Analyzing the quality of e-mail responses of leading hotels of the world to customer enquiries

This study explores the quality of responses to information queries regarding accommodation sent via e-mail to leading international luxury hotels using a mystery guest approach. The English e-mail messages also included questions about other services and facilities offered by the hotels. The main objectives of the research were i) to evaluate the extent to which the Leading Hotels of the World (LHW) use e-mail to communicate with potential customers, and ii) to investigate the responsiveness and quality of e-mail responses to queries among these hotels. The overall results reveal less than satisfactory e-mail responsiveness and quality, with some hotels having insufficient knowledge of e-mail customer service. The implementation of e-mail customer service policies and high-quality standard e-mail procedures is thus needed to improve the competitive advantages and customer relationship management of hotels.