An investigation of how usability influences satisfaction with hotel web sites and the online post-booking behaviour of customers

• Main Author: Essawy, Mohamed
• Published: Leeds Beckett University 2007
• Subjects: 381
• Online Access: http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.485822

This research reviews the important usability dimensions that influence satisfaction with hotel Web sites and the online post-booking behaviour (loyalty) of customers. The study is based on the five usability satisfaction factors (the flexibility of the travel organisation, the information quantity and quality, the ease of information search, the ease of making reservations and the payment facilities) developed by De Marsico & Levialdi (2004) and the four loyalty phases (cognition, affection, conation and action loyalty) developed by Oliver (1997). Data are obtained from a quota sample of British customers who frequently book hotel rooms for leisure breaks from hotel Web sites. In a descending order, the analysis reveals that the ease of making reservations, the information quantity and quality, the ease of information search and the flexibility of the travel organisation are the most important factors influencing customer satisfaction with hotel Web sites. The results also show that the payment facilities factor does not contribute to usability satisfaction. Therefore, a restricted model (with the four usability factors) is used to assess the research hypotheses. The assessment of the research hypotheses reveals that usability satisfaction positively influences the online postbooking behaviour (repeat use and psychological commitment) of customers.