CUSTOMER SATISFACTION WITH RAYFIELD RESORT, PLATEAU STATE, NIGERIA.
BY1T. O. IIRMDU; 2T. K. GONTUL; 3J. D.
GYANG. DEPARTMENT OF GEOGRAPHY AND PLANNING, UNIVERSITY OF JOS,
NIGERIA.
ABSTRACT This study examines customers’ satisfaction with the Rayfield Resort in Jos town
Plateau state, Nigeria. The research methodology used is literature search, face to
face oral interview, direct field observation, and administration of a well structured
questionnaire to sampled tourists found at the resort using the availability sampling
technique (a non probability sampling technique). Results from the analyses of the
data show that with regards to service provision at the resort about 60% of the
sampled tourists considered the services as poor. The data also reveals very serious
facility decay at the Resort. The research equally reveals the role of facilities and
basic service provisions in meeting customers’ needs. The study concludes by
elucidating the relationship between adequate provision of facilities, efficient
management and goal achievements. Findings of the study led to the recommendation
that the management of the resort should rise up to the task of improving the
facilities and the resort by providing adequate and world standard facilities that can
give high satisfaction to the tourists while luring more tourists to visit the resort.
INTRODUCTION Customers’ satisfaction in any tourist resort is defined by the quality of the
facilities. Tourism facilities consist of accommodation, availability of
necessary infrastructural and recreational facilities, basic service provided
and the totality of how these facilities and services meet the customers’
needs. The satisfaction derived from the facilities provided in any tourist
location towards meeting their recreational needs are affected by some
variables. These are the physical (objective) attributes and the attitude
(subjective) variable. The later is based on people’s perception and the
former is concerned with the objective variable affecting peoples’
satisfaction with respect to the provision of facilities. Peoples quality of
ideal recreation in a tourist resort is determined by the number of facilities
provided as attested to by the results of this study.
Aim and Objectives of the studyThe survey aimed at examining customers
satisfaction with facilities/services provided at the Rayfield Resort. The specific objectives being:
To identify the tourism potentials and endowment of the resort.
To identify the management efforts of the resort viz-a-viz their resources in meeting customers’ needs.
To examine the extent to which customers to the resort have been satisfied with the recreational facilities and services provided.
METHODOLOGYTypes and sources of data The main sources of information for this study are
direct field observation, questionnaire administration and oral interview. The data required for the study include
Information on the management of the resort which was derived from interviews with some of the management staff.
Information on tourism endowment of the resort was obtained through the management library.
Information on the characteristics of tourists and their satisfaction with facilities and services of the sampled resort was acquired through the questionnaire.
DATA COLLECTION PROCEDURE AND ANALYSISData used for this study were gathered from both
primary and secondary sources. The research methodology used is literature search, face to face oral interview and direct field observation. Retrieval of information from primary sources entailed information gathering from officials of the Rayfield Resort through face to face oral interview and from direct field observation. Secondary data were gathered from existing literature of studies conducted on the Jos Plateau region related to customer’s satisfaction. The survey adopted the availability (purposive) sampling technique targeted at the tourist site that best fits the study. Data collected were analysed using the descriptive statistical technique.
FINDINGS The activities undertaken by customers, visitors and tourists at the resort
include scenic admiration, game viewing, boating, bathing, swimming,
entertainment, education and picnicking among others. With respect to
meeting their customers’ needs, provisions are made by the management staff
in the form of facilities and services that can make the visits to these resorts
adventurous.
From the data collected and the analysis, the following are the findings of this
research:
The study revealed that the resort has great tourism potentials and endowment
that needs to be properly harnessed .
The study also revealed that facility and basic service provision is peculiar with
the type of management as indicated by the data.
FINDINGS The main attractions and tourism potentials of the Rayfield resort are mostly social
(man-made).
The facilities and basic service provision at the Rayfield resort are in a dilapidated
state. This is because the resort is at its developmental stage; phase I and II.
With regards to service provision at the resort about 60% of the sampled tourists
considered the services as poor.
Visitors to the resort appeared not to be completely satisfied because of the state of
the undeveloped and dilapidated facilities. The respondents’ general opinion
regarding the resort is to embark on further physical planning and development of the
resort.
RAYFIELD RESORT TOURISM POTENTIALS AND ENDOWNMENTS.
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DILAPIDATED FACILITIES AT THE RESORT.
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UNCOMPLETED ACCOMODATION FACILITIES AT THE RESORT.
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RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONWith regards to service provision at the resort out of the
100 respondents, 16 of them representing 16% considered
the basic service provision as fair, 24% as inadequate while
60% who were not satisfied with the resorts services
considered it poor.
Assessing the management of resort, the study revealed
that at the Rayfield resort 23% of its staff are skilled, the
remaining 77% accounts for the unskilled labour force.
None of these staff have been sent on training since its
establishment and this has affected their interaction with
customers and tourists whom they owe the duty to satisfy.
CONCLUSION This study investigated customers’ satisfaction with the Rayfield Resort. It focused on
the nature of the management of the resort, tourist resources and the state of the
resorts basic facilities and service provisions. It also assessed the customers’
satisfaction in line with the facilities and basic service provision at the resort. The
research also revealed from its findings the role of facilities and basic service
provisions in meeting customer’ needs. It elucidates the relationship between
efficient management of tourist sites and goal achievements. With the information
provided in this study, it is recommended that the managers of the resort should rise
up to the task of appraising the planning and development of the resort by providing
adequate and world standard facilities that can give high satisfaction to the tourists.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR AUDIENCE AND HOPE TO MEET YOU AGAIN SOMEDAY.