Customer experiences with hotel smartphone : a case study of Hong Kong hotels

Abstract

Competition in the hotel industry is intense in Hong Kong. Providing personalized services through the latest technology is a comparative advantage that hotels can pursue. Recently, many hotels have started to provide complementary “handy smartphones” to guests and have received a positive feedback. This study explores the experiences of customers on the complementary “handy smartphones” provided by hotels and identifies the factors affecting the actual smartphone usage behavior. A survey of 121 hotel guests was conducted on seven major aspects of “handy smartphones” in four Hong Kong hotels. Results revealed that guests were mostly satisfied with the free smartphone provision of hotels. Price, security, and connectivity were among the important aspects leading to the actual usage of these smartphones. Recommendations on the enhancement of “handy smartphones” are provided.