Total quality management practices and customer satisfaction in hotel industry: a case study of selected hotels in Makindye division, Kampala district.

Abstract

The study set out to examine the relationship between Total Quality Management Practices and customer satisfaction in hospitality industry in Uganda, focusing on the selected hotels Makindye Division, Kampala District as a case study. The study used three specific objectives: To identify the total quality management practices that are implemented by the four selected hotels; the level of customer satisfaction and the relationship between total quality management practices and customer satisfaction in the selected hotels in Makindye Division, Kampala District. The study used a population of 170 selected from managerial and non-managerial staff of the selected hotels and a sample of 119 was selected using Neumann’s formula, but 110 respondents returned the questionnaires representing a response rate of 92.4%. A Cross Sectional research design was employed and both qualitative and qualitative approaches of data collection and analysis were used. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation and Regression analysis such as model summary, ANOVAs and coefficients were also used to test the relationship between the variables. Correlation analysis was undertaken to measure the strength of the linear association between Total Quality Management Practices and Customer Satisfaction in the selected hotels. The correlation coefficient between the main study variables was 0.798, P<0.000, this indicates that there is a positive significant correlation coefficient between TQM practices and Customer Satisfaction in the selected hotels in Makindye Division, Kampala District. Multiple regression result showed that TQM practices are positively and significantly related to customer satisfaction (H1). Further, TQM practices explained up to 79.8% of the variance in customer satisfaction of the selected hotels. The study concluded multiple linear regression analysis established that implemented TQM and customer satisfaction levels influences customer satisfaction in the selected hotels. The study recommends that hotels should focus more attention to customers’ satisfaction and sustainability by identifying their needs through feedback mechanism. Hotels need to continuously improve their products, services, and processes to remain competitive and be able to maintain a work space that is organized and clean, promoting enhanced functionality, efficiency, and productivity.