Introduction:
Hotel lobby has widely been used by most firms to catch a first site attraction from the customers. Abbott (2005) argued that the hotel lobby design can bring more customers in or can send away customers from its looks. A good appealing lobby, would make a hotel look executive, expensive, and luxurious. Thus those paying a visit to it will feel value for their money as well as appreciation. Most hotels have thus made lobby designs a competitive strategy to ensure they have a first site captivating attention from their customers.
The lobby have been used by hotels to convey management intentions towards their customers. Therefore, it has widely been used as a communication tool by most firm. Therefore, it needs to be at its best to avoid breakage of first impression. However, as much as it is made attractive, it should be in line with services that will actually be offered.The hotel should not only offer an attractive reception, but should ensure all services are excellent (Brejzek, 2017).
In the recent past, there has also been an increase in a lot of studies alleging that firms should not only make the lobby attractive, but should also seek to protect their customers. Some studies have argued that a critical element in an attractive design is customer safety assurance. Other have not shown any significant importance. Therefore, the current paper will seek to assess the relationship between the lobby design and hotels performance, how to make it attractive, and the relationship to security of customers.
Relationship between the lobby design and hotels performance:
A study by Aunger & Curtis (2015), on hotel lobby design and its attraction parameters,indicated that there is a significant relationship between the lobby design and hotel performance. This was concluded after assessment of different parameters like number of customers, price hikes, hiring of professional and level of customer service. Firms that had an attractive lobby were seen to make use of customer approach to gaining their competitive edge and thus dideverything to satisfy their customers. Consequently, leaping more profits. Accordingto Gleave (2012),one of the major determinants in ensuring customer satisfaction was its lobby design. The author was assessing determinants of improved customer’s satisfaction in hotels. The study revealed that hotels with attractive designs were able to make customers satisfied and feel value for their money. The study recommended for use of attractive lobby, since customer’s satisfaction comes fast in anyservice industry business.
Thapa (2007) in a study on visualisation of the level of customers service in a hotel, found a significant relationship between attractive lobby and customer service. The study conceptualised, lobby as a marketing tool in most hotels and thus should be at its best. Similarly, the work of Fidzani & Caughey (2015) alluded that most attractive lobbies made customer not even notice poor quality services offered. They tended to get satisfied with everything they found. Customer’sperceptions towards the hotel would be highly positive irrespective of actual services offered.
Hotels that have high customer experience tend to ensure customers satisfaction to be the main goal. According to Rutkin (2005) customers experience by most hotels is portrayed by how they welcome customers. Lobby design is one of the key elements to ensuring customers satisfaction. In addition, hotels with a lot of experience will ensure an attractive lobby to win most customers.
However, there are also studies againstattractive lobby designs. For instance, Rutes et.al (2001), argues that attractive lobby designs make hotels look expensive, and thus only accessible to the rich. The middle and low income earners will go to the less attractive lobby design hotel, with the thought that they may be cheap. This has therefore, been used to scare away customers, which has a negative effect on the performance of the hotel. Sales are inclined to reduce due to the low turnover of customers. Consequently, impacting negatively on the hotel future sustainability. Most authors have thus called for a balance between the design and other marketing strategies to eliminate fear among customers.
