Relationship between the Lobby Design and Hotel's Performance (Essay Sample)

Hotel Lobby Design - making lobbies attractive but also looking at guest security considerations to protect guests and hotel.
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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 did everything to satisfy their customers. Consequently, leaping more profits. According to 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 any service 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’s perceptions 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 against attractive 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.
Making hotel lobby look attractive and its significance
Attractiveness of the reception plays a great role in ensuring customers are satisfied. Research has shown the importance of attractive lobbies to firm’s growth. It has also shown that firms need to make the lobby captivating, to capture the minds of customers. Hotels are in the public domain and thus need to attract as much as possible. A good looking lobby is key to ensuring a good first impression. In addition, it has been seen to create customer loyalty, which is key to hotel development.
Over the years, the concept and attachment of lobby design has been changing. In the recent past, it has been seen as a useful piece to guest experience. In the past, it was not given much attention as most guests would not spend a lot of time there (Baek, 2016). However, in the recent, it has been seen to be very useful in creating a positive impression of the whole hotel. They have recently, been made in a way that they are more inviting and customer focused. Most have also received a lot of changes due to external business dynamics. The world is changing and thus all businesses have to keep up with the pace. Competition is also high and most firms need to seek for ways to dealing with it. An attractive lobby becomes one of the global competitive strategy that can be embraced by firms. Thus making most use of the lobby space, to improve customer satisfaction.
Making lobbies attractive makes customers have a feel of spending more time. Others yearn to be in the place, while other make serious commitments there since they feel valued. There are many significant benefits of having attractive lobbies to the firm and to the clients. Therefore, they should be made much more attractive at all times.
A lobby could be perceived as a community living room. Therefore, need to be attractive as it has a great deal of importance to customers. Which transpire to profits for the hotel. It is important to make the lobby attractive for different reason including; first an attractive lobby gives an impression of arrival. Thus, it creates a dream destination in the minds of clients. Consequently, receiving high satisfaction. Therefore, the lobby should provide a form of experience with customers and thus making customers feel at home (Fidzani & Caughey, 2015). Therefore, an attractive lobby should ensure it creates an environment for customers to feel a need to stop by. Second, any attractive lobby should cater for the crowed. Hotels should have their target customers in mind while designing any attractive lobby. Thus, design one around their customers. This will ensure customers feel a sense of belonging and personify the hotel like one of their kind. This improves customer’s loyalty, and increase the customer buying cycle. Therefore, hotel’s lobby design should be made attractive, with customers need at heart. For instance, if the firm targets executive class persons, they would want an area that allows then to connect their devises and attend to work, as well as have a free area where they can connect with other people. Third, making a lobby attractive needs to ensure it is well functioning. That is, it should be made comfortable not only for the clients, but also facilitate employee’s functionality. For instance, the guest rooms should be accessible by employees to ensure they are able to provide excellent services. Lights should strike a balance to satisfy customers, and to ensure they safeguard the employee’s eyesight. In addition, the bars should have comfortable to executive heights to ensure appropriate services without straining. Therefore, as much as the lobby is made attractive, a best one would ensure that functions within the hotel can be executed smoothly and within the minimum time to ensure the hotel is able to earn profits (Baek, 2016).
Fourth, it is worth noting that the lobby should have enough room for inspection and should be designed in a way that the customer care can be able to address people. Research has shown, that most lobby that have been shown to be attractive have ensured excellent customer service which is only possible if the customer care desk is visible and accessible (Fidzani & Caughey, 2015). The lobby should be of appropriate heights so that the customer care can be able to conveniently address the different clients. Most attractive lobbies have also information of the layout of the hotel to give the clients a picture of what to expect.
Security and hotel lobby design
An attractive and well design lobby should ensure tight security. Since this is the entry point for all, security checks should be heightened to ensure that anybody inside the hotel is safe. A lobby being the primary entry point to the hotel, should be kept at high surveillance. In the recent past, there has been an increase of terror attacks through hotels. Thus, attractive lobbies should be designed in a way that security is a key component (Chan & Lam, 2013).
Chiang (2000) reported that well-designed lobby, helps in control of movement in and out of the facility. For some hotels it is not easy to control movement, which makes a lobby an important facet, if well designed, it would help control movement. Poor lobby design thus requires...