Impact of personal values on customer satisfaction and word of mouth for luxury hotel service consumption in Confucian culture: evidence from Vietnam

Purpose This research aims to investigate the effect of personal values on customer satisfaction and whether positive experiences lead to positive word of mouth (WOM) about the luxury hotel service from the Confucian perspective. Design/methodology/approach This research developed a structural equation model for testing. Research data collected from Confucian participants who have used luxury hotel services in Vietnam, where Confucianism is the dominant cultural paradigm. Findings The results show that there is a positive relationship between Confucian customer personal values and satisfaction, as well as between customer satisfaction and positive WOM; personal values had no effect on positive WOM. Research limitations/implications This research implies that the personal values of Confucian consumers constitute the lens through which they view the world, thus the service personal values reflect their priorities on luxury hotel service consumption. A key to success for luxury hotel service providers lies in providing services that enhance Confucian customer personal values, which allow service providers to intercommunicate with the Confucian consumers’ core. Originality/value This research is significant because there is little research on personal values from the cultural mechanism of Confucian culture. This research also comes up with a richer understanding of the relationship between customer personal values and behaviors within the luxury hotel segment.