Case study: Measuring service quality of homestay in Malacca using SERVQUAL matrix

The state of Malacca is highly dependent on the tourism sector which is supported by the lodging service industry in boosting the economy. Home-stay or in the Malay language - Inap-Desa has become a popular mode of lodging service in Malacca. The number of operators has also, every year, increased tremendously. To ensure continuous home-stay development and guest satisfaction, quality should be emphasized This preliminary study uses the popular instruments to measure quality of service i.e SERVQUAL Matrix; which is the combination of two analytical service quality models - the SERVQUAL model and the Gap Analysis model. These instruments focuses on comparison matrix or gap scores between perception and expectations of home-stay guests toward five elements of service quality; reliability, tangibility, assurance, empathy and responsiveness. The findings stated negative gap scores for all elements which indicated there is a weakness in service offering and delivery. Guest disappointment clearly showed when the perception means scored less than expectation means. It is hoped that the findings can provide useful information for quality improvement to industry stakeholders such as industry researchers and experts, existing home-stay operators and potential entrepreneurs who want to venture into the business as a home-stay operator in Malacca.