Apply Service Scripts Judiciously, Cornell Hotel Management Research Study Advises

"Make no mistake—your customers can immediately tell when your employees are using a script," said Verma, an associate professor at Cornell University. "Our study found that customers thought that scripts did not influence the quality of a standardized service, such as checking into a hotel, but scripts did influence the quality of a customized service, such as a concierge."

Customized Design Is Key to Value of Service Scripts, According to Hotel Management Research

Respondents from across the United States in the video-based hospitality management research study viewed one of several customer service scenarios, which depicted either the front-desk check-in or the concierge interaction. Some videos had relaxed scripting, some were moderately scripted, and some were heavily scripted. The video showing a heavily scripted concierge interaction drew an evaluation of poor service from the respondents, while respondents were indifferent to whether the check-in was heavily scripted.

"Since the respondents' view of service quality was not diminished when they saw scripts in use at the front desk, we suggest that managers can use such scripts to ensure service standards, as needed," said Victorino, an assistant professor at the University of Victoria. "However, our results also suggest that scripts must be designed and managed flexibly for customized interactions such as concierge services. Most important, our findings underscore the importance of considering the customer's view of the service interaction in all scripting decisions."

Liana Victorino is an assistant professor for the Faculty of Business at the University of Victoria; Rohit Verma is an associate professor at Cornell School of Hotel Administration; and Don Wardell is a professor at the David Eccles School of Business at the University of Utah.

Meet and interact with Dr. Verma, an active member of the executive education faculty at the School of Hotel Administration, when he presents sessions in the Professional Development Program: http://www.hotelschool.cornell.edu/industry/executive/pdp/.

Thanks to the support of the Center for Hospitality Research partners listed below, all publications posted on the center's website are available free of charge, at www.chr.cornell.edu.

About The Center for Hospitality Research
A unit of the Cornell School of Hotel Administration, The Center for Hospitality Research (CHR) sponsors research designed to improve practices in the hospitality industry. Under the lead of the center's 77 corporate affiliates, experienced scholars work closely with business executives to discover new insights into strategic, managerial and operating practices. The center also publishes the award-winning hospitality journal, the Cornell Hospitality Quarterly. To learn more about the center and its projects, visit www.chr.cornell.edu.

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