The impact of front office service quality on customer emotions and revisit intention: Evidence from luxury hotels in Da Nang, Vietnam

Abstract:

This study examines the relationships among front-office service quality, customer emotions, and revisit intention in luxury hotels, using the Stimulus – Organism – Response (S-O-R) model. Data were collected from 391 guests who had recently stayed at four- and five-star hotels in Da Nang, Vietnam. Front office service quality was assessed using a modified SERVQUAL instrument, and the relationships were analysed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). Results indicate that front office service quality is positively associated with customer emotions (β = 0.897, p < 0.001), while customer emotions are positively associated with revisit intention (β = 0.706, p < 0.001). Service quality also has a weaker but significant direct relationship with revisit intention (β = 0.204, p = 0.017). These findings highlight the central role of emotional experiences in explaining guests’ behavioural intentions and provide context-specific empirical support for the S-O-R framework in luxury hotel front office encounters. Managerially, the study emphasises the importance of professional service delivery, empathetic communication, and personalised interactions in strengthening positive guest experiences and encouraging repeat visits.