than a week % 8.0 33.8 36.8 21.4

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percentage (27.9 per cent), followed by that ranging from 20 to 30 years old (25.9 per cent), then that from 40 to 50 years old (21.9 per cent), and that from 50 to 60 years old (13.4 per cent), followed by that of above 60 years old (6 per cent) and nally under 20 years old (5 per cent). Over half (55.2 per cent) of the respondents were males, while females represented (44.8 per cent). The majority of customers (59.2 per cent) were married, followed by single customers (29.9 per cent) and other status such as engagement and divorcement represented 10.9 per cent. Regarding the characteristics of the visit, the majority of customers (74.6 per cent) indicated leisure as their primary purpose, while 19.9 per cent indicated that they were travelling for business reasons and only 5.5 per cent mentioned other motives such as visiting relatives/friends or shopping. A large number of customers (41.8 per cent) were on their rst visit to the hotel, 28.9 per cent were on their second time, 19.9 per cent were on the third visit and only 9.5 per cent were visiting the hotel for more than three times. The length of stay was ranging from four to six nights for 36.8 per cent of customers, from two to four nights for 33.8 per cent and was one night for 8.0 per cent of them.
Results and discussion Results of the current study, illustrated in Table 2, revealed that all negative behaviours recorded a high negative effect on customers overall satisfaction. The lowest record was calculated for behaviour (D10) in the empathy category where 57.7 per cent of customers indicated that the behaviour makes them unsatised. Behaviour (A6) in the reliability category, concerned with employees refusal to make changes to orders that have been placed, denoted the highest negative effect on customers overall satisfaction, as approximately all customers (97.51 per cent) indicated a dissatisfaction effect. The high negative impact of such behaviours can be attributed to the fact that customers intend to stay in a hotel in

which they are spending their money, in return they expect to obtain services equivalent to their anticipations and dissatisfaction occurs directly after a failure in the service delivery process. In conclusion, as all negative behaviours indicated a high negative effect on customers overall satisfaction, hypothesis H1a is supported. This nding is reinforced by what Berry (1999) indicated, namely that service tends to fail, regardless of the quality associated, in instances where the customer believes little attention was given to him/her such as rude behaviour of service staff, and this makes the recovery from an unsatisfactory service experience impossible. On the other hand, results for the positive behaviours illustrated in Table 2 also indicated a high positive effect on customers overall satisfaction except for behaviour (B1) in the responsiveness category, as more than half of the customers (58.21 per cent) indicated a neutral effect of this behaviour. (D4) Listening to customers with empathy in responding to their needs in a good manner recorded the highest score regarding the very positive impact on customer satisfaction (99 per cent), followed by (E1) allowing check-in procedures to run quickly (98.5 per cent) and (B4) making every possible effort to resolve customer complaints (98.01 per cent). Since approximately all positive behaviours indicated a high positive effect on customers overall satisfaction, hypothesis H1b is supported over in this study. Consequently, it is then concluded that employees behaviours have an impact on overall customers satisfaction H1. This result is in agreement with the literature and other empirical studies that have been performed by other scholars. For example, Grnroos (1990) noticed that behaviours of employees within a service company connect an organisation with its customers. Moreover, Hansen et al. (2003) stated that when a customer is satised with the contact employee within the scope of a formal relationship, the customer will likely maintain the relationship on the long run. Additionally, Liao (2007) examined the

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Table 2: The impact of positive and negative behaviours on customer overall satisfaction Impact on overall satisfaction Satised Behaviours demonstrating reliability A1. A2. A3. A4. A5. ( ) A6. ( ) A7. ( ) Treats all customers in a consistent way. Performs the billing function in an accurate manner. Responds to your needs in a timely manner. Lets you waiting longer than necessary for a demand. Fails to seek or encourage feedback from customers. Refuses to make changes in orders have been placed. Always have mistakes and inaccurate billing procedures. R. 194 166 182 0 3 1 0 % 96.52 82.59 90.55 0.00 1.49 0.50 0.00 Neutral R. 7 35 19 33 26 4 12 % 3.48 17.41 9.45 16.42 12.94 1.99 5.97 Unsatised R. 0 0 0 168 172 196 189 % 0.00 0.00 0.00 83.58 85.57 97.51 94.03

