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1 – 10 of 364Shakti Bodh Bhatnagar, Jitendra Kumar Mishra and Asif Ali Syed
The literature on customer behaviour has attracted significant attention towards customer loyalty; however, customer disloyalty has not been adequately studied. The purpose of…
Abstract
Purpose
The literature on customer behaviour has attracted significant attention towards customer loyalty; however, customer disloyalty has not been adequately studied. The purpose of this paper is to identify factors leading to customer disloyalty and develop a comprehensive framework for understanding various dimensions of customer disloyalty in retail banking services.
Design/methodology/approach
The study is descriptive in nature. Variables associated with customer disloyalty were identified from literature and subsequently factor analysis has been applied to derive the significant factors leading to customer disloyalty. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire administered to 357 retail banking customers. EFA and CFA have been employed to determine relevant factors.
Findings
This study found that customer disloyalty comprises of, both, attitudinal and behavioural components. Further, the study revealed three factors – unfair practices, unfulfilled services and poor interaction leading to behavioural disloyalty and negative image leading to attitudinal disloyalty. Surprisingly, the study found that pricing and competitor’s attraction do not affect, both, attitudinal disloyalty and behavioural disloyalty.
Research limitations/implications
The study contributes to customer behaviour literature by understanding customer disloyalty as a distinct concept in comparison to much prevalent customer switching. It addition, this study empirically identified factors leading to behavioural disloyalty and attitudinal disloyalty.
Originality/value
The originality lies in that fact that it is the only empirical study which has studied customer disloyalty through attitudinal disloyalty lenses. Subsequently, it has also attempted to fill the gap in available literature by studying the relationship between attitudinal disloyalty and behavioural disloyalty.
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Neale Slack, Gurmeet Singh and Shavneet Sharma
This paper aims to examine the effect of service quality dimensions and customer satisfaction on customer repurchase intention, word-of-mouth, complaining behaviour and price…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to examine the effect of service quality dimensions and customer satisfaction on customer repurchase intention, word-of-mouth, complaining behaviour and price sensitivity, as well as the effect of service quality dimensions on customer satisfaction.
Design/methodology/approach
A public intercept survey collected data from 480 supermarket customers. Statistical package for the social sciences was used to provide descriptive and inferential analysis.
Findings
Results reveal the predominance and magnitude of effect of empathy positively on customer satisfaction, customer repurchase intention and word-of-mouth, and negatively on customer complaining behaviour and price sensitivity. Customer satisfaction also significantly affects these customer loyalty and disloyalty dimensions.
Research limitations/implications
This research was conducted in the supermarket sector of only one country.
Practical implications
Insights have been provided to increase customer satisfaction and customer loyalty outcomes, and negate customer disloyalty outcomes, in the supermarket sector.
Originality/value
This study provides suggestions to supermarket executives regarding the significance of empathetic, customer-oriented behaviour by front-line supermarket service employees.
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Jennifer Rowley and Jillian Dawes
Seeks to revisit the theoretical basis for the concept of loyalty through a consideration of the state of “no loyalty”, which we term “disloyalty”. This category is present in the…
Abstract
Seeks to revisit the theoretical basis for the concept of loyalty through a consideration of the state of “no loyalty”, which we term “disloyalty”. This category is present in the model proposed by Dick and Basu, but is seen to be of less interest than other categories. Here we argue that a more analytical approach to this category might provide a unique insight into loyalty behaviours, but specifically might aid an understanding of the nature of the challenge associated with widening the loyal customer base. We propose the following categories of disloyals: disturbed, disenchanted, disengaged and disruptive. These four categories can be mapped onto a grid with attitudinal and behavioural dimensions. The characteristics of each of these groups are outlined. Segmentation on the basis of these different types of disloyalty could have implications for marketing strategies. The relationships between the different categories of disloyals and Dick and Basu’s categories of loyals may be important in mapping the development of customer relationships. Finally, proposals are made for further research.
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Cleopatra Veloutsou and Alan McAlonan
The purpose of this paper is to examine the antecedents of online loyalty and disloyalty in search engine usage by young Millennials.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the antecedents of online loyalty and disloyalty in search engine usage by young Millennials.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were collected from 495 pupils between the ages of 14 to 17 years old.
