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Open Access
Article
Publication date: 6 February 2023

Angelo Bonfanti, Chiara Rossato, Vania Vigolo and Alfonso Vargas-Sánchez

Since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, many restaurants and catering businesses have introduced or improved online food ordering and delivery services (OFODSs). This study…

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Abstract

Purpose

Since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, many restaurants and catering businesses have introduced or improved online food ordering and delivery services (OFODSs). This study aims to identify service quality expectations about OFODSs, to examine their content and to suggest management strategies to meet these expectations.

Design/methodology/approach

Adopting a qualitative method, four focus groups were conducted amongst Italian users of OFODSs.

Findings

The results reveal three dimensions of expectations, each comprising two categories that can be set along a continuum: (1) basicness of expectations (ranging from implicit to explicit), (2) accuracy of expectations (ranging from fuzzy to precise) and (3) attainability of expectations (ranging from realistic to unrealistic). Content may refer to technical, social, economic, legal and technological aspects. To meet customer expectations, the following strategies are suggested: customer reassurance, flexibility, continuous improvement, customer education, adaptation to customers' requirements and monitoring of exceptions.

Practical implications

This study provides specific activities in which restaurants and catering businesses could invest to enact the management strategies that emerged from the analysis.

Originality/value

This paper proposes a new classification of expectations and framework for improving OFODS quality by managing customer expectations.

Details

British Food Journal, vol. 125 no. 13
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0007-070X

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 17 July 2023

Yilmaz Akgunduz, Mehmet Alper Nisari and Serpil Sungur

This study proposes a model that influences customer citizenship behavior during COVID-19, and empirically tests the effects of fast-food restaurant customers' perceptions of…

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Abstract

Purpose

This study proposes a model that influences customer citizenship behavior during COVID-19, and empirically tests the effects of fast-food restaurant customers' perceptions of justice (price and procedural justice) on trust; trust on satisfaction and loyalty; and trust, satisfaction and loyalty on customer citizenship behavior. Furthermore, it was questioned whether there was a disparity between customer expectations based on the restaurant's image and consumption experience.

Design/methodology/approach

The data were gathered from customers of fast-food restaurants in the shopping centers in Turkey. The data set, which included 437 valid questionnaires, was subjected to CFA for validity and reliability, SEM analysis for hypothesis and paired sample t-Tests for the research questions.

Findings

The findings of the study indicate that perceived justice affects customer trust, which, consequently, affects customer loyalty and satisfaction during the COVID-19 period. Findings also demonstrate that, while customer loyalty and trust increase customer citizenship behavior, customer satisfaction alone is insufficient to increase customer citizenship behavior. The study also shows that during the COVID-19 period, fast-food restaurants should have raised awareness of employees’ fair behaviors toward the customers and provided additional services to differentiate themselves in the market. Also, it indicates that customer expectations related to price, cleanliness and professional appearance of staff are not met after taking service.

Originality/value

No research has been found in the literature focusing on the expectations, justice, trust, satisfaction, loyalty and citizenship behaviors of fast-food restaurant customers in the COVID-19 pandemic process. Therefore, the results can fill the gap in relevant literature by testing the relationships between justice, trust, satisfaction, loyalty and citizenship during the pandemic and provide inferences for fast-food business owners.

Details

International Hospitality Review, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2516-8142

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 30 June 2023

Angelo Bonfanti, Vania Vigolo, Virginia Vannucci and Federico Brunetti

This study focuses on memorable customer shopping experience design in the sporting goods retail setting. It aims to identify the phygital customers' needs and expectations that…

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Abstract

Purpose

This study focuses on memorable customer shopping experience design in the sporting goods retail setting. It aims to identify the phygital customers' needs and expectations that are satisfied through in-store technologies and to detect the in-store strategies that use these technologies to make the store attractive and experiential.

Design/methodology/approach

This exploratory study adopted a qualitative research methodology, specifically a multiple-case study, by performing semi-structured interviews with sporting goods store managers.

Findings

Sporting goods retailers use various in-store technologies to create a phygital customer shopping experience, including devices, mobile apps, wireless communication technologies, in-store activations, support devices, intelligent stations, and sensors. To improve the phygital customer journey and the phygital shopping experience, retailers meet customers' needs for utilitarian, hedonic, social, and playfulness experiences. Purely physical or digital strategies, as well as phygital strategies, are identified. This research also proposes a model of in-store phygital customer shopping experience design for sporting goods retailers.

