STRATEGIC SERVICE DELIVERY AND ENTREPRENEURIAL SUCCESS OF SMALL AND MEDIUM HOTELS IN RIVERS STATE

Abstract

Observations and interactions with hotel operators in Rivers State suggest a persistent decline in occupancy rates among many small and medium hotels, despite increased traffic of business and leisure travelers to the state. Strategic service delivery have been identified as critical drivers of customer retention, patronage, and competitive advantage. This research examined the influence of strategic service delivery on entrepreneurial success of small and medium hotels in Rivers State. The study adopted a correlational survey research design. The population comprises all 328 registered small and medium hotels in Rivers State. A sample size of 181 hotels was determined using the Taro Yamane. A total subject of 362 in the frame of two (2) respondents in each hotel who are mainly senior operations manager were purposively selected as the respondents.  Data were collected using questionnaire as data collection instrument. Data collected was analysed using descriptive statistics for univariate analyses. Linear regression was used to test the influence of dimensions of strategic service delivery (SSD) on entrepreneurial success-market share Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25 was relied upon for data analyses. The results of test of hypotheses show that service customization, service environment, and service speed and accessibility all have significant influence on entrepreneurial success of small and medium hotels in Rivers State. Thus, the study concluded that effective strategic service delivery significantly influences market share of small and medium hotels in Rivers State, and recommends that firms should invest in customer data systems (CRM tools) that allow them to understand individual customer preferences and tailor services effectively.