The ways through which companies retain their customers depend on the goals, ideas and context of each, and once the companies know who their customers are, specific tactics are used in keeping the customers ( Andrews & Turner, 2017 ; Dang, 2021 ). Customer retention refers to the loyalty your customers exhibit towards your product or service. The relationship between customer loyalty and satisfaction is not a linear one, as the behaviour of every guest depends on their attitude towards the service provided. For this reason, managers worldwide are continually seeking ways to measure customer satisfaction, which is a worthy pursuit for all marketing communities in hotels.

The hospitality industry is often regarded as one of the most global in the service industry ( Abel & Obeten, 2015 ; Di Mascio, 2007 ), as more people are travelling around the world. When travellers are far from their homes, they need a place to stay, a bed to sleep in, and food to eat, and often end up choosing hotels for these necessities. In this regard, the hospitality industry comes into play, and according to ( Sthapit & Jiménez-Barreto, 2018 ) has made customer retention in the hospitality industry increasingly important.

Oftentimes, long-standing customers purchase more, introduce new customers, take less of the service providers’ time, and are sometimes sensitive to price ( Ahmed, Naseer, Asadullah, & Khan, 2020 ). Research shows the cost of soliciting new customers is seven times more than retaining old customers ( Kim et al., 2011 ) and that enhances customer retention, ultimately leading to increased profits. To increase customer retention, hotel managers should recognise the relationship between customer service features and customer retention.

Loyal customers are the principal drivers of profits as they continue to stay at a brand’s properties. Hotel restaurant guests who fit into the extremely loyal clusters have a high attachment to the hotel, and so are prepared to change their time of visit to ensure they can stay at their preferred hotel ( Madhani, 2019 ). Further, the guests are not as sensitive to pricing issues and are willing to pay extra to stay in their choice property rather than go elsewhere in favour of moderate room rates. Brand-loyal customers also reduce the marketing costs associated with attracting new customers. In addition, these loyal customers say positive things about a company to others ( Dang, 2021 ) and frequently pay premium prices. Report on the luxury hotel segment among leisure travellers, overall satisfaction was significantly higher among repeat guests. It therefore suggests that satisfying leisure travellers often pays higher rates and more repeat guests. Thus, customer loyalty is a key to sustaining long-term business success.

Existing literature on loyalty defines retention as the number of customers who stay with the provider over a specified period, typically a year ( Abel & Obeten, 2015 ; Andrews & Turner, 2017 ). The retention and attraction of the company’s new customers serve as indicators of growth in market share and revenue ( Ahmed et al., 2020 ). In retaining customers, a company needs to identify how to serve its customers as well as how to manage post-sales services ( Drummond et al., 2021 ; Madhani, 2019 ). Product or service providers need to emphasise the quality of products and services. As stated by Andrews & Turner (2017) , there is a relationship between quality, commitment, trust, and satisfaction, which in turn influences customer retention and future use of the product or service, as retention is linked to future use. Previous research findings showed there is a strong relationship between customer retention and quality of service or products ( Andrews & Turner, 2017 ).

Research showed that a loyalty program with monetary compensation is a step toward excellent customer retention ( Ahmed et al., 2020 ; Heidarzadeh Hanzaee & Esmaeilpour, 2017 ). Additionally, evidence in previous literature suggests that emotional commitment and loyalty programs that give financial incentives have a positive effect on customer retention. A nationwide customer retention survey revealed that the majority of respondents reported that 75% of sales came from existing customers. More respondents agreed on the importance of customer loyalty; however, only half of them were aware of any customer loyalty programmes implemented in their companies. Revenue from loyal customers continues to grow as long as they remain loyal. The time and money companies spend on attracting new customers are not worthwhile if they cannot keep them. All companies practising relationship marketing focus primarily on customer retention. Although the meaning and measurement of customer retention may differ across industries and firms, there is consensus that activities aimed at retaining customers are valuable in different industries and firms ( Lahap, Ramli, Said, Radzi, & Zain, 2016 ; Madhani, 2019 ). There is a consensus that focusing on activities that retain customers can yield several economic benefits. Estimation of customers’ use of service providers in the future is an indicator of customer retention ( Kandampully & Suhartanto, 2000 ; Lahap et al., 2016 ), and this is usually described in the context of behavioural intention to return to a company and willingness to mention it to others ( Giovanni, Thamrin, Ting, Rosman, & Wiyana, 2024 ). Thus, the customer intentionally stays loyal to that service provider, especially in the context of switching costs and the inclination of the customers to stay with the service provider in the future ( Giovanni et al., 2024 ; Madhani, 2019 ).