Practical implications

Sporting goods managers can invest in multiple technologies by designing a physical environment according to the customers' needs for utilitarian, hedonic, social, and playful experiences. In addition, they can improve the phygital customer shopping experience with specific push strategies that increase customer engagement and, in turn, brand and store loyalty.

Originality/value

This study highlights how the phygital customer experiential journey can be created through new technologies and improved with specific reference to the sporting goods stores.

Details

International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management, vol. 51 no. 13
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0959-0552

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 10 May 2022

Pedro Simões Coelho, Paulo Rita and Ricardo F. Ramos

This paper analyzes previously unmeasured effects of a response to a service incident called “benevolent” within the customer –firm relationship.

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Abstract

Purpose

This paper analyzes previously unmeasured effects of a response to a service incident called “benevolent” within the customer –firm relationship.

Design/methodology/approach

A questionnaire was administered to telecommunication customers in a Western European country, and the model was estimated using partial least squares (PLS).

Findings

This study shows that the customer–firm relationship is surprisingly affected by the response to expected incidents that the customer interprets as acts of benevolence or opportunism. This research also shows that the firm's incident response interpreted as benevolence or opportunism has an effect that merely positive or negative events do not. Acts of benevolence response towards an incident positively affect customer–firm relationship quality, and expectations of such acts may lead to an upward spiral in customer commitment.

Originality/value

While benevolence trust has been proposed and studied before, the response to incidents interpreted as benevolent or opportunistic and their consequences have been under-studied, hence exhibiting a research gap.

研究目的

在公司與顧客之間的關係的範疇內, 公司對服務事故所作的被稱為仁慈的反應的影響不曾被測量; 本研究擬就該反應的影響進行分析和探討。

研究設計/方法/理念

研究以問卷方式進行¸ 對象為一個西歐國家裏的電訊服務客戶。研究人員使用偏最小平方法作估算, 設計有關的模型。

研究結果

研究結果顯示、若顧客對公司就預期的事故所作的反應看作是仁慈的話, 又或相反地視為是投機主義所驅使的, 則公司與顧客之間的關係會出人意表地受到影響。研究結果亦顯示、顧客的仁慈、抑或是投機主義的闡釋和理解所帶來的影響, 與單純積極正面事件或消極負面事件所帶來的影響是不一樣的。公司對事件仁厚的回應會給予顧客之間的關係的質量帶來正面的影響; 而且, 對這種回應的預期、或會給客戶承諾帶來螺旋上升。

研究的原創性/價值

對仁厚之信賴曾被提出並作探討。唯對被視為仁慈的或機會主義作祟的反應所作的研究則不足, 這方面實存研究缺口。

Details

European Journal of Management and Business Economics, vol. 32 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2444-8451

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 28 July 2023

Moh. Wahyudin, Chih-Cheng Chen, Henry Yuliando, Najihatul Mujahidah and Kune-Muh Tsai

The food industry is continuously developing its online services called food delivery applications (FDAs). This study aims to evaluate FDA's importance–performance and identify…

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Abstract

Purpose

The food industry is continuously developing its online services called food delivery applications (FDAs). This study aims to evaluate FDA's importance–performance and identify strategies to maximize its potential gains from a business partner's perspective.

Design/methodology/approach

Data are collected from 208 FDA partners in Indonesia. Importance–performance analysis (IPA) is applied to evaluate the FDA feature and extended the theory of potential gain in customer value (PGCV) to achieve potential gains from FDA business partners.

Findings

This study provides a clear and measurable direction for future research to develop FDA performance. Owning customer data, revenue sharing and competitive advantage are the most potential gains from joining the FDA from the business partner perspective.

Research limitations/implications

The respondents are restaurants from the micro, small, and medium enterprises levels. Further research should involve middle to upper level restaurants to discover all business partners' perceptions. This will be very helpful for FDA providers interested in improving the best performance for all their partners.

