Repositioning of the Service Quality of Exquisite Restaurants --Case Study in Taiwan

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1 Repositioning of the Service Quality of Exquisite Restaurants --Case Study in Taiwan Dr. Ray Wang, Associate professor of Hospitality Management Dept., Hungkuang University ABSTRACT In recent years, with the active help and efforts of the Taiwanese authorities and academic circles, a large number of tourists have visited Taiwan, which is of great significance for exquisite high-end restaurants in Taiwan. However, many of these exquisite restaurants have experienced a few cycles, and most of the restaurants have been in stagnation or are in urgent need of reform. In other words, if these restaurants want to take advantage of external opportunities, first of all, they should understand the needs of the main customers of their exquisite restaurant and then convey these needs into quality specifications or requirements. In this way, the exquisite restaurants can reposition their service quality through internal education and training. Using important performance analysis, this study adopted purposive sampling and invited restaurant customers to participate in a questionnaire. In total, 168 valid questionnaires were returned. This study makes use of EXCEL 2013 as the data analysis tool to explore the important items of service quality of the main customers and understand any unsatisfactory service received from the case restaurant. The results of this study are conducive to the verification of the implication of the service quality of exquisite restaurants and can help researchers grasp the differences among the different types of restaurant service quality items with regards to customers and offer a managerial reference for exquisite restaurants in real practice. Keywords: Exquisite Restaurants; Service Quality; Important Performance Analysis; Case Study INTRODUCTION With the promotion of economic growth and life quality, leisure and travel are becoming more and more popular. It is estimated that by the end of 2014, revenues for the tourism Industry in Taiwan will have reached 5% of total revenue for the service industry. The number of employees in the Taiwanese service industry accounts for nearly 60% of the total employed population (Tourism Bureau, M.O.T.C., 2014). With the substantial growth in tourism and the service industry, the derivatives of cuisine catering, security and service quality have suddenly become pressing and urgent issues. The catering industry always places the emphasis on its "customer-oriented" culture, and service quality is an important factor to influence customers and attract revisits (Gabriel, 2015; Kringelbach, 2015). Therefore, meeting the dining needs and service quality of customers is an important factor, as is whether or not the restaurants can attract customers effectively revisits and leave a good impression, which is also an important purpose of this study. Exquisite high-end restaurants provide high standard service quality, yet still no conclusion has been made on service quality and customers revisits (Chen, Liu & Chang, 2013; Liu, & Jang, 2009; Pham & Huang, 2015). Some studies suggested deliciousness of food is the main factor how customers value a restaurant (Wang & Tseng, 2014; Wang, 2015), and some were also debated the importance of service quality (Chen, Liu & Chang, 2013; Gabriel, 2015; Kawasaki & Shimomura, 2015; Kringelbach, 2015; Pham & Huang, 2015). The Journal of Human Resource and Adult Learning, Vol. 11, Num. 2, December,

2 This study is not going to list out tons of factors that are likely to influence customers choice with exquisite restaurants. We are aiming to come up with a business reference and distinguish the factors that have better performance to attract customers. SERVICE QUALITY OF EXQUISITE RESTRUANTS With ever-increasing economic growth and the requirements for life quality, the international leisure industry has gradually increased in popularity. The catering industry has benefited and flourished. With westerly leaning in the domestic catering industry, the concept for high quality lifestyle and restaurants quality has gradually affected the business model and requirements for flavour and cuisine safety. Except for satisfying the basic needs of customers, the emphasis on cleanliness and hygiene, service quality and food quality, decorating style and atmosphere, the arrangement and diversity of provide meals, and the promotion of recreational effects have become important conditions for the competitive edge of catering practitioners (Gabriel, 2015; Kawasaki & Shimomura, 2015; Kringelbach, 2015; Lin, Wang, Tseng, 2009; Wang & Tseng, 2014; Wang, 2015). Only those restaurants that highlight their features, placing the emphasis on service quality, are good at creating atmosphere and shaping restaurant exquisiteness can enjoy dominance. In other words, the atmosphere created by exquisite restaurants can generate pleasure for customers and leave memories forever of an impressive experience. From the literature review, this study concludes that there are three quality constructs for service quality requirements in exquisite restaurants: design and planning, in-house cooking and outfield services, of which there are nine indicators (Gabriel, 2015; Kawasaki & Shimomura, 2015; Kringelbach, 2015; Wang & Tseng, 2014; Wang, 2015). These are: 1, transport convenience; 2, deliciousness and exquisiteness of food; 3, diversified choice of dishes; 4, price; 5, the cordial attitude of receptionists; 6, staff courtesy; 7, decoration and atmosphere of the restaurant; 8, the cleanliness and neatness of the restaurant; 9, the efficiency of the air conditioners. RESEARCH DESIGN Analysis of Significant Performance Indicators To avoid influencing the customers and to efficiently and quickly acquire the data needed for the analysis, this study adopted Important-Performance Analysis (IPA). This method is a technique that adopts perception of the importance of an item given by the research objectives and the satisfaction towards this service or commodities from actual experience, and conducts a comparison of related location (Wu & Shieh, 2009; Wang & Tseng, 2011; Wang & Tseng, 2014; Wang, 2015). With the help of the accumulated data, the average scores for the importance of each item and performance are illustrated as a two-dimensional matrix. Because of its good levels of appropriateness, this method is widely applied in the automobile industries, food service, housing arbitration, education, and health care (Martilla & James, 1977; Wu & Shieh, 2009; Wang & Tseng, 2011; Pham & Huang, 2015). Research Results and Discussion This study was conducted from May 25th, 2015 to June 11th, With purposive sampling and the reduction and exemption of service fees, inviting customers to complete the questionnaires and a total of 100 copies of the questionnaires were circulated. This study collected 86 valid questionnaires, 2013 EXCEL was used for data analysis and the results are shown in figure The Journal of Human Resource and Adult Learning, Vol. 11, Num. 2, December, 2015

