Effect of Customer Satisfaction on Organizational Performance of Lodges within Lewa Wildlife Conservancy

Abstract

Kenya is a well-known tourist destination in Africa and the government has launched several initiatives to boost tourism. Hotels are a vital aspect of tourism in the country and maintaining high levels of customer satisfaction with their services is crucial for upholding the country's reputation as a desirable tourist destination. Objectives were guided by customer loyalty, customer behaviour, service quality, and brand reputation and how they affected organizational performance. Resource-Based View (RBV) theory, Expectancy-Value Theory, Customer Service Theory and the Reputation management theory guided the study. A descriptive survey design was employed to collect quantitative data from 121 staff and 186 customers at the lodges (Lewa Wilderness, Lewa House and Elewana Lewa Safari Camp) in the Conservancy. Structured questionnaires the primary tool for collecting primary data which were analysed using SPPSS to examine descriptive results like frequency, percentage, mean and standard deviation. Additionally, for the qualitative data collected, the analysis involved examining the thematic content of the responses to gain insights and draw conclusions. Client loyalty was found to have had a great result on the lodges’ organizational performance. Additionally, customer behaviour was an indicator of customer satisfaction, and it greatly affected the organizational performance in the lodges. The study found that the services level of quality was valued by the lodges and thus the guests were largely content with the with the quality of services at the lodges. Service quality was also found to affect organizational performance in the lodges to a large extent. In addition, the lodges’ enhanced client loyalty as a result of brand reputation led to increased customer loyalty and increased sales and their strong brand recognition led to increased customer trust as well as increased sales and revenue. According to the research’s findings the study recommended that the lodges should emphasize the delivery of high-quality services throughout the customer journey, from reservation to check-out. They should also train and empower staff members to provide exceptional customer service, ensuring that guests' needs and preferences are met promptly and efficiently