Behaviours demonstrating responsiveness B1. Refers to customers by their names. B2. Responds to your phones in a helpful tone of voice. B3. Meet the special needs of handicapped customers. B4. Makes every possible effort to resolve your complaints B5. ( ) Replies to your complaints in a rude and bad way. B6. ( ) Makes you feeling neglected in the rush of activities. B7. ( ) Displays bad moods in the job. B8. ( ) Doesnt handle special requests saying not my responsibility.

79 194 187 197 1 0 0 1

39.30 96.52 93.03 98.01 0.50 0.00 0.00 0.50

117 7 10 4 8 6 4 11

58.21 3.48 4.98 1.99 3.98 2.99 1.99 5.47

5 0 4 0 192 195 193 189

2.49 0.00 1.99 0.00 95.5 97.0 96.0 94.0

Behaviours demonstrating assurance C1. Exhibits proper etiquette when dealing 160 with you. C2. Is able to establish harmonious 174 relationships with customers. C3. Exhibits a thorough knowledge of all 158 products and services. C4. ( ) Fails to keep records of items, orders, etc 5 C5. ( ) Lacks information at the point of sale. 1 Receptionist gives you his back while standing in 0 C6. ( ) front of him D1. D2. Greets you with a friendly welcome and big smile. Talks politely with you. 194 194

79.6 86.5 78.6 2.49 0.50 0.00

41 27 43 21 23 26

20.4 13.4 21.3 10.4 11.4 12.9

0 0 0 175 177 175

0.00 0.00 0.00 87.0 88.0 87.0

96.5 96.5

7 4

3.48 1.99

0 3

0.00 1.49

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Table 2: Continued Impact on overall satisfaction Satised Behaviours demonstrating empathy D3. D4. D5. D6. D7. D8. ( ) D9. ( ) D10. ( ) D11. ( ) D12. ( ) D13. ( ) Makes a good eye contact with customers. Listens to you with empathy and responds in a good manner. Allows you to feel special as you enter the hotel. Able to deal with different nationalities (Multi lingual). Avoids sitting down or reading at his workstation. Lacks basic verbal and customer relations skills Doesnt make an eye contact when talking with you. Uses cool, brief handshakes with you. Never stop talking when escorting you to your room. Allows the smile to lose in the shufe of getting things done. Knocks your rooms door while the sign is dont disturb. R. 174 199 192 173 140 3 2 7 4 2 6 % 86.5 99.0 95.5 86.0 69.6 1.49 1.00 3.48 1.99 1.00 2.99 Neutral R. 27 2 9 28 60 20 28 78 67 37 5 % 13.4 1.00 4.48 13.9 29.8 9.95 13.9 38.8 33.3 18.4 2.49 Unsatised R. 0 0 0 0 1 178 171 116 130 162 190 % 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.50 88.5 85.0 57.7 64.6 80.6 94.5

Behaviours demonstrating tangibles E1. Allows check-in procedures to run quickly. 198 E2. Avoids chewing gum and smoking. 125 E3. Keeps hands, face, body clean and tidy. 165 E4. ( ) Uses gestures such as pointed ngers. 2 E5. ( ) The outside attire of the employee is dirty and 2 disorganised. E6. ( ) Always have problems during check-out. 0

98.5 62.1 82.0 1.00 1.00 0.00

3 74 34 18 3 10

1.49 36.8 16.9 8.96 1.49 4.98

0 2 2 181 196 191

0.00 1.00 1.00 90.0 97.5 95.0

Positive statements are in standard and negative ones are in italic and have the symbol of ( ). Satised includes the rating (+1) and (+2) of the scale, Unsatised includes the rating ( 2) and ( 1) of the scale and Neutral includes (0). R.=Repetitions.

