The importance of communication through social media in building clients satisfaction for hotel institutions

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.51599/is.2024.08.01.02

Keywords:

communication, social media, client’s satisfaction, the chain Marriott International, uses & gratifications theory.

Abstract

Purpose. This study aims to understand how to build a positive relationship between communication via social media and customer satisfaction for classified hotel establishments, with a particular focus on the Marriott International hotel chain. It explores the importance of extracting and analyzing the opinions of customers of the Marriott International hotel chain on social media platforms, identifying the most common positive and negative aspects in the evaluations of the mentioned hotel series.

Results. The results indicate that communication via social media has a positive impact on customer satisfaction, which in turn affects the performance of hotel establishments. Additionally, active interaction with customers and monitoring their electronic reviews on social media platforms assists in identifying areas for improvement and contributes to enhancing the hotel’s reputation, offering insights for hotel managers to improve customer service strategies.

Scientific novelty. To the best of the researchers’ knowledge and based on their review, the current study presents its novelty by encompassing all the hotels of the Marriott International chain for the year 2023. It demonstrates that most social media platforms utilized by these entities were explored, and user opinions were extracted and analyzed using tools such as Excel 2022 and Google Analytics. Additionally, the study incorporates the Uses and Gratifications Theory. It contributes to the existing literature by providing insights into how to effectively leverage social media to enhance customer experiences in the hospitality sector.

Practical value. The practical value of the study lies in highlighting the importance of utilizing and analyzing user reviews and ensuring the effective use of social media, as it serves as a reflective mirror for hotels. It has the potential to direct businesses in the hospitality sector to improve interactions with clients and increase satisfaction, as observed with the Marriott International hotel chain.

References

Amin, M., Ryu, K., Cobanoglu, C., & Nizam, A. (2021). Determinants of online hotel booking intentions: website quality, social presence, affective commitment, and e-trust. Journal of Hospitality Marketing & Management, 30(7), 845–870. https://doi.org/10.1080/19368623.2021.1899095.

Berko, R. M., Wolvin, A. D., Wolvin, D. R., & Aitken, J. E. (2016). Communicating: a social, career, and cultural focus, 12th ed. New York, Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315506937.

Bossetta, M., & Schmøkel, R. (2022). Cross-platform emotions and audience engagement in social media political campaigning: comparing candidates’ Facebook and Instagram images in the 2020 US election. Political Communication, 40(1), 48–68. https://doi.org/10.1080/10584609.2022.2128949.

Cabral, A. M., & Marques, J. P. C. (2021). How innovation can influence client satisfaction – case study of the Saccharum Hotel in Madeira. International Journal of Innovation Science, 15(1), 80–93. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJIS-03-2021-0061.

Chavez, L., Ruiz, C., Curras, R., & Hernandez, B. (2020). The role of travel motivations and social media use in consumer interactive behaviour: a uses and gratifications perspective. Sustainability, 12(21), 8789. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12218789.

Data Reportal (2022). Digital 2023: Global Overview Report. Available at: https://datareportal.com/reports/digital-2023-global-overview-report.

DeAtkine, A. B., Grayson, J. W., Singh, N. P., Nocera, A. P., Rais-Bahrami, S., & Greene, B. J. (2023). Create social media platforms to connect with applicants during COVID-19 pandemic. Ear, Nose & Throat Journal, 102(1), 35–39. https://doi.org/10.1177/0145561320983205.

Elgarhy, S. D., & Abou-Shouk, M. (2022). The influence of co-creation and subjective norms on customer loyalty: customer satisfaction as a mediator. Journal of Quality Assurance in Hospitality & Tourism. https://doi.org/10.1080/1528008X.2022.2152920.

Eriksson Krutrök, M., & Åkerlund, M. (2022). Through a white lens: black victimhood, visibility, and whiteness in the Black Lives Matter movement on TikTok. Information, Communication & Society, 26(10), 1996–2014. https://doi.org/10.1080/1369118X.2022.2065211.

Faizan Ali, L. Ali, Z. Gao, A. Terrah, G., & Turktarhan (2022). Determinants of user’s intentions to book hotels: a comparison of websites and mobile apps. Aslib Journal of Information Management, 76(1), 16–41. https://doi.org/10.1108/AJIM-05-2022-0239.

Filieri, R., Lin, Z., Pino, G., Alguezaui, S., & Inversini, A. (2021). The role of visual cues in eWOM on consumers’ behavioral intention and decisions. Journal of Business Research, 136, 755–768. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2021.06.055.

Gamage, T. C., Tajeddini, K., & Tajeddini, O. (2022). Why Chinese travelers use WeChat to make hotel choice decisions: a uses and gratifications theory perspective. Journal of Global Scholars of Marketing Science, 32(2), 285–312. https://doi.org/10.1080/21639159.2021.1961599.

Golder, S., McRobbie-Johnson, A. C. E., Klein, A., Polite, F. G., & Gonzalez Hernandez, G. (2023). Social media and COVID-19 vaccination hesitancy during pregnancy: a mixed methods analysis. International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics, 130(7), 750–758. https://doi.org/10.1111/1471-0528.17481.

Google Analytics (2023). Google analytics. Available at: https://analytics.google.com/analytics/web/?hl=fr.

Google (2024). About Google Scholar. Available at: https://scholar.google.com/intl/en/scholar/about.html.

