CONSUMER PERCEPTIONS AND ADOPTION OF PROFESSIONAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT SERVICES: EVIDENCE FROM APARTMENT OWNERS IN LA TRINIDAD, BENGUET, PHILIPPINES

Jane Macasling Mencio

Abstract


This study examined apartment owners’ perceptions of service quality and adoption decisions regarding professional property management services in La Trinidad, Benguet. Using a quantitative descriptive-correlational design, data were collected from 85 apartment building owners through structured questionnaires over a 35-day period. The instrument demonstrated excellent reliability (Cronbach’s α = 0.905) and measured service quality dimensions based on the SERVQUAL framework: tangibles, reliability, responsiveness, assurance, and empathy. Results revealed that apartment owners held generally positive perceptions of service quality, with reliability rated highest (M = 4.01), indicating strong confidence in consistent service delivery. However, empathy scored comparatively lower (M = 3.70), suggesting opportunities for improvement in personalized service. Pearson correlation and multiple regression analyses demonstrated significant positive relationships between service quality perceptions and adoption decisions, with the model explaining 50% of the variance. Reliability emerged as the strongest predictor (β = 0.39), followed by assurance and responsiveness, while empathy was not statistically significant. Factor analysis identified two key dimensions affecting willingness to engage services: Trust and Value, and Service Quality. Trust was the strongest predictor of willingness (β = 0.43), followed by perceived value and reliability, with the model explaining 58% of the variance. ANOVA results showed significant differences in willingness across business sizes (p = 0.010), indicating that organizational characteristics influence engagement decisions. The findings validate theoretical frameworks linking service quality to adoption behavior and highlight trust as a critical factor in professional service engagement, providing valuable insights for property management companies and future research in emerging markets.

 

JEL: R31, D12, M31


Keywords


consumer perceptions, service quality, property management, apartment owners, Philippines

Full Text:

PDF

References


Ajzen, I. (1991). The theory of planned behavior. Organizational behavior and human decision processes, 50(2), 179-211. https://doi.org/10.1016/0749-5978(91)90020-T

Ali, H., Zainal, V. R., & Ilhamalimy, R. R. (2022). Determination of purchase decisions and customer satisfaction: Analysis of brand image and service quality: Review literature of marketing. Dinasti International Journal of Digital Business Management, 3(1), 141-153. https://doi.org/10.31933/dijdbm.v3i1

Brady, M. K., & Cronin, J. J. (2001). Some new thoughts on conceptualizing perceived service quality: a hierarchical approach. Journal of Marketing, 65(3), 34-49. http://dx.doi.org/10.1509/jmkg.65.3.34.18334

Cheung, R., & Woo, M. (2016). Determinants of perceived service quality: An empirical investigation of fitness and recreational facilities. Contemporary Management Research, 12(3), 363-370. https://doi.org/10.7903/cmr.12369

Cruz, J. L. T., & Bondoc, J. D. (2025). Residents' Attitude and Adaptation to Pro-Tourism Development in Baguio City. Advanced International Journal for Research, 6(5), 1-16.

Garambas, C. D., & Pinos-an, J. B. B. (2021). Awareness and Perceived Implementation of Barangay Micro-Business Enterprise Act of 2002 (Republic Act 9178) in La Trinidad, Benguet, Philippines. Mountain Journal of Science and Interdisciplinary Research, 81(1), 7-18. https://doi.org/10.70884/mjsir.v81i1.278

Hakeem, M. J., & Sulphey, M. M. (2024). Investigating the adoption of smart local government services: the impact of service quality, trust, and social influence. Transforming Government: People, Process and Policy, 18(4), 785-802. https://doi.org/10.1108/TG-06-2024-0136

Hennig-Thurau, T., Gwinner, K. P., Walsh, G., & Gremler, D. D. (2004). Electronic word-of-mouth via consumer-opinion platforms: what motivates consumers to articulate themselves on the internet? Journal of Interactive Marketing, 18(1), 38-52. https://doi.org/10.1002/dir.10073

Huy, N. Q., & Thuy, N. T. (2023). Factors affecting willingness to pay for construction management services in South Tu Liem-Hanoi. GSC Online Press, 18(3), 953-960. https://doi.org/10.30574/wjarr.2023.18.3.1165

Armstrong, G., Adam, S., Denize, S., & Kotler, P. (2014). Principles of marketing. Pearson Australia.