Practical implications

FDA providers must focus on improving and maintaining the features of owning customer data, revenue sharing, competitive advantage, stable terms and conditions, customer interface, building customer loyalty, online presence, user credit rating, promotion and offers, delivery service and sales enhancement to increase consumer satisfaction and meet the expectations desired by business partners.

Originality/value

This research provides a meaningful theoretical foundation for future work. It extends the theory of PGCV using the value of a partner perspective as a substitute for customer value; hence, the authors call it a potential gain in partner value.

Details

British Food Journal, vol. 126 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0007-070X

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 29 February 2024

Maciej Urbaniak, Dominik Zimon and Peter Madzik

This article aims to map the expectations of manufacturing companies towards suppliers in terms of implementing improvement activities. The article poses two research questions…

247

Abstract

Purpose

This article aims to map the expectations of manufacturing companies towards suppliers in terms of implementing improvement activities. The article poses two research questions: RQ1: What kind of improvement of activities do the surveyed producers expect from their suppliers? RQ2: Do factors such as size, capital or implemented systems influence different assessments of the analyzed requirements toward suppliers?

Design/methodology/approach

The Computer Assisted Telephone Interview (CATI) technique was used to collect data. The sample consists of 150 producers (employing over 50 people) who were suppliers for enterprises from the automotive, electromechanical and chemical sectors operating in the Polish business-to-business (B2B) market. We analyzed 11 improvement activities, while their correlation structure was examined by exploratory factor analysis.

Findings

We have identified three latent factors – risk reduction, product innovation and increasing efficiency – which summarize the main expectations of manufacturing companies towards suppliers. Expectations for these factors are independent of the implemented management system, although the analysis showed higher expectations for product innovation in organizations with the implementation of Kaizen.

Originality/value

The article fills the research gap in the literature. The research results presented in the literature so far have focused on the expectations of enterprises towards suppliers in terms of meeting the criteria for their initial and periodic assessment. The research gap in the article is the result of empirical research presenting the expectations of manufacturers towards suppliers in terms of improving their processes. Based on the findings of the presented study, development trends and implications for managers responsible for purchasing processes and relationships with suppliers can be determined.

Details

Central European Management Journal, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2658-0845

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 9 August 2022

Paulo Rita, Celeste Vong, Flávio Pinheiro and João Mimoso

With the growing popularity of social media, it has become common practice for consumers to write online reviews to share their opinion and experience as well as consider others'…

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Abstract

Purpose

With the growing popularity of social media, it has become common practice for consumers to write online reviews to share their opinion and experience as well as consider others' reviews to inform purchase decision-making. This study investigated how online review sentiments towards four key aspects (food, service, ambience and price) change after a restaurant is awarded a Michelin Star to shed light on how the award of a Michelin Star affects online reviews as well as what factors contribute to positive online restaurant reviews.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors conducted a sentiment analysis of online restaurant reviews on TripAdvisor. A total of 8,871 English-written reviews from 87 restaurants located in Europe were extracted using a web crawler developed by Beautiful Soup, and data were then processed using Semantria.

Findings

The study findings revealed that overall sentiments decreased after restaurants were awarded a Michelin Star, in which service sentiment was the most affected aspect, followed by food and ambience. Yet, price sentiment showed a prominent increase. This provides valuable insights for Michelin-starred restaurant operators and owners to create a unique and compelling gastronomic experience that triggers positive online reviews.

Practical implications

The results of this study argue that consumers tend to hold higher expectations for this type of upscale restaurants given its recognition and quality assurance, so they are more likely to have negative feelings when their expectations are disconfirmed. Therefore, restaurants should continuously improve their food and service while paying attention to small details such as ambience, through creativity and innovation. Also, high-end restaurants, especially Michelin-starred restaurants, usually have the edge in premium pricing, yet competitive pricing may backfire considering its perceived luxurious values.

Originality/value

This study analyzed changes in customer sentiments when a restaurant is awarded a Michelin Star through text analytics. Through the lens of online restaurant reviews, the study findings contribute to identifying aspects that are most or least affected by the award of a Michelin Star as well as highlight the role of ambience in customer satisfaction which might have been overlooked in previous studies.

