CHAPTER II
GUESTOLOGY
Introducti
on
Many establishments and organizations are doing
everything to improve the level of quality service
through the performance of the employees. Others
develop their systems. Some also embed the
concept of corporate culture and environment in
their setups. All of these are deemed effective, but
sometimes, what we often forget is that the center
of the service concept is our guests. This would be
the focus of our study the concept of Guestology.
GUESTOLOGY
•Defined by Dickson (2010) as
the scientific study of guest
behaviors, needs, and
expectations in a service
environment.
•Using guest insights to
manage service organizations
effectively
•Concept introduced by Bruce
GUESTOLOGY- Studies the
entire guest experience
EXPECTATIONS
INTERACTIONS
RESULTS AND
FEEDBACK
Klein’s Perspective
(2014) in her study that guestology
Mentioned
involves knowing the guests or clients
and their needs and wants, perceptions,
and expectations.
•Difficult to identify true guest needs and
perceptions
•Establishments assumed guest needs
•Assumptions often differ from actual
expectations
•Sucess in service organizations comes from:
•Knowing, not assuming guest needs and
wants
•Finding ways to quantify guest feedback
•Aligning service delivery with guest
expectations
THE GUESTOLOGY CONCEPT
COSTUMER
EXPECTATIONS
•Customer expectations are crucial for achieving customer satisfaction and good
service.
•Businesses must understand what customers want, expect, and who they are
to meet their needs effectively.
•Expectations vary among customers depending on their experience and
purpose, such as new versus returning guests or business travelers versus
families.
•Companies should regularly gather feedback and study customer preferences
to guide their operations
•Since expectations constantly change, businesses must stay updated and
•Planning for customer satisfaction is essential because it forms the basis for
creating a meaningful guest experience.
•The guestologist plays a vital role in ensuring that every detail meets guests’
expectations from their first interaction with the establishment.
In the Philippines, cultural differences
influence expectations, as beliefs and
ideals vary. For instance, while cocktail-
style meals may be suitable in Hong Kong,
Filipino guests expect a formal dining setup
with comfortable seating and ambiance.
Thus, understanding cultural preferences
is crucial in planning and designing
experiences that truly satisfy guests.
•Hospitality establishments
should avoid over-delivering
services
•Over-delivery can raise
unrealistic expectations or create
discomfort
•Guests prefer that their
expectations are met—no more,
no less
Guests generally expect:
•Cleanliness
•Courteous, reliable, and friendly
staff
•Responsive service
•Higher service level = higher
(Ekiz et al., 2012)
•Small or outdated rooms
•Rude or unhelpful staff
•Poor complaint response
•Late or incorrect service
•Lack of cleanliness
•Inadequate amenities
•Extra or hidden charges
•Consistency in service is crucial.
•Avoid extremes — neither over-deliver nor
underperform.
•Continuous strategy and improvement ensure
guest satisfaction in a demanding industry.
They enumerated a number of problems in their article
which are the following:
1. Rooms- with concerns extending from small sized rooms to
rooms with no modern technology.
2. Arrogant andior clueless staff - with comments ranging
from staff being rude and no answers to questions posed.
3. Failure to respond - mainly covering staff's failure to
respond to guest complaints
4. Poor delivery- covering complaints such as late service or wrong
room service and long process for check-ins/outs.
5. Cleanliness- with criticisms on soiled linen, carpet stains, and hair
trapped in bathtubs.
6. Amenities and utilities- with problems associated to the lack or
inadequacy of toiletries and items in minibar.
7. Billing- with guests grumbling about having then charged extra for
parking, Internet, gym, and the like Issues like these are typically simple
to resolve but management should allot time and enforce policies in
monitoring these problems and ensure that guest service is really a top
priority.
COSTUMER/
GUEST/ CLIENTS
•Customers, also called guests or clients, play a
vital role in the hospitality and tourism industry.
Understanding their behaviors and needs helps
businesses create effective strategies.
•The Corporate Finance Institute (2015)
identifies five main customer types: loyal,
impulse, discount, need-based, and wandering
customers.
•LOYAL COSTUMERS- though only about 20% of the customer
base, generate most of the revenue and promote the business
through positive word of mouth.
•IMPULSE COSTUMERS- make unplanned purchases and are
open to suggestions, making them ideal for upselling. Discount
customers contribute to cash flow by buying products at
reduced prices, helping move inventory that might not sell at
full price.
•DISCOUNT COSTUMERS- are those who buy products only
when they are on sale or discounted. They help the company’s
•NEED-BASED COSTUMERS- purchase products for a
specific purpose or occasion and are difficult to upsell. They
tend to avoid sales tactics and may switch to competitors
offering lower prices or similar alternatives. Building personal
connections and proving the value of the service can help
convert them into loyal customers over time.
•WANDERING COSTUMERS- on the other hand, have no
specific need and mainly seek social interaction. While they
contribute little to sales revenue, they generate high store
traffic and can provide valuable feedback about products and
services.
Identifying these segments is significant as they generate
revenue for the enterprise. Alongside these segments drag
another type of customer that is usually forgotten or left
out. It is called the internal customers. As a hospitality
entity, it is important to note that aside from external
customers, it also serves its internal customers (people
which depend and "serve" each other). As they are the ones
who are actually doing the service process, they
understand the feeling of being served together with the
toil of hard work that goes with it. Thus, the service given
to an external customer should also be the same with an
internal customer. The expectations, which are to be
QUALITY AND
VALUE
Quality in hospitality is closely linked to value and the
relationship between guests and service staff. Guests
measure quality by comparing their expectations with their
actual experiences—their “reality.” If the experience matches
or exceeds expectations, the guest perceives positive quality;
if not, it is seen as negative quality. Satisfaction depends on
whether the service or product received feels worth what was
paid. Importantly, quality is not determined by cost—high or
low quality can exist at any price point.