Findings
The attitude towards computers is not influencing brand loyalty. The main predictors of brand loyalty are the emotional link that users develop with the search engine, the attitude towards said engine, and in particular the perceived quality of results. The best predictors of disloyalty are the level of two‐way communication, the lack of satisfaction as well as the involvement of the user with computers, while the actual perceived characteristics of the search engine are not predicting disloyalty.
Research limitations/implications
Since the data were collected from one school in the UK only, the teenage internet users in the study's sample are likely to come from families with a similar profile. For further research a sample drawn from other areas, therefore, more representative of the make‐up of the population in the UK would be interesting.
Originality/value
Given the importance of teenage users and their expected long‐term value as internet users, this paper is contributing to the literature by understanding some of the key drivers of their loyalty and disloyalty.
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Banwari Mittal and Walfried M. Lassar
One of the most unexamined assumptions marketing firms have made in recent years is that satisfaction alone will guarantee customer loyalty. Our research questions this…
Abstract
One of the most unexamined assumptions marketing firms have made in recent years is that satisfaction alone will guarantee customer loyalty. Our research questions this assumption. We explored the correspondence between customer satisfaction and loyalty, and found as many as half of the “satisfied” customers to be predisposed to switching service suppliers. This satisfaction‐loyalty gap reflects the fact that different components of service quality drive satisfaction versus loyalty. Satisfaction is driven more by “technical quality” (the quality of the work performed) than by “functional quality” (how the service work was delivered); however, once satisfaction is achieved, loyalty is driven more by functional than by technical quality. This is the pattern of influence for a “low contact” (where customers’ direct contact with service providers is absent or marginal) service. For a “high contact” service, the pattern of influence is exactly the reverse. Of significant importance to service managers, the paper explains the dynamics of loyalty versus satisfaction and derives their managerial implications.
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Margaret J. Crabbe and Moses Acquaah
Service recovery strategies are efforts used by organizations to bring back dissatisfied customers to a state of satisfaction with the organization. It has been argued that…
Abstract
Purpose
Service recovery strategies are efforts used by organizations to bring back dissatisfied customers to a state of satisfaction with the organization. It has been argued that successful service recovery by organizations is dependent on the effectiveness of front line employees. The purpose of this paper is to examine a model of service recovery performance (SRP) of front line employees in the retail industry in Ghana.
Design/methodology/approach
The study uses personally administered survey data collected from 136 employees in 20 micro and small retail enterprises in Ghana. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis is used to test the direct and interactive effects of organizational variables such as perceived managerial attitudes and work environment factors on the SRP of front line employees.
Findings
The findings indicate that the SRP is influenced by employee empowerment, interaction between customer service orientation and empowerment, interaction between customer service orientation and training for customer service excellence, and the interaction between empowerment and training for customer service excellence.
Research limitations/implications
Focussing only on the antecedents of SRP, and using cross-sectional data based on the self-assessments of the front line employees from one country.
Practical implications
Empowering front line employees to deal with service failures should be combined with training them in job related and behavioral skills to attend to the needs of customers. Moreover, it is critical to combine perceived customer service orientation with training front line employees in job related and behavioral skills.
Originality/value
First study to examine the antecedents of SRP of front line employees in a sub-Saharan African environment. Moreover, study examines the interactive effects of organizational and work environment variables on SRP.
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Mabel Komunda and Aihie Osarenkhoe
This paper aims to contribute to a growing body of service recovery knowledge by examining the relationship between service recovery, consumer satisfaction and loyalty in a…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to contribute to a growing body of service recovery knowledge by examining the relationship between service recovery, consumer satisfaction and loyalty in a commercial banking environment.
Design/methodology/approach
A conceptual framework encompassing th\e concepts of service recovery, communication, customer satisfaction and customer loyalty in the commercial bank setting is developed. A questionnaire is designed to focus on issues related to efforts made to investigate causes of service failure and to develop recovery strategies that meet customer expectations of how their banks should handle such problems.
