Nonverbal communication such as facial expressions, postures and gestures can make a difference in customer satisfaction and loyalty. It also is directly connected to the company's profit. As a method of promotion, nonverbal communication has been use...
Nonverbal communication such as facial expressions, postures and gestures can make a difference in customer satisfaction and loyalty. It also is directly connected to the company's profit. As a method of promotion, nonverbal communication has been used as a key element of differentiation among other hotels.
The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between nonverbal communication and the significance of employee evaluation as well as to suggest marketing implications based on the result. This study was analyzed through a questionnaire that based on literature reviews and the derived variables from preceding studies. Path analysis was used to investigate the total 32 hypotheses.
Based on the result from the analysis, research hypotheses were tested. The findings were identified and summarized as follows;
a. Body language and appearance were positively related to employee evaluation.
b. Auditory language was not related to employee evaluation.
c. All factors of employee evaluation were positively related to customer satisfaction.
d. Customer satisfaction was positively related to customer loyalty.
Also, Chi-square Verification was used to identify the differences by genders, ages, and types of customers, and the findings are as follows;
a. In types of customer, the relationships between nonverbal communication and employee evaluation, interactive customer's body language and appearance were positively related to employee evaluation. Space language, on the other hand, was not positively related to suitability.
b. In types of customer, the relationships between nonverbal communication and employee evaluation, egocentric customer's body language were positively related to all factors of customer evaluation.
c. Customer satisfaction was positively related to loyalty for both groups.
d. In age groups, suitability and appearance were positively related to all factors of employee evaluation for 20's group and auditory language was positively related to credibility.
e. In the group of 30's, body language was positively related to all factors of employee evaluation, but appearance was not related to credibility.
f. In the 40's group, appearance was positively related to all factors of employee evaluation and auditory language was positively related to suitability.
g. Nonverbal communication was not related to customer satisfaction in the 20's group.
h. In the group of male customers, body language and appearance were positively related to all factors of employee evaluation, and body language and space language were positively related to all factors of employee evaluation for female customers.
According to these results, following suggestions can be made;
a. Body language and appearance are the most important factors in nonverbal communication. So hotel administrators should have a program for improving these skills. b. This study shows that auditory language has no relations between nonverbal communication and customer satisfaction. For this reason, hotels should maintain high standards of tangible and intangible assets such as employee's postures, appearances, gestures, interiors, and hotel facilities.
The limitation of this study is that the data were collected in five-star hotels in Seoul only. Also, it did not consider the differences between room and F&B divisions. For this reason, future studies should investigate the differences between thoses two divisions.
<출처: RISS,
http://www.riss.kr/link?id=T11920915>