role of customer service employee behaviours in handling customer complaints, or service recovery performance in conveying an image of service organisations and achieving desirable customer outcomes. His results from a eld

study and a laboratory study demonstrated that the dimensions of service recovery performance, making an apology, problem solving, being courteous and prompt handling, positively inuenced customer satisfaction and then

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customer repurchase intent through the mediation of customer-perceived justice. In an attempt to compare the impact of employee behaviour on customer overall satisfaction on the basis of the SERVQUAL dimensions (reliability, responsiveness, assurance, empathy and tangibility), results of each group of behaviours under each dimension were split into three categories as follows: High level of satisfaction: Including customer score of very satised ( + 2) with positive behaviours and very dissatised ( 2) with negative behaviours. Moderate level of satisfaction: Including customer score of satised ( + 1) with positive behaviours and dissatised ( 1) with negative behaviours. Low level of satisfaction: Including customer score of neutral (0), dissatised ( 1) or very dissatised ( 2) with positive behaviours and neutral (0), satised ( + 1) or very satised ( + 2) with negative behaviours. Results are illustrated in Table 3. Under the Reliability dimension, results revealed that 54.23 per cent of customers responses exhibited a high impact of these behaviours on overall satisfaction, while only 13.43 per cent of customers responses revealed a low impact of satisfaction on the same dimension. Therefore, it can be concluded that the group of behaviours that represented the reliability dimension have the highest effect on satisfaction/ dissatisfaction among hotel customers. Under the Responsiveness dimension, results demonstrated that 50.75 per cent of customers responses expressed a high level of satisfaction, concluding that the responsiveness behaviours can be considered the second most important regarding effect on overall satisfaction/ dissatisfaction among hotel customers. It is noteworthy to state that as the reliability and responsiveness behaviours were ranked as the most effective on customer overall satisfaction, this implies that 5-star hotel management should work hard in order to improve these

Table 3: Employees behaviours impact on customer overall satisfaction based on the SERVQUAL dimensions Dimension Frequency R. 1. Reliability High level of satisfaction Moderate level of satisfaction Low level of satisfaction 2. Responsiveness High level of satisfaction Moderate level of satisfaction Low level of satisfaction 3.Tangibles High level of satisfaction Moderate level of satisfaction Low level of satisfaction 4. Assurance High level of satisfaction Moderate level of satisfaction Low level of satisfaction 5. Empathy High level of satisfaction Moderate level of satisfaction Low level of satisfaction 109 65 27 % 54.23 32.34 13.43

102 58 41

50.75 28.86 20.40

92 81 28

45.77 40.30 13.93

85 65 51

42.29 32.34 25.37

73 88 40

36.32 43.78 19.90

behaviours by reinforcing positive behaviours and trying to eliminate negative behaviours during different points of contact with customers. Under the Tangibility dimension, results showed that 45.77 per cent of customers indicated a high effect of such behaviours on their overall satisfaction. Although it had a relatively low ranking, this behavioural group could not be considered less important as 40.30 per cent of responses indicated a moderate effect on overall satisfaction, while only 13.93 per cent indicated a low effect of this behavioural group on overall satisfaction. Under the Assurance dimension, 42.29 per cent of customers responses revealed a high

