Systematic review of the elements and service standards of delightful service

CITATION

Wang, C., Wang, Y. & Tai, Y. (2016) Systematic review of the elements and service standards of delightful service, International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 28(7), 1310-1337

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ABSTRACT
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to study the components and service standards of
delightful service by conducting a comprehensive literature review and applying the Delphi survey
method.
Design/methodology/approach – This study conducted a three-round Delphi survey to
consolidate the experience of 11 experts in implementing delightful service. To ensure the
recruitment of experts who were knowledgeable in delightful service delivery, the panellists were
chosen from service- and hospitality-related industries; the respondents were hotel managers,
senior frontline service personnel and academic educators who were knowledgeable in both the
service industry and service innovation.
Findings – By integrating professional experiences from both academics and hotel practitioners,
we conclude that hotel facilities and amenities, environment and ambiance design and service
personnel’s service delivery practices are essential elements for creating a unique and
unforgettable consumer experience. Distinctive hotel facilities and ambiance provide a unique
experience, which can leave memorable impressions on customers. Being able to detect customers’
emotional conditions and hidden needs through attentive and proactive service practice and
providing attentive and customized service are pivotal for service personnel. Advanced service
performance enables attending to customers’ personal well-being and caring for their unique needs
effectively. The proposed standard for service provision exceeds customer expectations.
Research limitations/implications – First, the number of panellists was low, limiting the
generalizability of the results. Future studies should increase the number of panellists. Second, this study
focused only on the hotel industry in Taiwan. The results may not be generalizable to other hospitality
industries or other countries. Future studies can duplicate this study in other hospitality industries and in
other countries to broaden the understating of the elements and service standards of delightful service.
Practical implications – The results of this study provide a practical guideline for implementing
delightful service. Hotel practitioners are advised to increase the degree of refinement, variety and
attentiveness of their facilities and amenities; use sensory elements in their hotel environment and ambiance
design; and advance staff members’ service skills to be more proactive, attentive, empathetic and
customer-oriented. Carefully designing the core product and advancing the service delivery style can provide
hotel guests with an exceptional and unique lodging experience, thus achieving delight.


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