3 Figure 1: Important-Performance Analysis for case restaurant In recent years, experiential marketing has gradually been integrated into the daily lives of customers. It allows customers to personally take part in real experiences, generate a thinking identity through actual feelings and then complete their purchase behaviour. This consumption process completely illustrates whether or not customers feelings or thoughts are triggered or moved. In other words, the purpose of the experience is to generate connections between the different layers of sense, feelings, thoughts, and actions and then relate and shape trading behaviour and activities that satisfy customers (Chen, Liu & Chang, 2013; Wang & Tseng, 2014). The analysis results show that the cordial attitude of receptionists (No. 5) and staff courtesy (No. 6) are competitive advantages for this restaurant and are worth maintaining. However, the deliciousness and exquisiteness of food (No. 2), diversified choice of dishes (No. 3), the cleanliness and neatness of the restaurants (No. 8), and efficient air conditioning (No. 9) are items that need to be improved. In other words, the sensory experiences of the case restaurant are not good enough. However, spiritual experiences are its competitive edge, which indicates that most of the customers in this case restaurant are loyal customers and that the receptionists are cordial because they are familiar with those customers. The return ratio for the questionnaire (85%) supports this perspective. However, except for maintenance of the original customer satisfaction, the top priority for this case restaurant should be the attraction of potential customers. Furthermore, deliciousness and exquisiteness of food and diversified choices of dishes demonstrate problems, and there are concerns about losing the original competitive advantages if they do not adopt improvements immediately. The lack of cleanliness and neatness in the restaurants and inefficient air conditioners highlights managerial negligence (Kringelbach, 2015; Pham & Huang, 2015). In other words, this study shows that even exquisite restaurants featured with quality service, deliciousness of food still plays a critical role which effectively satisfies customers (Gabriel, 2015; Kawasaki & Shimomura, 2015; Wang, 2015; Wang & Tseng, 2014). Deliciousness and exquisiteness of food should be viewed as one of the fundamental managerial items for restaurants (Wang, 2015). For sensory and spiritual layers could be selected after fulfilling the basic feature of delicacy. The Journal of Human Resource and Adult Learning, Vol. 11, Num. 2, December,

4 CONCULSION AND IMPLICATIONS Conclusion The results of this study show that the indicators of deliciousness and exquisiteness of food, diversified choices of dishes, the cleanliness and neatness of the restaurants and the efficiency of air conditioners are of urgent need of improvement and that the indicators of the cordial attitude of receptionists and staff courtesy are the competitive advantages of this restaurant. It is believed that satisfying customers basic need is something even for a fine dining restaurant must achieve. Lacking of deliciousness and exquisiteness of food could end up with low satisfactory although there are quality services provided. However, after detailed research, it was easy to ascertain that the customer loyalty for this case restaurant was very high as the receptionists are familiar with the loyal customers. Furthermore, the food offered by this restaurant is not fresh. Consequently, this case restaurant should improve their dishes and cuisine content immediately and reconsider the possibilities and necessities of organizational reconstruction. We interviewed four frequent male customers aged in response to the case restaurant s IPA of the deliciousness and exquisiteness of food and discovered that visual impact to an exquisite restaurant decoration goes faster than the smells and the tastes, yet for customers revisiting taste for deliciousness is still the key (Kawasaki & Shimomura, 2015; Wang, 2015; Wang & Tseng, 2014). Restaurants should have considered aesthetics into the culinary services, however do not leave deliciousness behind when using tints, silverwares, cutting techniques and plating with mouthwatering smells and other taste excitements to bring out positive dining experience for customers. This statement is also similar to the finding of Kahneman, Diener and Schwarz (2003) that we attract customers with aesthetics, following by experiencing delicious food through the smells and the tastes, an ideal banquet style restaurant is a place with pleasant servings and joyful memories (Gabriel, 2015; Kawasaki & Shimomura, 2015; Kringelbach, 2015). Implications and Suggestions The theoretical contribution of this study lies in the re-examination experiential marketing to consumer of the appropriateness of the layers of senses, feelings, thoughts, actions and relations. The research results show that customers place the emphasis on the sensory and spiritual layers and often ignore the connections with thoughts, actions and relations, which are in line with the findings of Liu and Jang (2009), and Chen, Liu and Chang (2013). In other words, customers make their decisions based on convenience and familiarity rather than values as decisive factors of consumer behaviors. This study also supports that even consumers anticipate case restaurant making improvements but before having any progress being seen they will still make visits because of the convenience and familiarity of the restaurant. During the case interview we discovered that high rate of loyalty is merely due to familiarity induced trustiness. However, we strongly suggest restaurant make corrective plans before losing loyal customers and the accumulation of negative feedback could damage the chance to attract potential populations and lead to serious consequences. In addition, in terms of the contribution in actual practice, this study is in line with Wang and Tseng (2014) who stated that customers are sensitive and straightforward about their senses of the savories and taste of the dishes (Gabriel, 2015; Kawasaki & Shimomura, 2015). However, in addition to the changes and choices of dishes, the decoration of the restaurant should be enhanced and appropriate equipment be maintained to match basic requirement of consumers. customers background and their dining purpose would be so critical for exquisite restaurants (Kringelbach, 2015). For business socialize activity, 60 The Journal of Human Resource and Adult Learning, Vol. 11, Num. 2, December, 2015

