Exploring factors that determine consumer attitude toward use of intelligent software agents

The aim of the research described in this paper is to evaluate the impact of Intelligent Software Agents (ISA) used in the on-line purchase of e-tickets, and their acceptance as a source of information service and decision assistance for customers. An empirical study was conducted using the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and the EC Consumer Behaviour Model in order to determine the factors affecting consumer attitude towards using ISA. The research instrument employed was a questionnaire survey among 150 postgraduate students from the School of Management at the University of Surrey, the findings demonstrate a positive view of ISA – the stronger predictors of consumer attitude towards ISA being perceived usefulness (PU), information richness (IR), customer interface (CI) and perceived trust (PT). Overall, the future of ISA at the business-to-customer (B2C) interface level is to a great extent affected by the consumers’ perception of ISA usefulness and control over it. The present study’s recommendations indicate a need for travel businesses to develop more intelligent electronic environments that will elicit a more positive response from the consumers if they are to be used more

An analysis of the key factors affecting the success of a re-launched destination marketing website in the UK

Business Information Systems e-Commerce/e-business Computer Appl. in Social and Behavioral Sciences Marketing Information Systems Applications (incl. Internet)This paper presents a case study of the re-launch of a DMO website in the UK. It evaluates the perceived usability of the new website and identifies the key factors affecting customers’ intention to use the new website. A large-scale online survey was developed to understand a number of issues relating to usability (e.g. aesthetics, effectiveness) and psychological and behavioural indicators (e.g. perceived trustworthiness and intent to use). Both quantitative and qualitative data was analysed to understand users’ perceptions, behaviour and attitudes towards the re-launched website. A Structural Equation Model (SEM) was developed to identify the factors affecting their intention to use the new website. The SEM model identified the impact of a variety of factors on intention to use and the descriptive analysis, using both qualitative and quantitative data, highlights further areas of research

The role of effective communication and trustworthiness in determining guests’ loyalty

The file attached to this record is the author's final peer reviewed version. The Publisher's final version can be found by following the DOI link.This study investigates the role of trustworthiness and effective communication in the development of guests’ loyalty within the hotel sector. We propose and test a conceptual model that differentiates between two types of loyalty: attitudinal and behavioral. As hotels can control and manage how they communicate their desired characteristics to guests, we posit effective communication and a hotel’s trustworthiness as the key concepts in building loyalty. This study reports on the findings of a study based on 322 hotel guests. Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling. The results reveal that implementing effective communication methods leads to a trustworthy image, which in turn has a positive impact on attitudinal and behavioral loyalty. This research provides hotel managers with strategic directions for cultivating guest loyalty

Understanding the factors that attract travellers to buy tickets online in Saudi Arabia

Despite widespread discussions of online consumer behaviour and the effect of web quality on online user’s actions, there is still a lack of research in the area of consumer attitude towards the services provided by airline companies due to the specific nature of travellers. – being using the internet for different motivations and buying specific kind of product (e-tickets). This study aims to measure consumers’ electronic satisfaction and intention to purchase tickets from Airlines websites. The results provide better understanding on the factors that attract travellers to adopt the most cost effective distribution channel for Airlines (own website) for ticketing needs. To obtain the study objective, a conceptual framework is developed based on literature pertaining to e-consumer behaviour, web quality, and travel and tourism streams. A detective quantitative methodology was chosen to examine the constructs and the relations within the framework. An online survey targeting actual airline online users (travellers) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is suggested with items covering 9 constructs: Information Quality (IQ), System Quality (SQ), Perceived usefulness (PU), Perceived ease of use (PEOU),e-Trust (ET), Airline reputation (AR), Price Perception (PP), e-Satisfaction (ES), and Intention to Purchase (IP). Findings would help decision makers within airline companies to understand their customers’ online behaviour and enable enhancements and modifications to be made to their airline storefront, hence ensuring the satisfaction of potential customers and conversion of visitors into buyers

Critical review of the e-loyalty literature: a purchase-centred framework

Over the last few years, the concept of online loyalty has been examined extensively in the literature, and it remains a topic of constant inquiry for both academics and marketing managers. The tremendous development of the Internet for both marketing and e-commerce settings, in conjunction with the growing desire of consumers to purchase online, has promoted two main outcomes: (a) increasing numbers of Business-to-Customer companies running businesses online and (b) the development of a variety of different e-loyalty research models. However, current research lacks a systematic review of the literature that provides a general conceptual framework on e-loyalty, which would help managers to understand their customers better, to take advantage of industry-related factors, and to improve their service quality. The present study is an attempt to critically synthesize results from multiple empirical studies on e-loyalty. Our findings illustrate that 62 instruments for measuring e-loyalty are currently in use, influenced predominantly by Zeithaml et al. (J Marketing. 1996;60(2):31-46) and Oliver (1997; Satisfaction: a behavioral perspective on the consumer. New York: McGraw Hill). Additionally, we propose a new general conceptual framework, which leads to antecedents dividing e-loyalty on the basis of the action of purchase into pre-purchase, during-purchase and after-purchase factors. To conclude, a number of managerial implementations are suggested in order to help marketing managers increase their customers’ e-loyalty by making crucial changes in each purchase stage

Tourists behavior during their trip: How they use and offer recommendations?

The rise of new technologies has changed the way tourists trust in eWOM to choose a restaurant. There is a growing use of opinion and price comparison websites, where opinions and ratings can be shared with other users. In addition, the spreading of false or paid comments has made this type of webs seek the generation and maintenance of trust. However, there are few studies that analyse how to generate trust in these webs and its effect in the intention of the consumer to participate in WOM behaviours, once the tourist is already in its tourist destination. Therefore, this research analyses the influence of recommendations on the generation of tourists’ trust in the review websites of restaurant industry while they are in the destination. A regression analysis of data from 439 tourists has revealed that the perceived credibility, the quality of the information and the quality of the web affect trust in review websites. This fact encourages the contracting of restaurant services and communication among consumers, both in a traditional way (WOM) and through the review websites (eWOM), while the tourist is in the tourism destination.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

The Effect of Post-Purchase Perceived-Value Towards the Relationship Quality of Hajj and Umrah Travel Agencies in Indonesia

One out of four people in the world is a Moslem, and Indonesia ranks first on the biggest Moslem population in the world. Hundreds of thousands of people go to Makkah each year to make Hajj (pilgrimage). Hajj and Umrah travel agencies as providers of Hajj and Umrah packages are becoming important in Indonesia, as their number is about two hundred agencies. However, there has been little discussion about Hajj and Umrah, especially on Hajj and Umrah travel agencies. The purpose of this paper is to identify the relationships of post-purchase perceived-value to relationship quality, which consists of satisfaction, commitment, and trust, on Hajj and Umrah travel agencies. This study finds that the post-purchase perceived-value significantly affects satisfaction and trust but does not affect commitment. Moreover, satisfaction significantly affects trust and commitment, while trust does not affect commitment