Operational Management, Marketing Strategies, and Technology Used: A Structural Model of Customer Satisfaction in Hospitality Industry

This study developed and validated a structural model of customer satisfaction in the hospitality industry of Butuan City by examining the influence of operational management, marketing strategies, and technology used. A quantitative, descriptive-correlational design was employed, with data collected from 565 adult paying guests across seven accredited hotels. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was utilized to analyze the direct and combined effects of the variables on customer satisfaction. Findings revealed that operational management, particularly service delivery, human resource practices, and quality standards, significantly predict customer satisfaction. Marketing strategies, including promotional effectiveness, advertising, online visibility, and word-of-mouth referrals, demonstrated strong positive relationships with guest satisfaction and loyalty intentions. Similarly, technologies used, such as reservation and booking systems, point-of-sale and payment systems, Wi-Fi connectivity, and customer experience technologies, emerged as a critical driver of convenience, efficiency, and overall guest experience. The final structural model confirmed that these factors collectively provide a strong explanation of customer satisfaction in the hospitality sector. The study recommends strengthening service standards, investing in reliable digital infrastructure, enhancing staff training, adopting data-driven marketing strategies, and promoting collaborative efforts among tourism stakeholders to sustain competitiveness, improve guest experiences, and support local economic development.