Mediating Effect of Service Quality Between Service Orientation and Customer Satisfaction in Micro Hotels, Ampara Coastal Belt, Eastern Province, Sri Lanka

There is an increasing number of micro hotels that are existing at present are greater than those existed in Ampara Coastal Belt, Eastern Province, Sri Lanka during past. Consumers like to have their foods outside their home at micro hotels for a varied number of reasons. Service quality leading to customer satisfaction is not possible without service orientation. On this basis, this study is proposed to test the mediatory effect of service quality between service orientation and customer satisfaction in Srilankan context in micro hotels. In this study, researcher reviewed literature in four components such as service orientation, service quality, customer satisfaction and relationship between service orientation, service quality and customer satisfaction. Following review of literature, researcher derived a research model for the study. In this study, 600 respondents were taken as sample size for data collection using convenience and SRS methods during the period of 2019 and 2020 amidst much difficulties. Data analysis was done using AMOS with reliability and validity checking, individual measurement models, overall measurement models and SEM with fit indices such as CMIN, CMINDF, GFI, RMR, RMSEA and other necessary statistics. Research concluded that SQ mediates between SO and CUS. In usual situations, micro hotel employees worked for CF and SUP. In unusual situations like COVID -19, micro hotel employees served for OS.