Lin, M., Li, W., Cao, Y., & Gao, Y. (2024). New profit models for property management in the post-pandemic era: A study on consumer attitudes towards community value-added services. PloS one, 19(12), e0314328. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0314328

Mangili, C. M. (2024). The significance of professionalism in real estate practice: A systematic review. Cognizance Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies, 4(4), 194-203. https://doi.org/10.47760/cognizance.2024.v04i04.012

Montazemi, A. R., & Saremi, H. Q. (2014, April). The effectiveness of electronic word of mouth on consumers’ perceptions of adopting products/services-A literature review. In International Conference on Web Information Systems and Technologies (Vol. 2, pp. 324-331). https://doi.org/10.5220/0004850603240331

Ojekalu, S. O., Ojo, O., Oladokun, T. T., & Olabisi, S. A. (2019). Factors influencing service quality: An empirical evidence from property managers of shopping complexes in Ibadan, Nigeria. Property Management, 37(2), 215-228. https://doi.org/10.1108/PM-05-2018-0035

Parasuraman, A., Zeithaml, V.A. and Berry, L.L. (1988). SERVQUAL: A Multiple-Item Scale for Measuring Consumer Perceptions of Service Quality. Journal of Retailing, 64, 12-40.

Parasuraman, A., Zeithaml, V. A., & Berry, L. L. (1985). A conceptual model of service quality and its implications for future research. Journal of Marketing, 49(4), 41-50. https://doi.org/10.2307/1251430

Pascua, J. R., & Japos, G. V. (2023). Mediating effect of HRM practices between service quality and customer satisfaction in the real estate industry in Metro Manila, Philippines: A literature review. JPAIR Multidisciplinary Research, 51(1), 61-87. https://doi.org/10.7719/jpair.v51i1.398

Rust, R. T., & Oliver, R. L. (1994). Service quality: insights and managerial implications from the frontier. Service quality: New directions in theory and practice. Sage Publications, 1-20. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781452229102.n1

Saleem, S. M. U., Taib, C. A., Ikram, M., & Mehmood, W. (2024). A comprehensive analysis of service quality: a systematic literature review. Total Quality Management and Business Excellence, 35(9-10), 1124-1166. https://doi.org/10.1080/14783363.2024.2357805

Sanderson, D. C., & Read, D. C. (2020). Recognizing and realizing the value of customer-focused property management. Property Management, 38(5), 749-764. https://doi.org/10.1108/PM-04-2020-0029

Schuler, R. S., & Jackson, S. E. (1987). Linking competitive strategies with human resource management practices. Academy of Management Perspectives, 1(3), 207-219. https://doi.org/10.5465/AME.1987.4275740

Talib, F., Rahman, Z., Qureshi, M. N., & Siddiqui, J. (2011). Total quality management and service quality: an exploratory study of quality management practices and barriers in service industry. International Journal of Services and Operations Management, 10(1), 94-118. https://doi.org/10.1504/IJSOM.2011.041991

Thorat, G. A., & Pagare, S. R. (2024). Service quality management: A literature review. International Journal for Multidisciplinary Research, 6(2), 1-7. https://doi.org/10.36948/ijfmr.2024.v06i02.16957

Venkatesh, V., Morris, M. G., Davis, G. B., & Davis, F. D. (2003). User acceptance of information technology: Toward a unified view. MIS Quarterly, 27(3), 425-478. https://doi.org/10.2307/30036540

Węgrzyn, J., & Najbar, K. (2020). Diversification of property managers’ fees and their determinants-the case of Poland. Real Estate Management and Valuation, 28(1), 41-50. https://doi.org/10.2478/remav-2020-0004




DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.46827/ejmms.v11i2.2331

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Copyright (c) 2026 Jane Macasling Mencio

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

The research works published in this journal are free to be accessed. They can be shared (copied and redistributed in any medium or format) and\or adapted (remixed, transformed, and built upon the material for any purpose, commercially and\or not commercially) under the following terms: attribution (appropriate credit must be given indicating original authors, research work name and publication name mentioning if changes were made) and without adding additional restrictions (without restricting others from doing anything the actual license permits). Authors retain the full copyright of their published research works and cannot revoke these freedoms as long as the license terms are followed.

Copyright © 2017-2026. European Journal of Management and Marketing Studies (ISSN 2501 - 9988) is a registered trademark of Open Access Publishing Group. All rights reserved.

This journal is a serial publication uniquely identified by an International Standard Serial Number (ISSN) serial number certificate issued by Romanian National Library. All the research works are uniquely identified by a CrossRef DOI digital object identifier supplied by indexing and repository platforms. All the research works published on this journal are meeting the Open Access Publishing requirements and standards formulated by Budapest Open Access Initiative (2002), the Bethesda Statement on Open Access Publishing (2003) and  Berlin Declaration on Open Access to Knowledge in the Sciences and Humanities (2003) and can be freely accessed, shared, modified, distributed and used in educational, commercial and non-commercial purposes under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Copyrights of the published research works are retained by authors.