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.