Katz E., Blumler, J. G., & Gurevitch, M. (1973). Uses and gratifications research. The Public Opinion Quarterly, 37(4), 509–523. https://doi.org/10.1086/268109.

Li, K., Chen, Y., & Zhang, L. (2020). Exploring the influence of online reviews and motivating factors on sales: a meta-analytic study and the moderating role of product category. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 55, 102107. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2020.102107.

Malik, S. A., Akhtar, F., Raziq, M. M., & Ahmad, M. (2020). Measuring service quality perceptions of customers in the hotel industry of Pakistan. Total Quality Management & Business Excellence, 31(3–4), 263–278. https://doi.org/10.1080/14783363.2018.1426451.

Marketing Management (2023). Google analytics. Available at: https://www.marketing-management.io/blog/google-analytics.

Marriott International (2022). Our Company. Available at: https://www.marriott.com/about/default.mi.

Mekoth, N., Thomson, A. R., & Unnithan, A. (2023). The mediating role of satisfaction on the relationship between professionalism and employee continuity in the hospitality industry. Journal of Quality Assurance in Hospitality & Tourism, 24(4), 477–503. https://doi.org/10.1080/1528008X.2022.2065656.

Microsoft (2023). Microsoft. Available at: https://www.microsoft.com.

Osmanova, I., Ozerden, S., Dalal, B., & Ibrahim, B. (2023). Examining the relationship between brand symbolism and brand evangelism through consumer brand identification: evidence from Starbucks Coffee Brand. Sustainability, 15(2), 1684. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15021684.

Pekkala, K., & van Zoonen, W. (2022). Work-related social media use: the mediating role of social media communication self-efficacy. European Management Journal, 40(1), 67–76. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.emj.2021.03.004.

Qin, Y. S. (2020). Fostering brand-consumer interactions in social media: the role of social media uses and gratifications. Journal of Research in Interactive Marketing, 14(3), 337–354. https://doi.org/10.1108/JRIM-08-2019-0138.

Rabiul, M. K., Shamsudin, F. M., Yean, T. F., & Patwary, A. K. (2022). Linking leadership styles to communication competency and work engagement: evidence from the hotel industry. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights, 5(2), 271–290. https://doi.org/10.1108/JHTI-09-2021-0247.

Reputation (2021). 2021 retail reputation report: how consumers use reviews to choose retailers. Available at: https://reputation.com/resources/reports-research/2021-retail-reputation-report.

Scribbr (2023). Qualitative research. Available at: https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/qualitative-research.

Siregar, Y., Kent, A., Peirson-Smith, A., & Guan, C. (2023). Disrupting the fashion retail journey: social media and GenZ’s fashion consumption. International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management, 51(7), 862–875. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJRDM-01-2022-0002.

Syarif, M., & As, F. (2023). The impact of strategic experiential modules (SEMs) dimension on visitor’s revisit intention: a lesson from the sunrise of Java, Indonesia. General Management, 24(193), 100. https://doi.org/10.47750/QAS/24.193.12.

Tajeddini, K., Gamage, T. C., Hameed, W. U., Qumsieh-Mussalam, G., Chaijani, M. H., Rasoolimanesh, S. M., & Kallmuenzer, A. (2022). How self-gratification and social values shape revisit intention and customer loyalty of Airbnb customers. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 100, 103093. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhm.2021.103093.

Troise, C., & Camilleri, M. A. (2021). The use of digital media for marketing, CSR communication and stakeholder engagement. In M. A. Camilleri (Ed.), Strategic Corporate Communication in the Digital Age (pp. 161–174). Emerald Publishing Limited. https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-80071-264-520211010.

UNWTO (2023). UN tourism news: International tourism to end 2023 close to 90 % of pre-pandemic. Available at: https://www.unwto.org/un-tourism-news-international-tourism-to-end-2023-close-to-90-of-pre-pandemic.

Valentini, C., van Zoonen, W., & Elving, W. J. L. (2023). CSR communication in corporate social media: an empirical investigation of European top companies’ use of social media between 2012 and 2020. In O. Niininen (Ed.), Social Media for Progressive Public Relations (pp. 73–89). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003177791-8.

Varga, M., & Albuquerque, P. (2023). The impact of negative reviews on online search and purchase decisions. Journal of Marketing Research. https://doi.org/10.1177/00222437231190874.

Vo, N. T., Chovancová, M., & Tri, H. T. (2020). The impact of e-service quality on customer satisfaction and consumer engagement behaviors toward luxury hotels. Journal of Quality Assurance in Hospitality & Tourism, 21(5), 499–523. https://doi.org/10.1080/1528008X.2019.1695701.

Web of Science (2024). Web of Science platform. Available at: https://www.webofscience.com.

Xu, Y., Zhang, J., Chi, R., & Deng, G. (2023). Enhancing customer satisfaction with chatbots: the influence of anthropomorphic communication styles and anthropomorphised roles. Nankai Business Review International, 14(2), 249–271. https://doi.org/10.1108/NBRI-06-2021-0041.

Downloads

Published

2024-03-30

How to Cite

Boukhaoua, A., & Habbache, F. (2024). The importance of communication through social media in building clients satisfaction for hotel institutions. Journal of Innovations and Sustainability, 8(1), 02. https://doi.org/10.51599/is.2024.08.01.02

Issue

Section

Multidisciplinary