研究目的

隨著社交媒體日趨普及,消費者出現一種常見的做法,就是在網上書寫評論,分享他們的意見和體驗,他們也會參考其他消費者的評論,以在購物時能作出知情決定。本研究擬探討當餐館獲得米其林星級時,消費者對它們在四個主要方面 (即食物、服務、情調和價格) 的網上評價會如何改變。我們藉此能更容易了解、餐館獲得米其林星級會如何影響其網上評論,以及是哪些因素、會為這些餐館帶來正面的網上評價。

研究設計/方法/理念

我們對貓途鷹平台上的網上餐館評論進行情感分析。透過BeautifulSoup 研發的網絡爬蟲,我們取出位於歐洲87間餐館、共8,871個以英文書寫的評論,並把這些數據以Semantria加以處理。

研究結果

研究結果顯示、當餐館獲得米其林星級時,顧客的整體情緒會下降,而其中最受影響的是服務情懷,其次是食物和情調; 但價格情緒卻有明顯的上升。這研究結果給獲得米其林星級餐館的經營者及其東主提供寶貴的啟示,讓他們了解如何為顧客創造一個可帶來正面網上評價的獨特而難忘的美食體驗。

研究的原創性/價值

本研究透過文本挖掘、去分析當餐館獲得米其林星級時,顧客情緒會如何改變; 透過網上餐館評論這面透視鏡子,本研究得到的結果、幫助我們確定米其林星級的聲譽所影響最大和最小的是哪些方面,以及讓我們更深入了解餐館的情調在顧客滿意程度上所扮演的角色,而這個角色在過去的研究中似被忽視。

管理上的啟示

本研究的結果提供了論據、證明由於消費者對擁有相關的認可和品質保證的這類高檔餐館一般予以較高的期望,故當他們發現期望與現實不符時,他們更容易產生負面的情緒; 因此,餐館在關注如情調方面的細節的同時,也應透過創造力和新觀念、去不斷改善他們提供的食物素質和服務水平; 而且,高檔餐館,尤其是獲得米其林星級的餐館,通常在溢價定價方面享有優勢,但當考慮到感知的奢華價值時,具競爭力的價格或會為餐館帶來反效果。

Details

European Journal of Management and Business Economics, vol. 32 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2444-8451

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 12 June 2023

Burhanudin Burhanudin

Quality of life is a concern of banking customers, but it has received little attention in studies conducted within the banking context. This study aims to investigate the…

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Abstract

Purpose

Quality of life is a concern of banking customers, but it has received little attention in studies conducted within the banking context. This study aims to investigate the influence of mindfulness on customers’ quality of life and the mediating role of service value, satisfaction and loyalty to the company in this relationship.

Design/methodology/approach

Three hundred banking customers participated in the survey. In this study, partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was used to test the relationship between the variables. Then, complementary methods were used to assess the robustness of the PLS-SEM results.

Findings

In this study, it was found that mindfulness directly influences service value, satisfaction and quality of life. Service value was also found to directly influence satisfaction. Satisfaction directly influences loyalty to the company. In addition, loyalty to the company, but not satisfaction, directly influences quality of life. However, this study did not find any evidence that service value, satisfaction and loyalty to the company mediate the influence of mindfulness on quality of life.

Practical implications

Banking marketing managers need to ensure that their customers have an impressive moment-to-moment experience with the services provided to support improving their quality of life.

Originality/value

The findings help to advance the understanding of how banks can improve their customers’ quality of life while maintaining the well-being of other stakeholders.

Objetivo

La calidad de vida es una preocupación de los clientes de banca, pero ha recibido poca atención en los estudios realizados en el contexto bancario. Este estudio pretende investigar la influencia del mindfulness en la calidad de vida de los clientes y el papel mediador del valor del servicio, la satisfacción y la lealtad a la empresa en esa relación.

Diseño/metodología/enfoque

Trescientos clientes de banca participaron en la encuesta. Este estudio utilizó la modelización de ecuaciones estructurales por mínimos cuadrados parciales (PLS-SEM) para comprobar la relación entre las variables. A continuación, se utilizó métodos complementarios para evaluar la solidez de los resultados del PLS-SEM.

