The Influence of service excellence initiatives on customer experience in casual dining restaurants – a case study of Nairobi County

Abstract

Service excellence is acknowledged as a way to satisfy clients, increase loyalty, and create enduring relationships. Service excellence is about delivering services beyond the expectations of the clientele. There is still a lack of understanding about how service excellence initiatives affect the customer experience in casual dining restaurants in Nairobi. The general objective of this study was to investigate the influence of service excellence initiatives on customer experience in casual dining restaurants in Nairobi. The study used a descriptive research design and convenience sampling to sample 384 customers. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data on service excellence initiatives and their effects on the customer’s experience. The questionnaires were distributed and collected from customers dining at the selected restaurants. To effectively investigate the influence of service excellence initiatives on customer experience in casual dining restaurants in Nairobi, the data collected from this study were analysed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. The descriptive statistics were presented using tables and charts to summarize the responses and visually present the results of distribution patterns of service excellence initiatives, customer satisfaction, and loyalty. Correlation analysis was used to examine the relationships between service excellence initiatives and customer satisfaction. This study examined service excellence initiatives in casual dining restaurants in Nairobi and their effects on customer experience and satisfaction. Personalized service and digital integration were found to be highly valued by customers, highlighting their importance in enhancing service delivery. Staff professionalism and waiting time management significantly impacted customer satisfaction. The correlation between combined service excellence initiatives and customer experience was highly significant, emphasizing their collective influence on customer satisfaction. Customer loyalty was also found to have a strong positive correlation with service excellence initiatives. The study demonstrates that personalized service, digital integration, and staff professionalism are crucial to enhancing customer satisfaction, loyalty, and experience. The new knowledge gained highlights that integrated service excellence initiatives have a compounding impact on customer loyalty and satisfaction.