The divergence between the expectations of the consumer and the perception of management in relation to the quality of service : the case of four and five star hotels in the resort areas of Gramado, Canela and Nova Petropolis in the state of Rio Grande do Sul

Abstract

The rapid evolution of the services sector over the last decades has prompted the need for effective communication strategies, which are being constantly developed by firms in this sector with the aim of anticipating and guaranteeing the type of service which the potential customer would expect. The development of communication strategies has been refined to high degree, especially in the western economies, whether the market is banking, real estate, retail, insurance or, as in the case of this study, the hotel accommodation sector. However, how efficient and effective are these strategies, especially in their implementation? How well do these firms really know their customer? What is taken into consideration when analysing the difference in perceptions of quality of the various customers, whether they are clients, patients, or guests? And equally important, what is known about the potential differences between the perception of quality of the service provider and the user? Perception of quality is the focal point of this study. Ideally, the efficient and effective flow of information between the service provider and the user should ensure that the service provided would match the level of quality expected by the user. The conviction that a communication strategy should fundamentally relate to the needs and desires of the consumer, and subsequently, the importance of the congruence between the firm's objectives and the consumer's expectations, provided the impetus for the choice of this area of study for this dissertation.