Improving check-in (C/I) process : an application of the quality function deployment

Purpose: Quality function deployment (QFD) is a suitable tool for understanding the expectations of hotel guests from services provided to them and designing the new one. It is also a well-known technique for improving service and product quality in general. First applied by Yoji Akao in 1960, the idea behind QFD is to understand the customer needs and determine the problem which might be associated with product or service provided by an enterprise. The purpose of this paper is to present how check-in operations in hospitality business can be improved with the help of QFD. Design/methodology/approach: In this study, deep interview was employed as main data gathering instrument. Once customer expectations were assessed, a House of Quality scheme was established. Consequently, the QFD matrix was being analyzed as a whole. Findings: The results of the study demonstrate that customers do not want to wait in queue or for any process on the front desk. Originality/value: The research contributes to the literature a new technical term on hospitality industry, “Voice of Hotel.”