Abstract:
The purpose of this study is to examine the influence of service convenience on guest loyalty in non-rated hotels located in Meru County. In particular, the study sought to establish the influence of service convenience using Service Convenience model (SERVCON) dimensions (that is: decision convenience, access convenience, transaction convenience, benefit convenience, and post-benefit convenience) on guest loyalty. A descriptive cross-sectional research design of 100 customers dining in the non-rated hotels through self-administered questionnaires was conducted. The population of the study was all non-rated hotels that are recognized by TripAdvisor as the best accommodation facilities in Meru County, Kenya. In addition, the study used purposive sampling technique to select all non-rated hotels that constituted the sampling frame. All variables were measured using adapted and modified constructs from previous researches. The face validity was used to assess the validity of the questionnaire. Reliability of the constructs was examined using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient technique. Descriptive statistics (means, frequencies, percentages, and standard deviations) and inferential statistics (Pearson correlation analysis) were used to analyze quantitative data. Correlation analysis was used to test the study hypotheses in line with the study objectives. Results revealed positive and statistically significant relationships among the service convenience dimensions and customer loyalty. recommendations are made to the management of non-rated hotels in Meru need to consider developing strategies directed towards ensuring seamless and easy to complete transaction. There is need to focus and invest on current transaction systems that would make it easy and convenient for the customers to complete any type of transaction with a lot of ease