According to Hyun and Perdue (2017) , customer defection occurs when a customer switches from one service provider to another and also refuses to recommend such services to others. The negative experiences most customers have with hotels lead to customer dissatisfaction and defection ( Kandampully & Suhartanto, 2000 ; Lahap et al., 2016 ). Many hotels tend to ignore customers who have defected or migrated to another service and also influence other customers to follow suit. Causes of customer defection could include switching to a competitor offering lower prices, a competitor providing a better product, inadequate service, going out of business, acquiring a product or service from outside the industry, or due to internal and external political considerations ( Abel & Obeten, 2015 ; Pratten, 2003 ). A customer’s choice of hotel services is influenced by many factors, including the variety of services, star rating, location, and prices charged. However, higher service quality alone cannot guarantee customer satisfaction, as Heidarzadeh Hanzaee and Esmaeilpour (2017) state that price is crucial, if not more important than the service and relationship established by the providers. Businesses, especially service providers, should prioritise customer-centred activities that promote customer retention ( Andrews & Turner, 2017 ; Heidarzadeh Hanzaee & Esmaeilpour, 2017 ). Customer satisfaction often influences decisions to repurchase and encourages new customers to engage in the same purchasing behaviour ( Kim et al., 2011 ). Although some service providers focus on acquiring new customers, it is equally important for them to retain existing ones ( Kandampully & Suhartanto, 2000 ). Hotel businesses manage customer retention through several processes, including measuring customer satisfaction, implementing a customer retention planning process, quality assurance processes, win-back processes, and complaint handling (recovery) processes ( Hyun & Perdue, 2017 ).

Another aspect, which is service quality, refers to how the customer perceives and experiences the service they have purchased. Extant literature confirms that service quality influences customer satisfaction ( Di Mascio, 2007 ; Luu et al., 2016 ), and this gained attention in the late 1970s regarding indicators of business performance. Quality of service plays a significant factor in a successful business. The service provider affects guest satisfaction, and for that reason, the waiter ought to demonstrate all the attributes of a waiter ( Abel & Obeten, 2015 ; Drummond et al., 2021 ). The labour market has some level of influence on the hospitality industry, so if the employees are uneducated, unmotivated, untrained, unskilled and unproductive, the hotel industry loses time and money due to loss of customers ( Heidarzadeh Hanzaee & Esmaeilpour, 2017 ; Madhani, 2019 ).

For guests to appreciate and value the quality of service, personnel should have a passion for the work they do, attend to guests with honesty, be trustworthy, and be able to handle emergencies ( Hyun & Perdue, 2017 ). Hence, the training programmes are organised for all employees to ensure they deliver polite, friendly, and respectful service to the guests ( Kim et al., 2011 ). The relationship between hotel contact staff and guests is very important during transactions as there ought to be a relationship when service is ongoing ( Fu & Parks, 2001 ; Koc, 2020 ), and ( Hyun & Perdue, 2017 ), and that is the premise for training the following service personnel in the hotel: front desk, waiters, door and bellmen, room maids, and stewards. Research showed that whenever customers experience service failure, they tend to discuss that occurrence with at least ten other persons, whereas positive experiences are discussed with only five persons ( Fu & Parks, 2001 ). This shows that negative experiences spread faster than positive experiences. Nevertheless, effective service recovery is necessary to maintain guest satisfaction as this significantly impacts the growth of the company’s revenues, and profitability ( Hyun & Perdue, 2017 ; Madhani, 2019 ).

Customers interviewed in a research study stated that the physical surroundings of a hotel influence buying behaviour, as well as their emotional and psychological status. The design of hotels is geared towards influencing the buyer emotionally and increasing buying ability ( Ryu & Han, 2011 ). It has a significant impact on the guests, builds some memories and makes them want to come again ( Almohaimmeed , 2019 ; Madhani, 2019 ). Unique designs of hotels can increase the daily occupancy and rate ( Hyun & Perdue, 2017 ). Hotels with facilities such as swimming pools, restaurants, green areas, and bars, among others, are found to be more successful than others ( Andrews & Turner, 2017 ). This confirms the popularity of boutique hotels due to their unique designs. The connection study further showed that the physical surrounding of the business has a significant effect on the fulfilment of the service staff and an increase in performance ( Ryu & Han, 2011 ).

