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/lp/emerald-publishing/email-customer-service-in-the-tunisian-hotel-industry-WJkJjSXQ96
- Publisher
- Emerald Publishing
- Copyright
- Copyright © Emerald Group Publishing Limited
- ISSN
- 1660-5373
- DOI
- 10.1108/eb058405
- Publisher site
- See Article on Publisher Site
Abstract
This research replicates and extends Frey et al. 2003, using a typical email query to investigate email customer service by 260 Tunisian hotels. Based on the hotel responses, this study found that guests had one chance in ten of receiving a reply within a day and even less chance that hotels answered the inquiry professionally, promptly, politely and personally. Diffusion of innovations failed to explain differences in responsiveness by Tunisian hoteliers but did help explain the quality of email replies. The results suggest that reply quality differs across hotel size and hotel affiliation. Hotel affiliation as well as hotel category and website presence showed no significant differences in responsiveness. Differences aside, the results highlight that Tunisian hotels can gain an immediate competitive advantage by analysing common email queries and implementing basic email procedures.
Journal
Tourism Review – Emerald Publishing
Published: Feb 1, 2003