Relational benefits,their consequences,and customer membership types |
| |
Authors: | Yong-Ki Lee Byung-Ho Choi Dong Jin Kim |
| |
Affiliation: | 1. School of Business, Sejong University, Seoul, Republic of Korea;2. Department of Hotel &3. Restaurant, Shinheung College, Gyeonggi-Do, Republic of Korea;4. School of Food Science and Food Service Industry, Yeungnam University, Kyung-San City, Republic of Korea |
| |
Abstract: | The purpose of this research is to develop and test a theoretical model in which customer satisfaction mediates the relationship between a firm's relational benefits efforts (i.e. psychological, social, and special treatment benefits) and customer voluntary performance behaviors. Through a review of literature, a conceptual model was developed and then tested utilizing data collected from 522 hotel restaurant patrons. The results indicated that customer relational benefits influence customer voluntary behaviors, the impact of which is mediated by customer satisfaction. More importantly, it was found that the relationships among relational benefits, customer satisfaction, and customer voluntary performance differ depending on whether the surveyed customers had paid or free memberships with the companies in question. The managerial implications of these findings are discussed in the latter part of this article. |
| |
Keywords: | relational benefits customer voluntary behaviours customer satisfaction |
|
|