Resultados

Este estudio halló que mindfulness influye directamente en el valor del servicio, la satisfacción y la calidad de vida. El valor del servicio también influye directamente en la satisfacción. La satisfacción influye directamente en la lealtad a la empresa. Además, la lealtad a la empresa, pero no la satisfacción, influye directamente en la calidad de vida. Sin embargo, este estudio no encontró pruebas de que el valor del servicio, la satisfacción y la lealtad a la empresa medien la influencia de mindfulness en la calidad de vida.

Originalidad

Los hallazgos ayudan a avanzar en la comprensión de cómo los bancos pueden mejorar la calidad de vida de sus clientes al tiempo que mantienen el bienestar de otras partes interesadas.

Implicaciones prácticas

Los directores de marketing bancario deben asegurarse de que sus clientes tienen una experiencia impresionante en cada momento con los servicios prestados para apoyar la mejora de la calidad de vida de los clientes.

目的

生活质量是银行业客户关心的问题, 但在银行业范围内的研究中, 它很少得到关注。本研究旨在研究正念对客户生活质量的影响, 以及服务价值、满意度和对公司的忠诚度在这种关系中的中介作用。

设计/方法/途

三百名银行业客户参与了调查。本研究采用偏最小平方结构方程模型(PLS-SEM)来检验各变量之间的关系。然后, 本研究使用补充方法来评估PLS-SEM结果的稳健性。

研究结果

本研究发现, 正念直接影响了服务价值、满意度和生活质量。服务价值也被发现直接影响满意度。满意度直接影响到对公司的忠诚度。此外, 对公司的忠诚度, 但不是满意度, 直接影响了生活质量。然而, 本研究没有发现任何证据表明服务价值、满意度和对公司的忠诚度可以调解心态对生活质量的影响。

原创性/价值

研究结果有助于推进人们对银行如何在保持其他利益相关者福祉的同时提高客户的生活质量的理解。

实践意义

银行营销经理需要确保他们的客户对所提供的服务有令人印象深刻的时刻体验, 以支持改善客户的生活质量。

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 18 December 2023

Christian Grönroos

In servitization research, there has been a call to move further toward the development of business models based on a service approach. This article aims to answer this call by…

Abstract

Purpose

In servitization research, there has been a call to move further toward the development of business models based on a service approach. This article aims to answer this call by adopting service logic (SL) and developing strategies and organizational resources and processes to create a service-centric business model called servification, defined as the process of identifying and developing strategies and organizational resources and processes to create a business model based on SL.

Design/methodology/approach

This article is conceptual and extends servitization in the direction of service-centric business model innovation by drawing on and extending SL.

Findings

The article defines service as a higher-order concept according to SL and develops the concept of a helping strategy as the foundation for a service-based business model. Further, it develops a typology of organizational resources and processes that must be developed for the emergence of such a business model.

Research limitations/implications

Since this article is the first to conceptually develop servification, more both theoretical and empirical research is naturally required. The development of servification takes servitization in the direction of service-based business model innovation and also contributes to the research on SL.

Practical implications

Servification enables the development of service-centric strategies and organizational resources and processes and service-based business models.

Originality/value

This article is the first to adopt SL in studies of business model innovation.

Details

Journal of Service Theory and Practice, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2055-6225

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 27 November 2023

Anupama Sukhu and Anil Bilgihan

The purpose of this research is to investigate the effects of service recovery experiences on customer engagement in negative word-of-mouth (WOM) in the hotel industry and explore…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this research is to investigate the effects of service recovery experiences on customer engagement in negative word-of-mouth (WOM) in the hotel industry and explore the psychological motives and mediating mechanisms driving consumer behavior.

Design/methodology/approach

A scenario-based experimental design on Qualtrics was used, with a pre-test (N = 200). The main study data were collected using Amazon's Mechanical Turk platform.

Findings

Findings reveal that negative service experiences lead to higher engagement in negative WOM compared to positive and satisfactory recovery service experiences. Even well-executed recovery efforts may not completely eliminate negative WOM. The mediating role of emotional responses is substantiated, as heightened negative service experiences result in more intense negative emotional responses, leading to increased engagement in negative WOM.

Originality/value

The study emphasizes the importance of service recovery strategies and the need for businesses to consistently strive for exceptional service quality. It also highlights the complexity of customer reactions to service experiences, suggesting that further research is needed to explore the factors that minimize negative WOM across various service contexts.

Details

International Hospitality Review, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2516-8142

Keywords

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