5 restaurant should place the importance on ambience building, lobby decorations and hardware installations. When it comes to family gathering, restaurant should make efforts on providing delicacies, quality of service to come up with great memories. In this study, the exquisite restaurants are categorized for the which that serve delicacies and attract customers by their plating, and we define fine cutting techniques is not by how well restaurant can sculpt characters or animals. what we really meant is via knife cutting, whether the angle, the thickness, and the shape are precise and thru out means of cooking skills and temperature dishes are able to reach the level of deliciousness (Gabriel, 2015; Kawasaki & Shimomura, 2015; Kringelbach, 2015). Subsequent researches can cite the five constructs of experiential marketing so as to verify the compatibility of restaurants of different sizes and different dates. Researches can also testify the influence of price, the mediating variable or moderator, on the selection process of exquisite restaurants by customers on different dates. Besides, how do consumers visual, hearing, and smelling senses, as well as their tastes and psychological feelings impact their value on rating the dining memories is also considered a critical dimension for further discussion. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT The authors would like to thank the government of Taiwan for financially supporting this research under Contract No. MOST S MY2. Also, the authors are grateful to the reviewers and the editor for their constructive comments and assistance in revising and polishing this article. REFERENCES Chen, K. H., Liu, H. H., & Chang, F. S. (2013). Essential customer service factors and the segmentation of older visitors within wellness tourism based on hot spring hotels. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 35, Gabriel, S. (2015). Taste receptors in the gastrointestinal system. Flavour, 4(14), 1-4. Kawasaki, H., & Shimomura, K. (2015). Temporal design of taste and flavor: practical collaboration between chef and scientist. Flavour, 4:12. doi: / Kringelbach, M. L. (2015). The pleasure of food: underlying brain mechanisms of eating and other pleasures. Flavour, 4(20), Lin, Z.P., Wang, R., Tseng, M.L. (2009). Determination of a Cause and Effect Decision Making Model for Leisure Farms Service Quality in Taiwan. WASEA transactions on business and economics, 6, 2, Liu, Y., & Jang, S. (2009). The effects of dining atmospherics: an extended Mehrabian-Russell model. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 28(4), Martilla, J. A., & James, J. C. (1977). Importance performance analysis, Journal of Marketing, 41(1), Pham, T.H., & Huang, Y.Y. (2015). The Impact of Experiential Marketing on Customer s Experiential Value and Satisfaction: An Empirical Study in Vietnam Hotel Sector. Tourism Bureau, M.O.T.C. (2014). Information system, Retrieved 2015, Wang, R. & Tseng, M.L. (2011). Evaluation of International Student Satisfaction using Fuzzy Importance-Performance Analysis. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 25, Wang, R. & Tseng, M.L. (2014). Factors affecting Cuisine Quality: Duo-theme DEMATEL Method. Mitteilungen Klosterneuburg, 64(4), (Apr.-May, 2014, part 2 section 1), Wang, R. (2015). On Culinary Teaching Steps from the Perspective of Problem-Based Learning. The Journal of International Management Studies, 10(2), Wu, H.H., & Shieh, J.I. (2009). The development of a confidence interval-based importance-performance analysis by considering variability in analyzing service quality, Expert Systems with Applications, 36(3), The Journal of Human Resource and Adult Learning, Vol. 11, Num. 2, December,