Abstract
Customer care in an online and offline environment is crucial for success in tourism. In our days, actors in tourism are implementing web-based systems to facilitate online interaction with customers. This study explores the effects of inquiries sent via offer inquiry systems (OISs) and by e-mail. The offers were assessed in three service quality dimensions: response behaviour, content quality and level of individualization. The analysis revealed only minor differences between the two inquiry channels but an interesting comparison of the type of offer sender (destination management organisation (DMO) vs. hotel). Nevertheless, the latest reply sent by a DMO via OIS is revealing one considerable advantage of an OIS: The inquiry processing system is managed by the DMO as supervisor, so that if the customer does not receive a reply from at least one hotel, the DMO can step in and provide the customer with various offers.
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Backhaus, K., Erichson, B., Plinke, W. & Weiber, R. (2006). Multivariate Analysemethoden. Eine anwendungsorientierte Einführung. Berlin et al.: Springer.
Beritelli, P. (1999). Qualität im Destinationsmanagement. In Mussner, R., Pechlaner, H. (Eds.), Destinationsmanagement (pp. 31–43). Chur: Rüegger.
Buhalis, D. (2000). Marketing the competitive destination of the future. Tourism Management, 21(1), 97–116.
Frey, S., Schegg, R. & Murphy, J. (2003). E-mail customer service in the Swiss hotel industry. Tourism & Hospitality Research, 4(3), 197–212.
Fux, M., Noti, M. & Myrach, T. (2005). Quality of Feedback to E-Mail Request-An Explorative Study in Alpine Tourism Destinations. In M. Hitz, M. Sigala & J. Murphy (Eds.), Information and Communication Technologies in Tourism 2006 (pp. 370). Wien, New York: Springer.
Gierke, F. (2005). Kundenorientierung im E-Commerce-Prozess. Hamburg: Verlag Dr. Kovac.
Leuenberger, R., Schegg, R. & Murphy, J. (2003). E-mail customer service by upscale international hotels. In A.J. Frew, M. Hitz, & P. O’Connor (Eds.), Information and communication technologies in tourism (pp. 20–28). Wien, New York: Springer.
Matzler, K., Pechlaner, H., Abfalter, D. & Wolf, M. (2005). Determinants of response to customer e-mail enquiries to hotels: evidence from Austria. Tourism Management, 26(2), 249–259.
Matzler, K., Pechlaner, H. & Kohl, M. (2000). Formulierung von Servicestandards für touristische Dienstleistungen und Überpriifung durch den Einsatz von “Mystery Guest”. Tourismus Journal, 4(3), 157–176.
Merzenich, M. (2005). Prozessmanagement im Customer Relationship Management-Gestaltung und Implementierung kundenorientierter Geschäftsprozesse. Berlin: Logos Verlag.
Murphy, J. & Tan, I. (2003). Journey to nowhere? E-mail customer service by travel agents in Singapore. Tourism Management, 24(5), 543–550.
Muther, A. & Österle, H. (1998). Electronic Customer Care-Neue Wege zum Kunden. Wirtschaftsinformatik, 40(2), 105–113.
Parasuraman, A., Zeithaml, V. A. & Berry, L. L. (1988). SERVQUAL: A Multiple-Item Scale for Measuring Consumer Perceptions of Service Quality. Journal of Retailing, 64(1), 12–40.
Schumacher, J. & Meyer, M. (2004). Customer Relationship Management strukturiert dargestellt. Berlin/Heidelberg: Springer Verlag.
Strauss, J. & Hill, D., J. (2001). Consumer Complaints by E-Mail: An exploratory investigation of corporate responses and customer reactions. Journal of Interactive Marketing, 15(1), 63–73.
Vandermerwe, S. (1996). The Eleventh Commandment: Transforming to “Own” Customers. Chichester et al.: John Wiley & Sons.
Werthner, H. & Klein, S. (1999). Information technology and tourism: a challenging relationship. Wien: Springer.
Yang, Z. & Jun, M. (2002). Consumer perception of e-service quality: from Internet purchaser and non-purchaser perspectives. Journal of Business Strategies, 19(1), 19–42.
Zemke, R. & Connellan, T. (2001). e-service. New York: Amacom.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2007 Springer-Verlag Wien
About this paper
Cite this paper
Fux, M., Eggel, S., Scholl, B. (2007). Electronic Customer Care in Tourist Destinations — Exploring the Effects of Offer Inquiry Systems. In: Sigala, M., Mich, L., Murphy, J. (eds) Information and Communication Technologies in Tourism 2007. Springer, Vienna. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-211-69566-1_29
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-211-69566-1_29
Publisher Name: Springer, Vienna
Print ISBN: 978-3-211-69564-7
Online ISBN: 978-3-211-69566-1