According to Kandampully and Suhartanto (2000) , customer satisfaction results from the evaluation of the service received at the hotel. Companies that provide services prioritise activities that promote customer satisfaction, as it is seen as an indicator of customer retention. Whereas satisfied customers lead to repeat patronage, loyalty, and serve as an advertisement for the business through word-of-mouth to friends, unsatisfied customers’ complaining behaviours affect the business ( Luu et al., 2016 ). Additionally, the quality of service experienced by customers determines their satisfaction ( Di Mascio, 2007 ), as future patronage depends on the performance the customer anticipated ( Andrews & Turner, 2017 ). Thus, customer satisfaction is achieved when the services provided meet the customer’s expectations. Failure to meet the expected outcome results in dissatisfaction or a poor perception of the service quality.

Depending on the service quality expectation of the customer, satisfaction can be acknowledged in various senses that range from feelings of fulfilment, contentment, pleasure, delight and relief ( Almohaimmeed , 2019 ; Fu & Parks, 2001 ). The level of customer satisfaction is the result of the customer’s comparison of the service quality expected in a given service encounter with the perceived service quality ( Heidarzadeh Hanzaee & Esmaeilpour, 2017 ). When hotel customers are satisfied with the quality of services, it leads to loyalty and retention, which is beneficial for the hotel because it results in higher profits, a larger market share, and an increase in the customer base. Loyalty of customers is dependent on the quality of the services received from the hotel; therefore, if a customer is not satisfied with the services received in one hotel, he/she is likely to look for better services somewhere else ( Luu et al., 2016 ). Several studies analysed the needs and desires of hotel guests and found that guest satisfaction is linked with a variety of attributes such as the cleanliness of the hotel, price of the service being purchased, location of the hotel, security, personnel and physical attractiveness ( Fu & Parks, 2001 ). The hotel business is very competitive, so for a hotel to remain in business in terms of customer satisfaction, it must track the levels of customer satisfaction to implement a continuous improvement of services and goods based on the needs of the customer ( Lahap et al., 2016 ).

Most hotels have come to terms with the need to offer customer service ( Almohaimmeed , 2019 ; Hyun & Perdue, 2017 ), however, customers sometimes have difficulty explaining their issues, which often leads to customer dissatisfaction and, consequently, affects retention. Providing customer service can often be frustrating, especially when client requests appear demanding because barriers in providing such service by the hotel make consumer requests seem excessive ( Di Mascio, 2007 ). Such outcomes cause the service provider or waiter to lose their energy quickly, and customers will receive insufficient attention to their issues ( Drummond et al., 2021 ; Heidarzadeh Hanzaee & Esmaeilpour, 2017 ). On the other hand, if the waiter is underworked, they will feel less challenged, unappreciated, and unimportant. Customers get frustrated when turnaround time is longer than expected due to underworked waiters ( Lahap et al., 2016 ). The culture of the business can have an extensive effect on how customer service cases are handled ( Almohaimmeed , 2019 ; Ryu & Han, 2011 ). Poor accountability is also a challenge to delivering effective customer service. When accountability for action is ignored, staff tend to play the blame game, leaving customers unhappy and less likely to return.

This section of the study was to describe the participants who completed the survey. The following demographic variables, such as gender, age, academic qualification, and marital status, were used.

The analysis in Table 1 depicts the demographic characteristics of respondents. According to the analysis, a greater proportion of respondents (67%) were female, while 33% were male. Since most jobs in hotels were female-related, they attracted more females than males as employees. The finding affirmed a study by (Hekman & Lashley, 2017), which stated that, in most countries, women make up 60% to 70% of the workforce in the hospitality industry. There should be a balance concerning gender, and this gender balance brings a healthy work-life among staff. This notwithstanding, Almohaimmeed (2019) stressed that females should dominate in the area of service, such as waiting for the marketing of goods and services.

More so, most of the respondents (57%) fell within the age cluster of 18 - 25 years, 40% within the age group of 26 - 33 years, and a smaller proportion (3%) within the age group of 34 - 41 years. Hekman and Lashley (2017) in their study stated that most waiters fall within the age cluster of 18 - 25 years in the hospitality industry because such age groups of the population are smart in waiting services.

Given this, most waiters in the hotels were within their youthful age as only 3% of the hotel waiting staff fall within the age group 34 - 41 years.

Again, looking at the academic qualification of respondents, most of the respondents (58%) hold an SHS/Vocational school certificate, 17% of the respondents hold a Higher National Diploma Certificate, 13% of the respondents hold a diploma certificate and 12% of the respondents hold a bachelor’s degree certificate. Koc (2020) stated that it is an indisputable fact that, if respondents attain higher educational levels, they are pushed to take care of higher positions. Since waiting service is a stepping stone, most waiters hold a SHS/vocational certificate. Not all waiting staff hold SHS/vocational certificates; some waiting staff hold another certificate, such as a Diploma or Higher National Certificate, and this affirms the research finding. According to Koc (2020) , even though waiting service is a stepping stone for most waiters due to economic hardship and difficulty in finding a job after university, some degree holders have engaged in waiting service.

