The effect of multi-channel service quality on mobile customer loyalty in an online-and-mobile retail context

The main purpose of this study is to explore the effects of multi-channel service quality on mobile customer loyalty in the context of online-and-mobile retailing. A research model is proposed based on previous service quality literature. Data collected from 102 respondents in Taiwan are tested against the research model using the partial least squares (PLS) approach. The results indicate that tangibility, responsiveness, and empathy in electronic service (e-service) affect mobile service (m-service) customer loyalty both directly and indirectly through their m-service counterparts. The findings of this study provide several important theoretical and practical implications for multi-channel retailing management.     

Measuring customer pre-purchase satisfaction in a retail setting

Previous studies have addressed customer satisfaction as a post-purchase phenomenon. However, examining solely post-purchase satisfaction when investigating consumer satisfaction is incomplete because multiple stages are involved in the purchase decision making process. Thus, the purpose of this study was to develop an instrument to assess customer satisfaction in the pre-purchase stage using procedures for developing a reliable and valid scale, as proposed by Churchill [1979. A paradigm of developing better measures of marketing constructs. Journal of Marketing Research, 16(1), 64–73.] and DeVellis [2003. Scale development: Theory and applications (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.]. Two sets of data were collected to carry out two stages of scale purification – 98 subjects participated in the first stage and 443 subjects participated in the second stage. The factor structures, reliability, and construct validity were tested to assess the properties of the final scale. Findings revealed a 21-item, 6-dimension scale measuring customers' pre-purchase satisfaction. Discussion of the results, managerial implications, study limitations, and suggestions for future research are presented.     

Price fairness perceptions and customer loyalty in a retail context

Loyalty and fairness are major research topics in the marketing literature. However, research examining how customer loyalty and fairness perceptions affect each other is lacking. This study examines these two topics in the context of a retailer increasing its prices, develops hypotheses, and tests these hypotheses using an experimental design approach. Results indicate that loyalty has a positive effect on fairness perceptions when price increases are low, though no such effect is found when price increases are high. Also, justifiable reasons for price increases lead to increased fairness perceptions when price increases are low, but any reason offered when price increases are high increases fairness perceptions. Whether distributive or procedural fairness influences post customer loyalty in the presence of price increases is dependent on both the level of the price increase and the reason offered for the price increase. This research provides implications for retailers and directions for future research.     

Supermarket self-checkout service quality,customer satisfaction,and loyalty: Empirical evidence from an emerging market

Supermarket shoppers around the world are increasingly encountering and using self-service technologies (SSTs) during their shopping process. The SSTs are mainly offered to reduce retailer costs and enhance customer's experience. Among the many different SSTs available, self-checkout systems (SCS) have become an extremely popular choice of supermarkets around the world. Although some of the main motivations of the supermarkets for offering SCSs are cost cutting, speed, and convenience, supermarkets are also assuming that these services would enhance customer experience, satisfaction, and ultimately loyalty. However, empirical evidence is needed to better understand customer expectations of SCS service quality and how technology based service quality impacts retail patronage. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to examine the service quality of supermarket/grocery store SCSs and its impact on customer satisfaction and loyalty in an emerging market, namely Turkey. Using the SSTQUAL scale (Lin and Hsieh, 2011), data (n=275) for the study is collected from shoppers who had just completed going through the self-checkout counter in a large supermarket chain. The results of this study show that SCS service quality positively influences loyalty through the customer satisfaction path. Managerial and research implications of the findings are discussed.     

Asymmetric effects of customer emotions on satisfaction and loyalty in a utilitarian service context

This paper investigates the relative effects of customer positive versus negative emotions on satisfaction and loyalty in a utilitarian service setting. In-depth interviews with 20 call-center customers identify emotions and appraisals related to the customer service experience. Regression analysis of subsequent quantitative survey results from 1440 customers of a call-center shows that positive emotions influence satisfaction more strongly than negative emotions. In contrast, negative emotions influence recommendation intentions more strongly than positive emotions in line with prospect theory. However, for ‘higher risk’ repatronage the prospect of losses from switching reduces the effect of negative emotions resulting in a symmetric effect of positive and negative emotions on repatronage intentions.     

Moderating effect of customer's retail format perception on customer satisfaction formation: An empirical study of mini-supermarkets in an urban retail market setting

Customer perceptions of retail formats have become ambiguous with new value-added features of traditional retail formats. Hence, this paper proposes a framework for explaining retail patronage formation under the condition that customers perceive the ambiguity of retail format boundaries. The moderating effect of customers' retail format perceptions on customer satisfaction is examined using data from Japanese mini-supermarket customers. Results indicate that customers' perceptions of retail formats partially influence customer satisfaction. Theoretically, this implies that considering retail format as a concept that customers construct a posteriori may be necessary and practically indicates that retail practitioners should manage customers’ retail format perception.     

