This study summarises relevant literature on traditional and online distribution channels and gives an insight in the management of hotel’s room reservation processing as well as potential consequences of intrinsic service failures. Since it was assumed that differences in distribution channel treatment do exist in hotels, investigation was focused on telephone and e-mail reservation channels as the ones with the strongest utilization rates. Therefore, hypothesises were formulated to undertake research on both channels in comparison to room reservation transformation rates, frequency of focal points of service failures and the potential influence of category, size and location as specific hotel characteristics.
In order to carry out the investigation, an online questionnaire was established in co-operation with university and industry room reservation professionals. The actual study focused on the Austrian three to five star hotel segments since these categories were expected to provide all relevant investigated communication channels. The aim was to find comparable results to Swiss figures. Therefore, a sample of 800 hotels was contacted. 89 hotels or 11.4 per cent replied in total.
The statistical analysis pointed out that the telephone channel tends to be still slightly more efficient than the e-mail. A correlation with hotel characteristics showed that location did influence channel’s efficiency rates among the investigated hotels. These results indicated that hotels in big cities had higher room transformation rates on average than properties in resort destinations or any other location. Category as well as number of guest rooms did not provide significant dependence on this transformation ratio. In contrast to efficiency, all hotel characteristics illustrated significant influence on frequency of focal points of service failures. The frequency of focal points of service errors, however, differed in relevance among telephone and e-mail reservation channels. Even if the findings pointed out that focal points of service failures seemed to be mainly emphasized by ‘indefinite guest confirmations’ and ‘refusals due to unavailable room preferences’ on both channels, channel specific errors such as Spam illustrated very common problems in the usage of e-mail reservations.
Finally, this paper compared the findings with results of earlier studies and gave hoteliers a recommendation on short- and long-term channel management.
Table of Contents
- EHL HONOUR CODE
- EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
- ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
- 1. INTRODUCTION
- 2. DISTRIBUTION CHANNELS
- 2.1 Technology in the Hospitality Industry
- 2.2 Managing Distribution Channels
- 2.2.1 Letter
- 2.2.2 Telephone
- 2.2.3 Facsimile (Fax)
- 2.2.4 Global Distribution Systems (GDS)
- 2.2.5 Central Reservation System (CRS)
- 2.2.6 E-Mail
- 2.2.7 The Internet Distribution
- 2.3 Importance of Distribution Channel Efficiency
- 2.4 Challenges of the Reservations Department
- 2.4.1 Data Management
- 2.4.2 Yield-/ Revenue Management
- 2.4.3 Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
- 2.5 Hospitality as a Service Industry
- 2.6 Service Failures & Consequences
- 2.7 Service Failures in the Hospitality Industry
- 3. THE ROOM RESERVATION PROCESS
- 3.1 Reservations Department as First Service Encounter
- 3.2 Re-engineering of the Reservations Department
- 3.3 The Classical Reservation Process in Detail
- 3.3.1 Receiving Inquiries
- 3.3.2 Determining Room Availability
- 3.3.3 Accepting or Denying Requests for Reservation
- 3.3.4 Documenting Reservation Details
- 3.3.5 Confirming Reservations
- 3.3.6 Maintaining Reservation Records
- 3.4 Service Failures in the Room Reservation Process
- 4. FORMULATION OF THE HYPOTHESIS
- 5. METHODOLOGY
- 5.1 Target Population
- 5.1.1 The Austrian Hospitality Industry
- 5.1.2 Sample Size & Procedure
- 5.2 Questionnaire Construction
- 5.3 Data Collection Method
- 5.4 Questionnaire Analysis
- 5.5 Limitations
- 5.1 Target Population
- 6. PRESENTATION OF RESULTS
- 6.1 Response Rate
- 6.2 Sample Characteristics & Descriptive Analysis
- 6.3 Hypothesis Testing
- 6.2.1 Hypothesis 1 (H1)
- 6.2.2 Hypothesis 2 (H2)
- 6.2.3 Hypothesis 3 (H3)
- 7. DISCUSSION OF RESULTS
Objectives and Key Themes
This dissertation aims to analyze the efficiency and service failure rates of telephone and email room reservation channels in Austrian 3-5 star hotels. It investigates how hotel characteristics influence these factors and compares the findings with previous research in Switzerland.
- Efficiency of telephone and email reservation channels.
- Frequency and types of service failures in room reservation processes.
- Influence of hotel characteristics (category, size, location) on channel efficiency and service failures.
- Comparison of Austrian hotel practices with Swiss counterparts.
- Recommendations for short, medium and long-term channel management strategies.
Chapter Summaries
1. INTRODUCTION: This chapter introduces the research topic by highlighting existing literature on quality issues in email and telephone hotel reservations. It emphasizes the importance of a successful pre-consumption stage (reservations) for the overall guest experience and long-term hotel competitiveness. The dissertation aims to further previous studies by investigating the reasons behind differences in hotel characteristics' influence on reservation processes.
2. DISTRIBUTION CHANNELS: This chapter provides a comprehensive overview of various hotel distribution channels, starting from traditional methods like letters and faxes to modern channels such as GDS, CRS, email, and online booking platforms. It analyzes the advantages and disadvantages of each channel, highlighting the impact of technology adoption on the hospitality industry and the importance of channel efficiency for maximizing sales and minimizing costs. The chapter explores challenges faced by reservation departments such as data management, yield management, and customer relationship management (CRM).