Findings
Results show that communication had a significant relationship with service recovery and that higher levels of redress independently increase positive consumer responses. The findings also show that the interaction of employee responsiveness and courtesy can also have a positive impact on consumer evaluations. Satisfaction was highest and negative word‐of‐mouth intentions lowest only under conditions of high responsiveness and courtesy.
Research limitations/implications
Service recovery is process‐oriented, and does not assess whether the reported problem that led to the actual complaint has been resolved. This aspect of the study opens a number of directions for future research with the goal of increasing the still limited understanding of service recovery issues in commercial banks. To achieve an in‐depth view, a more comprehensive qualitative study that pursues the same research questions may be appropriate.
Practical implications
An implication is that, when managing complaints related to customer dissatisfaction, the approaches undertaken by service quality leaders should aim to provide just resolutions/fairness in service recovery. This study also provides insight into a company's customer relationship management practices. However, in order to encourage customers to complain directly, a company, if complained to, needs to enhance the perception of a possible outcome.
Originality/value
A conceptual framework is developed and used to investigate the relationship between service recovery, consumer satisfaction and loyalty.
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The study addresses the effect of product usage, satisfaction derived out of the same and the brand switching behaviour in several product categories while looking at the product…
Abstract
The study addresses the effect of product usage, satisfaction derived out of the same and the brand switching behaviour in several product categories while looking at the product involvement level in the Indian marketplace. A fair amount of work has been done in the area of customer satisfaction and loyalty and many customer satisfaction indexes are available in the market using different variables and characteristics. The study attempts to understand the brand switching behaviour of the customers and its relation not with just satisfaction derived out of the product but also connects to the usage pattern of the customers and product involvement. Five categories (vehicles, television, soap, hair oil, and ice cream), involving varying levels of involvement were chosen. Cluster analysis was used to understand the grouping of the characteristics across the categories and their effect on brand switching behaviour in correlation with satisfaction and involvement level. It was observed that product usage and related level of satisfaction fail to explain the brand switching behaviour. Product involvement was found to have moderate impact on readiness to switch. The study emphasises that marketers will have to keep a constant eye to understand the usage pattern associated with their products and the satisfaction derived out of it and also at how customers involve themselves with the product to lessen the brand switching behaviour among their customers.
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Rob Law, Davis Ka Chio Fong, Irene Cheng Chu Chan and Lawrence Hoc Nang Fong
This paper aims to comprehensively and systematically review the state of customer relationship management (CRM) research on hospitality and propose future research agenda.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to comprehensively and systematically review the state of customer relationship management (CRM) research on hospitality and propose future research agenda.
Design/methodology/approach
All hospitality-related CRM articles since its introduction as a concept in 1988 were collected. The retrieved articles were then chronologically and thematically analyzed.
Findings
Hospitality CRM research has rapidly grown from the initial relationship marketing concept into social CRM. Five research foci were identified, including CRM planning and implementation process, organizational support, technology and tools, customer perspectives and characteristics and outcome and impact. Three potential pitfalls were observed in the existing literature. A comprehensive research framework incorporating the five research domains and three key players was proposed.
Practical implications
Hospitality practitioners should take an integrated perspective on the five major domains of CRM and the three key players to ensure that informed decisions can be made.
Originality/value
This study contributes to the literature through its qualitative and critical assessment of existing hospitality CRM literature, which can guide future research.
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Josée Bloemer, Ko de Ruyter and Martin Wetzels
In recent research on service quality it has been argued that the relationship between perceived service quality and service loyalty is an issue which requires conceptual and…
Abstract
In recent research on service quality it has been argued that the relationship between perceived service quality and service loyalty is an issue which requires conceptual and empirical elaboration through replication and extension of current knowledge. Focuses on the refinement of a scale for measuring service loyalty dimensions and the relationships between dimensions of service quality and these service loyalty dimensions. The results of an empirical study of a large sample of customers from four different service industries suggest that four dimensions of service loyalty can be identified: purchase intentions, word‐of‐mouth communication; price sensitivity; and complaining behaviour. Further analysis yields an intricate pattern of service quality‐service loyalty relationships at the level of the individual dimensions with notable differences across industries.
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