The role of customer behavior in forming perceived value at restaurants: A multidimensional approach

With the increasing involvement of customers at restaurants, their behaviors have become an indispensable part in formation of perceptions of value. To examine such a subtle and complicated process, this study applies a multi-layer/multi-dimension approach to examine how customer behavior predicts perceived value, which in turn leads to satisfaction. Particularly, customer behavior, assessed with a hierarchical framework, includes two dimensions: participation behavior (with four sub-dimensions: information seeking, information sharing, responsible behavior, personal interaction) and citizenship behavior (with four sub-dimensions: feedback, advocacy, helping, and tolerance). Customer perceived value consists of three dimensions: economic, individual, and relational values. Data collected from 514 respondents reflect those with dining experience at restaurants. The results show that a customer’s perception of value gains greater impact from citizenship behavior than participation behavior. The findings of the study contribute to the evolving knowledge of customer behavior and offer industry practitioners’ effective marketing strategies to maximize customer value.     

Long-run causality between customer satisfaction and financial performance: the case of Marriott

Prior research that examines the relationship between customer satisfaction and financial performance (FP) in the hotel sector assumes that changes in customer satisfaction lead to changes in the FP of hotels. This research note aims to bridge the gap by looking into the possibility that FP of hotels may lead to increase in customer satisfaction with the annual data of Marriott from 1995 to 2016. To study the existence of long-run interactions between customer satisfaction and FP with firm size that is proxied by number of employees as the control variable under small sample size condition, the presence of cointegration among these variables with different appropriate dependent variable is investigated with the bounds testing approach. The obtained results suggest that there is a positive long-run causality from FP to customer satisfaction, and customer satisfaction has no effect on FP in the long-run. This study also finds that firm size has no impact on customer satisfaction. Explanation on each of these findings is provided in the conclusion. The selected sample and availability of data limit the generalisability of the findings of this study. Different hotel brands, measurements and analysis techniques will further the understanding in this field.     

Positive affectivity under work overload: Evidence of differential outcomes

We argue that, although positive affectivity (PA) provides intraindividual benefits when experiencing stress, this resilience to stressors does not necessarily translate into improved evaluations by others. In the context of our research, different outcomes in response to increased role overload are expected on the basis of prior theoretical and empirical research. We found that, under conditions of high role overload, those with high PA did not experience reduced job satisfaction (Study 1). However, supervisor‐rated performance decreased in the context of heightened role overload for those high in PA (Study 2). Thus, PA may help the individual cope, but it may not convert to increased performance ratings as reported by one's supervisor. Copyright © 2015 ASAC. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Improving US airport taxicab services through governance arrangements

Most airports internationally have implemented customer satisfaction programs into their operations to increase non-aeronautical revenues. In the US, taxicabs are an essential airport transport mode given the limited public transport options available. Effective airport taxicab planning efforts can increase airport customer satisfaction levels, as well as facilitate handling increased airport passenger volumes. However, little is known on how US airports have adapted their governance practices from a traditional hierarchical to a network approach in their efforts to undertake airport taxicab planning initiatives since the deregulation of the transportation industry. Data acquired from 51 US hub airports is used to examine their existing taxicab planning practices. The findings offer how US airports can modify governance processes in their airport taxicab planning processes to better support increases in the customer satisfaction levels of airport taxicab patrons.     

Mediating role of customer forgiveness between perceived justice and satisfaction

The relationship between perceived justice facets and satisfaction is well discussed in literature. The aim of this study is to test the mediating impact of customer forgiveness between justice facets and satisfaction in the context of Pakistan's banking industry. Structural equation modelling was employed to test the proposed hypotheses by using the data of 453 bank customers of domestic banks in Pakistan. Results of the study indicate that customer forgiveness mediates the relationship between justice facets and satisfaction. However, the direct impact of procedural justice on satisfaction was insignificant. Such findings have implications to theory and practice. In theory, it proposes and tests new linkages. In practice, managers need to consider that not only the justice facets but customer forgiveness is also an important predictor of satisfaction.     

Building Customer-Brand Relationships through Customer Brand Engagement

Abstract

Engagement has surfaced as a vital tool in marketing to enhance the customer’s relationships and loyalty with brands. Despite this, there is dearth of empirical studies focusing on the role of customer engagement within the context of brands. Thus, the main objective of this study is to investigate the role of customer brand engagement in building customer-brand relationships and brand loyalty within the context of hotel industry. Using convenience sampling technique, a sample of 418 respondents has been collected through self-administered questionnaire method from the users of hotel services in India. The study findings suggest that different dimensions of customer brand engagement vary in terms of their influence on customer-brand relationships and brand loyalty. In addition, customer-brand relationships exhibit positive and significant influence on brand loyalty. This present study enhances the understanding of customer brand engagement construct by empirically verifying its relevance in determining the long-term success of firms/brands.     

Customers satisfaction in pediatric inpatient services: A multiple criteria satisfaction analysis

ObjectiveTo assess customer satisfaction determinants in a public pediatric inpatient service and propose some strategies to enhance the consumer and customer experience.MethodsWe applied a Multiple Criteria Customer Satisfaction Analysis to estimate the value functions associated with each satisfaction (sub)criterion and determine the corresponding weights. We characterized satisfaction criteria (according to the Kano's model), estimated the customers' demanding nature and the potential improvements, and proposed strategic priorities and opportunities to enhance customer satisfaction.Main findingsStrategies for satisfaction enhancement do not depend solely on the criteria with the lowest satisfaction levels and the estimated weights, each criterion's nature, the customers' demanding nature, and the technical margin for improvements.ConclusionsAreas deserving attention include clinical staff's communication skills, the non-clinical professionals' efficiency, availability, and kindness; food quality; visits' scheduling and quantity; and facilities' comfort.     

From measurement scale to sentiment scale: Examining the effect of sensory experiences on online review rating behavior

The crucial role of sensory dimensions in customer experiences has been supported in literature. However, traditional self-reported sensory measurements have limited capacity in capturing the multi-dimensional experiences sensed by individuals and articulating the distinct effect of different sensory dimensions on actual behavior. This study is the first attempt to test the effects of positive and negative experiences involving all five senses (sight, smell, sound, taste, and touch) on customer ratings. The sensory experiences reported in social media reviews were captured and explored using text mining and sentiment analysis. The findings show that although the majority of customers’ experiences were positive, the negative sensory experiences had higher effect on customer rating. Furthermore, the five senses had different weights in forming overall experience, which provides theoretical contributions to the literature on sensescapes, prospect theory, and discourses on satisfiers and dissatisfiers.     

From sustainability to customer loyalty: A case of full service hotels’ guests

More hotels adopt ecofriendly practices and implement innovative technologies to reduce carbon footprints and increase a viable green image. Many hotel guests value hotels that offer up-to-date technology and demonstrate sustainability efforts through various sustainable programs. Previous studies investigated how ecofriendly practices would induce higher customer loyalty and increase the image of a hotel brand in the past decade and reported the benefits of implementing green efforts in hotels. This study, which included distributing surveys to over 1200 existing hotel guests in 2013–2014 in the southeastern United States, examined how technologies, innovations, and sustainable-effort-related factors have an impact on customer perceptions, selection decisions, experience, and post-experience.     

空中交通管制员情绪的有效管理

通过对情绪、情绪管理的概念的分析，阐述了在空中交通管制工作中管制员对待情绪的正确态度以及科学管理情绪的方法。