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This article has been withdrawn as it was published elsewhere and accidentally duplicated. The original article can be seen here: 10.1108/09564239610113460. When citing the article, please cite: Gaston LeBlanc, Nha Nguyen, (1996), “Cues used by customers evaluating corporate image in service firms: An empirical study in financial institutions”, International Journal of Service Industry Management, Vol. 7 Iss: 2, pp. 44 - 56.

The results are presented of an exploratory study on customer motivations towards the use and non‐use of an automated teller machine with data collected from a total of 208 customers of a financial institution. An analysis of results based on demographic variables reveals significant differences between users and non‐users in terms of education only. Results also show that convenient accessibility of a financial institution and avoidance of waiting lines are the principal reasons for using the automated teller. Furthermore, in comparison with non‐users, the user group is more likely to believe the automated teller improves service quality, reduces the financial institution′s operating costs, presents no personal or financial risks, and is simple to use. The non‐user group for its part prefers dealing with human tellers, finds the machine complex to use, and associates personal and financial risks with the use of the automated teller.

Increasing competition on international markets has led many companies to consider quality as a strategic tool capable of influencing market share and return on investment. Yet a review of the marketing literature reveals a serious lack of explanatory and empirical studies on the concept of quality and its related phenomena as it applies to the service sector. This article presents the results of an exploratory study on service quality in a financial institution setting, using data collected from 1,224 respondents. A set of six factors that explain perceived quality is identified, namely the degree of customer satisfaction, the contact personnel, the internal organisation, the physical environment and instruments, the corporate image, and the personnel/customer interaction during the service encounter.

This article examines the concept of service value in business education with data collected from 402 students of a small business school. A set of factors were found to impact on students’ evaluation of value during their educational experience. More precisely, the results indicate that the relationship between price and quality, the knowledge acquired, the economic utility of a business degree, image, as well as social and emotional value, are important drivers of value in business education. Moreover, when comparing value judgements on the basis of gender and year of study, the results show that male students are more inclined to focus on social value during service consumption, and that females are more critical of the price/quality relationship as it relates to value. Overall, the results show that as students progress in their studies they are less likely to believe that a business degree will guarantee a good salary and career advancements. Conversely, a positive affective response toward the business school is observed over time. Implications for formulating strategies that promise to create and foster service value in business education are given.

A conceptual framework is proposed that investigates the effects of customer satisfaction, service quality, and value on perceptions of corporate image and customer loyalty towards the service firm. To test the framework, structural equation modelling techniques are applied to data collected from 1,224 customers in the banking services industry. The results of the study indicate that satisfaction and service quality are positively related to value and that quality exerts a stronger influence on value than satisfaction. The findings also show that customers receiving higher levels of service quality will form a favourable image of the banking institution. In addition, value is found to positively impact on image, suggesting that the banking institution should have a strong image when customers believe they are getting high value. Similarly, customer satisfaction and image perceptions are found to impact on service loyalty with satisfaction having a greater influence on loyalty than image. The managerial and research implications of the reported study are discussed.

The purpose of this article is to evaluate empirically the impact of contact personnel and physical environment on the perception of corporate image by new clients by using the hierarchical multiple regression analysis capable of exploring the potential presence of higher order and interaction terms. With data collected in two service industries, namely 272 new clients of a life insurance company and 238 travellers in a hotel, a linear relationship with corporate image was statistically confirmed for contact personnel, while a potential curvilinear relationship was found for physical environment. The results reveal the significant effect of both contact personnel and physical environment, as well as their interactive effects on corporate image. The managerial and research implications of the reported study are discussed.

Examines the concept of service quality in business education with data collected from 388 students. Identifies seven factors which influence student evaluations of service quality. In descending order of importance these factors are: reputation, administrative personnel, faculty, curriculum, responsiveness, physical evidence and access to facilities. Describes the implications for controlling quality and for achieving excellence in business education.

Investigates the concept of corporate image in intangible services with data collected from 342 customers of a financial institution. Identifies four factors that explain customers’ perceptions of image. Highlights the implications for tracking and building corporate image in service firms.

Examines the concept of perceived value with data collected from 1,323 members in four retail co‐operatives. A set of six factors was found to have effect on members’ perceptions of the value of products and services they received from their retail co‐ops. In descending order of importance these factors are: the co‐operative form of organisation, contact personnel, in‐store specials, responsiveness, communication policy, and price comparisons. Price comparisons with the products/services offered by competing retail stores were found to have a negative impact on the members’ assessments of value. Moreover, when comparing value judgements on the basis of the variables, education and number of years the respondents had been with the co‐op, the results showed that the more educated the members were, the more likely they were to give feedback to the organisation. In addition, members that had been with the co‐op for one to three years were more apt to believe that management would respond to their suggestions than the respondents who had been with the co‐op for more than nine years. Implications for strategies that promise to create value and influence the members’ retention decisions are discussed.

With data collected from 395 students of a business school, investigates the role of institutional image and institutional reputation in the formation of customer loyalty. The results indicate that the degree of loyalty has a tendency to be higher when perceptions of both institutional reputation and institutional image are favourable. The results also show that the addition of the interaction term between both constructs helps to explain more customer loyalty. Discusses research and managerial implications.