3. THE ROOM RESERVATION PROCESS: This chapter delves into the room reservation process, explaining its significance as the first service encounter and detailing the steps involved (receiving inquiries, determining availability, accepting/denying requests, documenting details, confirming reservations, maintaining records). The chapter discusses the re-engineering of reservation departments from being occupancy-driven to revenue-driven and highlights common sources of service failures, encompassing both human and technological errors.
4. FORMULATION OF THE HYPOTHESIS: Based on the literature review, this chapter formulates three hypotheses. Hypothesis 1 explores the influence of hotel characteristics (category, size, location) on channel efficiency and service failure frequency. Hypothesis 2 compares the efficiency of telephone and email channels. Hypothesis 3 investigates whether the origin of service failures differs between telephone and email channels.
5. METHODOLOGY: This chapter outlines the research methodology, including the target population (Austrian 3-5 star hotels), sampling procedure, questionnaire construction, data collection methods, and data analysis techniques. It also addresses potential limitations of the study, such as the reliance on subjective opinions and the focus solely on the hotel perspective.
6. PRESENTATION OF RESULTS: This chapter presents the findings of the online survey, providing descriptive statistics on the sample characteristics (hotel category, size, location, occupancy rate, reservation agents, booking systems) and analyzing the collected data to test the hypotheses. It includes details on response rates, processing times, and the frequency of different types of service failures for both telephone and email channels.
7. DISCUSSION OF RESULTS: This chapter interprets the findings of the study, comparing them to previous research on the Swiss hotel market and other relevant studies. It analyzes the significance of the results in the context of technology adoption, competition, and channel management strategies. The discussion examines the importance of understanding customer expectations and minimizing service failures to improve efficiency and customer loyalty.
Keywords
Hotel distribution channels, room reservation process, channel efficiency, service failures, telephone reservations, email reservations, hotel characteristics, customer relationship management (CRM), yield management, Austrian hospitality industry, comparative analysis, technology adoption.
Frequently Asked Questions: Analysis of Room Reservation Channels in Austrian Hotels
What is the main topic of this dissertation?
This dissertation analyzes the efficiency and service failure rates of telephone and email room reservation channels in Austrian 3-5 star hotels. It investigates how hotel characteristics influence these factors and compares the findings with previous research in Switzerland.
What are the key themes explored in the research?
The key themes include the efficiency of telephone and email reservation channels, the frequency and types of service failures in room reservation processes, the influence of hotel characteristics (category, size, location) on channel efficiency and service failures, a comparison of Austrian hotel practices with Swiss counterparts, and recommendations for short, medium, and long-term channel management strategies.
What distribution channels are examined?
The research examines a range of distribution channels, from traditional methods like letters and faxes to modern channels such as Global Distribution Systems (GDS), Central Reservation Systems (CRS), email, and the internet. A detailed analysis of telephone and email channels is the core focus.
What is the room reservation process analyzed in detail?
The dissertation details the room reservation process, highlighting its importance as the first service encounter. This includes receiving inquiries, determining availability, accepting/denying requests, documenting details, confirming reservations, and maintaining records. It also discusses the re-engineering of reservation departments from occupancy-driven to revenue-driven approaches.
What hypotheses are tested?
Three hypotheses are formulated and tested. Hypothesis 1 explores the influence of hotel characteristics on channel efficiency and service failure frequency. Hypothesis 2 compares the efficiency of telephone and email channels. Hypothesis 3 investigates whether the origin of service failures differs between telephone and email channels.
What methodology was used in the research?
The research employs a quantitative methodology, utilizing an online survey of Austrian 3-5 star hotels. The chapter details the target population, sampling procedure, questionnaire construction, data collection methods, and data analysis techniques. Potential limitations, such as reliance on subjective opinions and focus on the hotel perspective, are also addressed.
What are the key findings presented?
The results chapter presents descriptive statistics on sample characteristics (hotel category, size, location, etc.) and analyzes data to test the hypotheses. It includes details on response rates, processing times, and the frequency of different types of service failures for telephone and email channels.
How are the results discussed and interpreted?
The discussion chapter interprets the findings, comparing them to previous research on the Swiss hotel market and other relevant studies. It analyzes the significance of the results in the context of technology adoption, competition, and channel management strategies, emphasizing the importance of understanding customer expectations and minimizing service failures.
What are the key words associated with this research?
Key words include: Hotel distribution channels, room reservation process, channel efficiency, service failures, telephone reservations, email reservations, hotel characteristics, customer relationship management (CRM), yield management, Austrian hospitality industry, comparative analysis, technology adoption.
What are the overall conclusions and recommendations?
The dissertation concludes by summarizing the key findings and offering recommendations for improving the efficiency of room reservation channels and minimizing service failures in the Austrian hotel industry. These recommendations likely cover short, medium, and long-term channel management strategies.
- Quote paper
- Bsc Patrick Kullmann (Author), 2003, Managing Distribution Channels in 4 to 5 Star Hotels in Austria, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/71513
