Impact of perceived website service quality on customer e-loyalty on a lodging website

Abstract

Customer loyalty on websites, e-loyalty, is reflected on customer behavior, regardless of online or offline business. Specifically, it is believed that customer loyalty on a website is strongly associated with website service quality. This study rigorously reviewed previously reported research in the website service quality dimensions and attempted to integrate these dimensions under three major categories. Then, the associations between website service quality dimensions and their consequences were examined. In an attempt to investigate the different perceptions of website service quality dimensions upon age groups, results revealed that no significant differences in the perception of website service quality dimensions existed among four age groups - Seniors, Baby Boomers, Gen Xers and Yers. This implied that regardless of age differences, people perceived the dimensions of website service quality in the same way. Results of the study also indicated that website service quality, identified as FUNC, CE and REP dimensions, was directly associated with customer perceived service quality of a lodging website. Customer perceived service quality directly affected overall customer satisfaction and customer return intention to the website. Ultimately, customer return intention affected customer loyalty on a lodging website. Accordingly, eight hypotheses established the associations among website service quality dimensions to perceived service quality (PSQ), from PSQ to overall customer satisfaction (OCS), from OCS to return intention (RI), and from RI to customer loyalty (CL). In summary, findings of this study provided evidence that website service quality dimensions were directly associated with customer perceived service quality of a lodging website. Also, the findings showed important implications to ensure quality services of a lodging website to capture customers' perceived service quality that may evolve to customer loyalty through return intention. These findings may assist hospitality management to establish and implement customer-oriented marketing strategies to increase customer perceived service quality on a website, which will enhance their return intentions and customer loyalty. Hospitality management should put extensive efforts to determine what practices of a lodging website will be useful for customers to make them return to the website. Based upon these findings, it is believed that hospitality management can design its website to accommodate its customers' expectations.