Multisensory experience for enhancing hotel guest experience: Empirical evidence from big data analytics

• Published in: International journal of contemporary hospitality management 2019-11, Vol.31 (11), p.4313-4337
• Main Authors: Lee, Minwoo, Lee, Seonjeong (Ally), Koh, Yoon
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Alliances; Big Data; Brand loyalty; Competitive advantage; Corporate culture; Customer satisfaction; Customer services; Data analysis; Hotels & motels; Innovations; Investigations; Marketing; Senses; Social networks; Technological change; Technology adoption; Tourism; User generated content; Value creation
• ISSN: 0959-6119; 1757-1049
• DOI: 10.1108/IJCHM-03-2018-0263

PurposeThis study aims to investigate the effect of customers’ multisensory service experience on customer satisfaction with cognitive effort and affective evaluations using big data and business intelligence techniques.Design/methodology/approachOnline customer reviews for all New York City hotels were collected from Tripadvisor.com and analyzed through business intelligence and big data analytics techniques including data mining, text analytics, sentiment analysis and regression analysis.FindingsThe current study identifies the relationship between affective evaluations (i.e. positive affect and negative affect) and customer satisfaction. Research findings also find the negative effect of reviewer’s cognitive effort on satisfaction rating. More importantly, this study demonstrates the moderating role of multisensory experience as an innovative marketing tool on the relationship between affect/cognitive evaluation and customer satisfaction in the hospitality setting.Originality/valueThis study is the first study to explore the critical role of sensory marketing on hotel guest experience in the context of hotel customer experience and service innovation, based on big data and business intelligence techniques.