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effect on overall satisfaction, and a large percentage (25.37 per cent) of responses indicated a low impact of these behaviours on overall satisfaction. Under the Empathy dimension, results indicated that empathy was ranked as the least important dimension regarding its effect on overall customer satisfaction. This was based on only 36.32 per cent of responses demonstrating a high effect on satisfaction and about 43.78 per cent indicated a moderate effect on satisfaction. All in all, results discussed above reveal that employees behaviours have an impact on overall satisfaction, although the impact uctuates among various behavioural groups based on SERVQUAL (reliability to responsiveness, tangibility, assurance and empathy). That conrms once again H1. Testing the second and the third hypotheses of the study was more challenging. Tracing the impact of behaviours on customer perceptions and overall satisfaction needs a long time-span to identify such impact. These hypotheses were rst, studied based on the review of literature, and second by identifying customer responses regarding their opinions on the impact of employee behaviours on customer perceptions of service and on overall satisfaction. The literature conrmed the role of customer perceptions of service quality as an antecedent of overall customer satisfaction, which has been extensively researched and is widely accepted in the services marketing literature (Anderson et al., 1994; Cronin and Taylor, 1992; Rust and Oliver, 1994). More recently, evidence has emerged supporting the existence of a causal connection between service-quality perceptions and satisfaction judgments in the hospitality industry (Collier and Coldstein, 2004) and also Robert et al. (2006) found that customer perception of quality has a signicant effect upon customer satisfaction. In 2007, Hensley and Sulek examined the relationship between customers perceptions of service quality and overall customer satisfaction by using three measures of customers perceptions of service quality, namely: willingness to recom-

Table 4: The effect of employees behaviour on customers perceptions and satisfaction Variables Customers perception of service quality Customers overall satisfaction Mean 3.7 3.9 s.d. 1.06 0.9

mend the service to friends, willingness to bring friends to the service and repatronage intentions, and results revealed a high signicant correlation between the two variables. Results relevant to the impact of employees behaviours on customers perceptions of service quality and overall satisfaction are shown in Table 4, where the means were high for both, reaching 3.7 and 3.9 consecutively. These responses of customers designated the high impact of employees behaviours, either positively or negatively, on the two variables and thus validated a correlation between them. Thus, hypotheses H2 and H3 are supported. Based on customer responses regarding the effect of behaviours on customers overall satisfaction, Chi-square ( 2) test was used for comparison between different customers prole. Several aspects were used as a base for the comparison process: gender, nationality, purpose of visit, number of visits and length of stay as shown in Table 5. Results indicated the following: when comparing between genders, the statistical test revealed no signicant correlation between male and females concerning the impact of employee behaviours on overall satisfaction. Findings showed a statistically signicant difference between males and females in only seven among all 40 behaviours. Results in Table 5 indicated also that customers responses revealed no signicant differences between customers from different nationalities, nor between customers who were travelling for business or leisure or other reasons, as well as for customers with different number of visits. In addition, no signicant difference of satisfaction levels was detected between hotel

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Table 5: Customers satisfaction according to their prole Dimensions p-value by Gender 1. Reliability A1. A2. A3. A4. A5. A6. A7. 2. Responsiveness B1. B2. B3. B4. B5. B6. B7. B8. 3. Assurance C1. C2. C3. C4. C5. C6. 4. Empathy D1. D2. D3. D4. D5. D6. D7. D8. D9. D10. D11. D12. D13. 5.Tangibles E1. E2. E3. E4. E5. E6.
*Correlation exists.

Nationality 0.12 0.33 0.17 0.31 0.41 0.19 0.31

Purpose of visit 0.166 0.251 0.116 0.213 0.16 0.213 0.166

Number of visits 0.128 0.101 0.204 0.146 0.161 0.056 0.174

Length of stay 0.236 0.086 0.168 0.286 0.177 0.282 0.122

0.17 0.20 0.23 0.38 0.06 0.31 0.41

0.31 0.18 0.13 0.02* 0.01* 0.40 0.22 0.33 0.03* 0.35 0.05* 0.36 0.09 0.44 0.46 0.40 0.19 0.08 0.07 0.08 0.47 0.001* 0.06 0.02* 0.33 0.33 0.15 0.34 0.13 0.001* 0.12 0.30 0.16

0.25 0.22 0.36 0.33 0.22 0.36 0.33 0.22 0.16 0.14 0.14 0.18 0.39 0.37 0.21 0.27 0.36 0.25 0.41 0.31 0.17 0.13 0.22 0.17 0.45 0.47 0.27 0.33 0.31 0.18 0.26 0.14 0.16