Sustainable growth for the self-employed in the retail industry based on customer equity,customer satisfaction,and loyalty

In Korea, traditional retail districts face a serious situation whereby businesses in downtown areas face collapsing as local population declines: resulting in a decrease in self-employed sales and a declining local economy. Traditional retailers use ambiguous accounting and are reluctant to use credit cards, and thus, the overall reliability of their customer data is low. This paper solves this problem by applying the concept of customer equity (CE). We conducted an empirical analysis through questionnaires to identify differences in CE between traditional and new retail formats. The questionnaire consisted of questions related to CE (value equity, brand equity, relation equity), satisfaction, loyalty, and demographic characteristics. CE and satisfaction were measured on a 5-point Likert scale. A total of 400 surveys were completed, resulting in 391 usable returns for analysis in this study. In the regression analysis between CE and customer satisfaction, both old and new retail firms showed statistically significant effects. In the traditional retail industry, value equity and brand equity were statistically significant, while relation equity were not.     

Social interaction,convenience and customer satisfaction: The mediating effect of customer experience

The present study is an effort to investigate the impact of both convenience and social interaction on customer satisfaction and the mediating role of customer experience. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data (n=840) using systematic sampling from department store shoppers of age 18 years and above in India. Multivariate data analysis techniques like Exploratory Factor Analysis and Structural Equation Modeling were used to analyze the data. Results revealed that convenience and social interaction affect both customer experience and customer satisfaction. Arguably, this paper is the first to examine the four constructs namely, social interaction, convenience, customer satisfaction and customer experience using them together in the same model. Academic and managerial implications are further discussed.     

The long-term impact of service empathy and responsiveness on customer satisfaction and profitability: a longitudinal investigation in a healthcare context

Rising labor costs in healthcare industries have led many firms to underinvest in service empathy and responsiveness by downsizing staffing levels. Although such a strategy may help contain operating costs and improve productivity in the short run, its sustainability and long-term effect remain unclear, as the literature offers competing explanations of such an effect on customer satisfaction and overall profitability. Using 24 quarters of longitudinal patient satisfaction data and archival financial data from 25 clinical units in a large healthcare organization, this study examines how empathy and responsiveness influence profitability over time. The findings show that downgrading empathy and responsiveness allows firms to lower costs, resulting in immediate productivity benefits; however, this strategy has an enduring negative effect on customer satisfaction and ultimately hurts profitability in the long run.     

The impact of customer satisfaction and relationship quality on customer retention: A critical reassessment and model development

Customer satisfaction with a company's products or services is often seen as the key to a company's success and long-term competitiveness. In the context of relationship marketing, customer satisfaction is often viewed as a central determinant of customer retention. However, the few empirical investigations in this area indicate that a direct relationship between these constructs is weak or even nonexistent. The overall purpose of this article is to develop a conceptual foundation for investigating the customer retention process, with the use of the concepts of customer satisfaction and relationship quality. The article involves a critical examination of the satisfaction–retention relationship, and the development of a more comprehensive view of the customer's quality perception. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Online retail experience and customer satisfaction: the mediating role of last mile delivery

ABSTRACT

For various industries worldwide, recent years have been defined by the remarkable growth of e-commerce. Enabled by the Internet, retailers can reach more customers, spread much further in the distribution chain, and optimize their resources. In the new market environment, customer experience has become a source of competitive advantage. This study investigates the role of last mile delivery in the customer’s e-retail experience. A quantitative methodology was used, which incorporated a survey that was conducted in Sweden and measured participants’ most recent e-retail experience. The results indicate that the last mile delivery experience mediates the relationship between the customer’s perception of the online shopping experience and customer satisfaction. These conclusions provide ground for further thorough investigations of the role of last mile delivery in the e-retail context and support e-retailers in increasing their customers’ satisfaction.     

实施顾客满意和顾客忠诚的营销探析

客户满意是企业提高效益、快速发展的策略之一.经营本应从各方面采取措施提高顾客对企业的满意度.     

The effect of organizational responses to service failures on customer satisfaction perception

This paper explores how organizational responses to service failures affect perceived justice and recovery satisfaction using responses from 410 customers who experienced service failures in Hong Kong. The results indicated that the acknowledgement of and prompt action to fix service failures were positively linked to perceived justice, which in turn affects recovery satisfaction. Moreover, customer relation orientation moderated the relationship between acknowledgement of service failure and justice perceptions of service recovery, while customer task orientation moderated the relationship between prompt action for service recovery and justice perceptions of that recovery.     