In addition, most of the respondents 65% were single, 33% married, and 2% divorced. Hekman and Lashley (2017) stated that most waiting staff are single when it comes to waiting service in the hospitality industry. This could result from the reporting and closing times of restaurant operations.

This identifies the role of the hotel waiting staff in service delivery, and it is depicted in Figure 1 .

The analysis in Figure 1 depicts the role of hotel waiting staff in service delivery. From the analysis in Figure 1 , a greater proportion of the respondents (63.6%) agreed that taking orders from customers was one of the roles of hotel waiting staff, with a corresponding mean response of 3.99. Nevertheless, 9.1% of the study’s respondents strongly disagreed that the role of a hotel waiter was to take

orders and also be responsible for the food service process. Taking into consideration the extant literature, moving food prepared in the kitchen to a customer involves food service activities required by the waiter, hence the 9.1%.

In addition, 47% and 15% of the respondents agreed and strongly agreed that the hotel waiters welcomed customers and led them to their seats, with a mean response of 3.56. The study findings buttress the work of ( Ryu & Han, 2011 ), that waiters and waitresses occasionally perform the duties of other food and beverage service workers, thus, escorting the customers to their tables, serving customers seated at tables, and serving customers seated at the counter. This shows that customers are happy and feel a sense of belonging, and the money is worth it when such services are offered to them.

The majority of the respondents (56.1%) indicated that hotel staff recommend dishes based on guests’ tastes and preferences, with a mean response of 3.91. Moreover, 60.6% of the respondents agreed that ensuring an outstanding guest experience at all times was one of the roles of hotel waiting staff, with a mean score of 3.95. More so, 48.5% and 13.6% of the respondents agreed and strongly agreed that hotel waiting staff introduced menus and described different dishes and drinks, with a mean score of 3.11. This is in line with Koc (2020) and Hyun & Perdue (2017) , that waiters set tables before customers sit down (e.g., changing the tablecloth, putting out new plates, cleaning chairs, etc.); offer drinks such as cocktails, wine, beer, or other beverages; recommend food options; serve foods and beverages and clear tables used by customers were all roles of waiters to customers. When customers experience these services, they are likely to come back for more and possibly recommend them to others.

In addition, 45.5% and 16.7% of the respondents agreed and strongly agreed that the role of hotel waiting staff was to deliver orders to the table on time. This is in line with ( Almohaimmeed , 2019 ), that service is part of a waiter’s work, but that is only one part of what brings a guest to a hotel. Other duties include welcoming guests with menu information, responding to guest questions, up-selling specialty items, taking beverage and food orders, handling complaints, and ensuring the guest is satisfied before leaving the hotel. Waiters follow specific rules and service guidelines when performing their duties, and this makes it a skilled job.

Regarding complaints, 43.9% and 13.6% of the respondents agreed and strongly agreed that handling customer complaints was one of the roles of hotel waiting staff. Again, 68.2%, 54.6% and 57.5% of the respondents indicated that delivering checks, accepting payment, demonstrating menu knowledge, and ensuring guest satisfaction were roles of the hotel waiting staff in service delivery, with a mean response of 4.0, 387, and 3.98, respectively. Thus, waiting service goes beyond bringing food from the kitchen to the customer. Anticipating the guest’s needs, making them feel welcome, being friendly, and paying attention to detail, among other things, are all activities performed by the waiter to enable the customer to return. As long as the customer is retained and patronises the hotel’s services, business is sustained, and profit growth is achieved.

Figure 2 determined the factors affecting customer retention in two-star hotels in Takoradi.

Taking into cognizance of Ryu & Han (2011) and Almohaimmeed (2019) , their assertion confirms the study findings displayed in Figure 2 , which show that 53.3% agreed with the surroundings having a clean environment, with a mean

response of 3.51. Moreover, most of the respondents (51.0%) employees were free to interact with customers to meet their needs, with a mean response of 3.45, while 8.3% of the respondents disagreed with that. However, these findings attest to Luu et al. (2016) that the contact between employees and guests is very important during the service transaction in the hotel industry, unlike physical products, where a customer can even purchase without seeing the seller or experiencing the establishment, waiters cannot provide services without interacting. Customers experience the service instantly provided by the waiter in the restaurant or hospitality setup. The outcome of customer satisfaction stems from the customer’s comparison of the service quality expected in a given service encounter, with the moment of truth service quality experienced.

