Quality of Front Office Services of Hotels in Tarlac City

Abstract

This study examined the quality of front office services of selected hotels in Tarlac City using the SERVQUAL model. Specifically, it aimed to: (1) describe the profile of selected hotels in terms of selected operational characteristics; (2) assess hotel guests’ expectations and perceptions of front office service quality across the dimensions of tangibility, reliability, responsiveness, assurance, and empathy; and (3) determine the service quality gaps between guests’ expectations and perceived service performance.

A descriptive research design was employed. The respondents consisted of 100 hotel guests from four purposively selected hotels in Tarlac City. Data were collected using a structured SERVQUAL-based questionnaire that measured both expectations and perceptions of front office services. Descriptive statistical tools, including frequency distribution, weighted mean, and SERVQUAL gap analysis, were used to analyze the data.

Results revealed that guests’ expectations exceeded their perceptions across all five SERVQUAL dimensions, with responsiveness and reliability exhibiting the largest negative gaps. This indicates delays in service delivery and inconsistencies in fulfilling service commitments, while smaller gaps in tangibility, assurance, and empathy suggest generally satisfactory but improvable front office performance.

The study concludes that front office services of selected hotels in Tarlac City require continuous improvement to fully meet guest expectations. The novelty of this study lies in its focused application of the SERVQUAL model to front office operations in a developing city context, providing department-specific insights that support more targeted service quality improvements.