Service Recovery in Front Office Operations: Staff-Centered Approaches to Restoring Satisfaction in Hotels
Barimov, Dmitrii (2025)
2025
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2025121737363
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2025121737363
Tiivistelmä
The study examines the service recovery practises in front office hotel operations. The hotel industry is characterised by intense daily interactions of front office staff with guests, therefore, service failures occur regularly. Through service recovery strategies, hotels can increase satisfaction and brand image, while maintaining the perceived quality of hotel services.
The objective of the study was to identify which strategies can be employed in front office operations to successfully implement service recovery to the daily hotel environments. The research aimed at examining practical recovery approaches used in real operational cases of the two chosen hotels, while comparing recovery practices across different cultural realities of Finland and France. The study itself was conducted using a qualitative research method. Data was collected through six semi-structured interviews with hotel professionals holding front office management and operational positions. The interviews were analysed using thematic analysis to identify and evaluate recurring patterns and key service recovery practices.
Later, the results showed that both hotels relied on similar core recovery strategies despite operating in different national contexts. Successful service recovery was supported through empowered employee decision-making, prioritisation of emotional recovery, proportional compensation, feedback-based recovery evaluation, experience-based learning, and systematic PMS documentation. The utilisation of formal recovery frameworks was not considered useful for effective implementation.
It was concluded that successful service recovery in hotel front office operations was primarily driven by flexible management practices, emotional intelligence, and structured internal processes rather than solely by standardised recovery models. The findings provided practical implications for hotel managers seeking to improve guest satisfaction and recovery performance.
The objective of the study was to identify which strategies can be employed in front office operations to successfully implement service recovery to the daily hotel environments. The research aimed at examining practical recovery approaches used in real operational cases of the two chosen hotels, while comparing recovery practices across different cultural realities of Finland and France. The study itself was conducted using a qualitative research method. Data was collected through six semi-structured interviews with hotel professionals holding front office management and operational positions. The interviews were analysed using thematic analysis to identify and evaluate recurring patterns and key service recovery practices.
Later, the results showed that both hotels relied on similar core recovery strategies despite operating in different national contexts. Successful service recovery was supported through empowered employee decision-making, prioritisation of emotional recovery, proportional compensation, feedback-based recovery evaluation, experience-based learning, and systematic PMS documentation. The utilisation of formal recovery frameworks was not considered useful for effective implementation.
It was concluded that successful service recovery in hotel front office operations was primarily driven by flexible management practices, emotional intelligence, and structured internal processes rather than solely by standardised recovery models. The findings provided practical implications for hotel managers seeking to improve guest satisfaction and recovery performance.