Economic influences on perceived value,quality expectations and customer satisfaction

Consumer research has extensively analysed psychological determinants of customer satisfaction. As macro‐level customer satisfaction data were not available until recently, researchers have only taken first steps towards analysing economic determinants of customer satisfaction. Based on a more complex conceptual framework and on data from Germany and Japan, this article examines how economic processes influence the perceived value of goods and services, quality expectations and customer satisfaction. Using principal component analysis, regression analysis and structural equation modelling, this study finds that perceived value is positively influenced by both economic growth and lagged economic expectations. Customer satisfaction is positively influenced by economic growth and negatively by current economic expectations, with half of the impact mediated by perceived value. Economic expectations positively influence expectations regarding the quality of goods and services. These results imply that consumer researchers should no longer ignore economic influences on consumer attitudes. Marketing managers are advised to be cautious not to misinterpret economic‐induced variations in customer satisfaction as caused by corporate performance.     

Can the label ‘member’ in a loyalty program context boost customer satisfaction?

ABSTRACT

This study examines if labeling customers as ‘member’ versus ‘non-member’ in the context of a firm’s loyalty program can influence the customers’ evaluations of the firm. It was assumed that firms’ membership-related labels, which typically are euphemisms in relation to the mere discounts offered by many loyalty programs, can (a) prime customers so that positively charged content in a general member category is activated, and that (b) this content can have a positive impact on evaluations of firms with loyalty programs. An experiment showed that evoking customers’ membership status resulted in a higher level of sense of belonging, and higher customer satisfaction, for members than for non-members. Sense of belonging mediated the impact of evoking membership status on customer satisfaction. A second study confirmed that the content of customers’ general member construct is indeed associated with sense of belonging and satisfaction.     

Managing customer loyalty through the mediating role of satisfaction in the DIY retail loyalty program

The focus of this study is the determinants of customer loyalty among members of retail loyalty programs. With data collected from a DIY loyalty program in a Central European country (a preliminary sample of 116 club members and a representative sample of 416 members), the study empirically tests the nature of the effect of the quality of personal interactions and perceptions of the quality of the loyalty program on customer loyalty through the mediating variable of customer satisfaction. Although the findings suggest that the quality of personal interactions bears no direct influence on members’ loyalty, it has a stronger influence on members’ satisfaction than the perceived quality of the loyalty program does. Influence on members’ loyalty is stronger from the mediating variable of customer satisfaction than from perceived quality of the loyalty program. This finding confirms the role of customer satisfaction as an important determinant of customer loyalty in the DIY setting. Offering a diagnostic tool in terms of selected direct and indirect determinants influencing customers’ loyalty, the paper also contributes to comprehension of loyalty programs’ effectiveness and members’ responses to the quality of loyalty programs, which contribution provides important implications for management and development of retail loyalty programs.     

Explore how Chinese consumers evaluate retail service quality and satisfaction

The present study explores how Chinese consumers evaluate retail service quality and satisfaction. A questionnaire including items from SERVQUAL and RSQS was developed and administrated to a random sample of 556 Chinese consumers based on a literature review of retail service quality. The results of confirmatory factor analyses showed that neither SERVQUAL nor RSQS was able to fit the collected data appropriately. Employing exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, a four-factor higher-order retail service quality model, ReServQual, in which interaction and trustworthiness, store environment, understanding the consumers, and policy were key dimensions, was identified. The current study contributes to the literature on service business research by reexamining and extending the existing service quality models in the Chinese context. Global and regional retailers should realize that consumers’ perceptions are country specific.     

Perceived customer showrooming behavior and the effect on retail salesperson self-efficacy and performance

The increasing product commoditization and price transparency afforded by online retail channels have left many brick and mortar stores bearing the costs associated with being used as a physical showroom without reaping the rewards of the final sale. As customers continue to take advantage of retail stores to gather information and turn to competing channels for purchasing, the role of the retail salesperson has shifted and retailers have been left without a clear understanding of how to manage this change in the retailing landscape. In this research, we first define “showrooming” – and investigate individual (i.e., salesperson)-level experiential consequences of perceived showrooming. We find negative relationships between perceived showrooming and salesperson self-efficacy and salesperson performance, which are positively moderated by salesperson coping strategies and cross-selling strategies. Our findings suggest that the negative effects of showrooming can be combated though specific salesperson behaviors and strategies. Further, exploratory findings at the store level reaffirm a negative relationship between perceived showrooming behaviors and performance. Finally, we discuss the theoretical and practical implications of our findings and offer specific managerial actions to address showrooming.     

The interrelationships among service quality,customer satisfaction,and customer loyalty: Examination of the fast-food industry

The purpose of this study was to use customers’ perspectives to develop a conceptual model for improving service quality and enhancing customer satisfaction and loyalty. The 197 samples were selected from customers of leading fast food franchise enterprises in Taiwan. The research results indicate that service quality positively influences customer satisfaction and customer loyalty. Service quality positively influences customer loyalty through customer satisfaction. The research findings indicate that managers need to ensure they have efficient service quality to enhance customer satisfaction and customer loyalty levels.