On the responses regarding freedom to handle customer complaints, the study found 55% with a mean response of 3.55 whereas 23.3% of the respondents strongly disagreed with that and this depicted how firms sometimes handle customer complaints while ignoring other alternative opportunities that help recover relationships with the customer, which in turn affects satisfaction and loyalty. Again, 66.7% of service delivery failures of the respondents indicated that employees are being empowered by managers to meet customer needs, with a mean score of 3.90. A greater proportion of the respondents (80.0%) strongly disagreed that poor performance monitoring can lead to customer retention, with a mean score of 0.42. More so, 36.7% and 23.3% of the respondents agreed and strongly agreed that poor coordination and teamwork can affect customer retention, with a mean score of 3.32. Furthermore, most of the respondents (50.0%) of the respondents agreed that the food served in this hotel is always fresh. Besides, 58.3% of the respondents agreed that food served in hotels looked nutritious, tasty, and the location and operating hours are convenient.

Nevertheless, 31.7% and 13.3% of the respondents agreed and strongly agreed that the prices of products in two-star hotels were reasonable with a mean response of 3.30 and this confirms the key factors influencing customers’ selection of a hotel to include the range of services, rates, fees and prices charged and that superior service alone is not sufficient to satisfy customers. Prices are essential, if not more important than service and relationship quality. Also, half (50%) of the respondents indicated that employees in two-star hotels deliver service on time with a mean response of 1.59.

Figure 3 examines measures employed by waiting staff in two-star hotels to promote customer retention.

The analysis in Figure 3 depicts the measures employed to promote customer retention in two-star hotels. From the analysis, 40% and 28.3% of the respondents agreed and strongly agreed that management should improve the key performance indicators around waiting service in two-star hotels, with a mean response of 3.24. Most establishments, including hotels, have realised the need to offer customer service, and this positively reflects on the amount customers spend as well as gives a boost to the word-of-mouth strategy, which eventually makes them loyal.

A greater proportion (60%) of the respondents indicated that management should leverage customer feedback surveys with a mean response of 3.95, while 20% of the respondents disagreed with that. Moreover, 43.3% and 23.3% of the respondents agreed and strongly agreed that management should develop a frequent communication calendar with their customers, with a mean response of 3.56. In addition, 41.7% and 21.7% of the respondents agreed and strongly agreed that management should learn from customers’ complaints. Furthermore, the majority of the respondents (66.6%) indicated that management should consistently add valuable content to their products and services, with a mean response of 4.0. Service transactions may sometimes be frustrating, and customer requests can frequently appear demanding, especially when there are barriers that might make rational consumer requests seem excessive. Thus, hotels ought to develop excellent means of frequent communication with their customers to obtain needed information. Given this, 41.7% and 23.3% of the respondents agreed and strongly agreed that the management of two-star hotels should create a community and customer advocacy programme. Notwithstanding, 41.7% of the respondents agreed that management should address customer complaints on time, with a mean response of 3.51. To bridge this gap, the management of hotels should pay much attention to customers’ complaints. Hotels need to create customer advocacy programmes for their guests in a way that promotes customer retention.

Findings from the data collected revealed some facts that served as basic conclusions. It can be concluded that the role of hotel waiting staff in service delivery in two-star hotels has a significant impact on customer retention. Some of these major roles include taking orders from customers, welcoming customers and leading them to their seats, recommending dishes based on guests’ tastes and preferences, introducing menus and describing different dishes and drinks to customers, as well as demonstrating menu knowledge and ensuring guest satisfaction. It was evident from the study that customers were always satisfied with the good atmosphere and waiting time, and this influenced their coming back. Additionally, the taste, nutrition and freshness of food served in the hotel influence customer loyalty. The surroundings, equipment, and prompt handling of customer complaints had a role as well. Besides, these factors (physical surroundings, free communication, and handling of customer complaints) influence customer retention. The study further revealed that management should leverage customer feedback surveys.

The study recommends that management of hotels should provide waiting staff with the service tools and equipment that are needed to meet the satisfaction of customers. The waiters’ trendy service tools and equipment also contribute to the experience and moment of truth for most customers. This will help the waiting staff to deliver customers’ orders on time and also help the waiting staff to work smart.

The management of the hotels has to introduce reward schemes to loyal customers as well as to performing staff. When this is done, it brings healthy competition among staff as each wants to be rewarded. Again, the customers in turn serve as an advert for the hotel through word of mouth. Training and development of waiters is dynamic, and so employees should regularly be trained on how to deliver quality service to customers. This will prevent service failures and enable customers to patronise the hotel, thus leading to customer retention.