Occupant satisfaction on facility services: case studies of six multi-generational condominiums

Abstract

Purpose Feedback from condominium occupants on multi-generational condominium facility services makes it possible to identify areas in need of improvement and development concerning facilities management in this residential project type. This paper aims to examine behaviours, needs, preferences and patterns of space use in condominium occupants from three different age groups (under 30, 30 to 50 and over 50 years old) relative to their satisfaction with facility services. The paper examines the impact of the physical environment and facility service arrangement (i.e. cleaning and security) on occupant satisfaction in the common areas of six multi-generational condominiums and investigates whether occupant satisfaction varies between the three age groups. Design/methodology/approach Six case studies classified as multi-generational condominiums were conducted. Research methods included document analysis, field surveys, interviews with juristic person managers and surveys from condominium occupants regarding their satisfaction with cleaning and security services in the common areas. The findings were then applied one-way ANOVA to test occupant satisfaction mean differences between age groups. Findings The findings indicate that physical environment characteristics including the location, size, number and design attributes of common areas have an impact on the provision of facility services and may influence occupant satisfaction. In terms of the facility service arrangement, both the service method and the ratio of staff to areas of responsibility can be explained in connection to functional and technical quality, respectively. Occupants’ demands and behaviours, such as the strong requirement for privacy, the preference towards service staff accessibility and the frequency of space usage, contribute to different levels of occupant satisfaction. Research limitations/implications More case studies in Thailand and also in other countries, based on surveys with large samples of respondents, are required to increase the validity and to establish whether it is possible to generalise the study’s findings. Practical implications The findings and reflections upon them help understand the impact of physical environment characteristics and the provision of facility services on occupant satisfaction in various age groups. Recommendations are provided concerning building design and the provision of facility services in connection to perceived service quality and occupant satisfaction in multi-generational condominiums in Thailand that can apply to other types of real estate projects where similar facility services are offered. Originality/value This paper contributes to research on occupant satisfaction with facility services and provides evidence on occupants’ feedback in different types of perceived service quality (i.e. technical and functional quality). Identifying the impact of physical environment characteristics, facility service arrangements and occupant behaviours on occupant satisfaction with the technical and functional aspects of facility services contributes to the body of research on facilities management.