0.262 0.132 0.181 0.263 0.263 0.222 0.097 0.281 0.186 0.143 0.151 0.207 0.288 0.273 0.252 0.221 0.108 0.289 0.245 0.174 0.099 0.25 0.124 0.209 0.217 0.133 0.214 0.166 0.251 0.116 0.213 0.16 0.213

0.081 0.119 0.263 0.172 0.234 0.169 0.125 0.136 0.242 0.232 0.279 0.265 0.3 0.099 0.221 0.192 0.262 0.099 0.167 0.299 0.222 0.159 0.08 0.154 0.103 0.278 0.133 0.147 0.264 0.191 0.123 0.177 0.079

0.17 0.281 0.3 0.172 0.11 0.137 0.177 0.096 0.102 0.19 0.284 0.113 0.135 0.096 0.251 0.081 0.161 0.124 0.297 0.248 0.113 0.124 0.29 0.068 0.277 0.283 0.251 0.214 0.2 0.076 0.103 0.134 0.059

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customers with various length of stay. Based on the previous results, it could be concluded that employees behaviours have great effect on overall customer satisfaction regardless of customers gender, nationality and purpose of visit, number of visits and length of stay. Thus, hypotheses H4 and H5 are not supported. Previous results can aid managers to determine most important positive and negative behaviours that affect customer satisfaction and then prioritise them according to their importance.
CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS Results of the current study revealed that all employees behaviours, either negative or positive, impact on customers overall satisfaction. This result is in agreement with the literature and several empirical studies. Moreover, the study traced the impact of behaviours on customer perceptions and overall satisfaction through gauging opinions on the impact of employee behaviours on customer perceptions of quality and their overall satisfaction. Findings in this context conrmed the correlation between these variables and their consecutive and exchanging effect. When studying responses based on customer proles and the characteristics of the visit, it was concluded that employee behaviours have great effect on overall customer satisfaction regardless of customergender, nationality, purpose of visit, number of visits and length of stay. In conclusion, it can be conrmed that human contact is a critical determinant of customer satisfaction, and when customers are satised with the human interaction, they may be forgiving other problems. The hospitality industry relies heavily upon the provision of service to customers, and many of the product offerings are highly intangible, dependent primarily upon the creation of a positive customer experience. In the hotel sector, as hotel management relies on employees to deliver superior service, thus employees can be a foundation of competitive advantage. Service

quality and customer satisfaction are inuenced considerably by the values and actions of hotel employees. By providing exceptional service, hotel employees can enhance the image of the hotel and the level of perceived and actual service quality. Hospitality managers could benet from these ndings as well by adapting strategies to engage and retain highly effective, devoted and satised employees on one hand, and to delight and satisfy their customers on the other.The more managers allocate resources towards employee development, in a similar fashion as they do with customers, the higher the probability of success the organisation will have. In brief, the results of the current study conrm the ndings of Deborah and Wanda (2008) who suggested that developing a method to measure the agreeableness personality trait of hospitality employees could assist hospitality managers in selecting candidates that have a greater likelihood of delivering quality customer service and ensuring customer satisfaction. Several limitations were encountered in the current study. These included that the study was limited to 5-star hotels in Egypt. Future research should explore other categories of hotels as well as other types of service contexts such as restaurants and motels. The present study used only 40 of the most notable positive and negative employee behaviours. Findings of the study were, therefore, indicative rather than conclusive. Field study was conducted at one specic time, a longitudinal study would be useful, and the participation of employees in the eld study would be very useful as well. This study can be used to derive many ideas for possible future research such as conducting research that is exclusively dedicated to identifying the factors that affects employee behaviours and attitudes toward the workplace, and investigating the impact of management treatment of employee performance in the work place. Further research attempts should aim at investigating the same research hypotheses but from two points of view; customers and

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Impact of employee behaviour on customers service quality perceptions

employees. This is very important to validate the results of this research, and to verify whether customers and staff members visions are the same, or different. Moreover, further research may develop a model for different types of organisations examining employeecustomer relationships, introducing fruitful results to research efforts in this area.
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