Impact Of Servicescape Failures And Associated Recovery Strategies On Customer Behavior In The Food Service Industry

Servicescape has become an increasingly important element in the delivery of customers’ expectation and delight in services industry. However, servicescape failure can result in customer dissatisfaction. The subsequent interaction with a service employee has a great deal of influence on customer ultimate satisfaction. Despite the acknowledged importance of servicescape and effective recovery strategy, there is a dearth of investigation on servicescape failure and the associated recovery strategy, and the influence of these on customers’ subsequent behaviors, particularly in the food service industry. This study attempted to fill the research gaps by examining the effect of customers’ responses to servicescape failure and satisfaction of recovery strategy on repatronage behavior and word-of-mouth communication. The Critical Incident Technique (CIT) was used to examine customers’ behaviors associated with servicescape failures and recovery strategies in the food service industry. Food service industry was chosen because it involves a high level of service involvement among customers and is consumed and evaluated in a single episode by the customers. In-depth personal interview was applied because it provides a rare glimpse into how customers respond to servicescape failures and evaluate recovery strategies effectiveness. The transcription was content analyzed through an inductive sorting process to classify data categories that summarize and describe the research phenomenon. The developed classification system was measured by inter-judge reliability and content validity. Using the CIT, data on 226 servicescape failures and 287 recovery actions were collected from 174 informants by the personal interview. The analysis revealed that cleanliness issues (76.1%) were the most reported problem in the food service industry, followed by design issues (11.1%), social interaction issues (7.1%), and functionality issues (5.7%). Customers exhibited negative reactions to those failures with displaying of emotional (angry, annoyed, disgusted, disappointed, unhappy, shocked, embarrassed, and frustrated) and physiological (sweat, eyes pain, body hurts, and itchy) responses. The recovery strategies identified through the sorting process resulting in five major categories which were empathetic, corrective, compensatory, authority intervention, and no recovery. The implemented recoveries were perceived positively and negatively by the customers. Combination of prompt action-oriented responses and sincere empathetic responses was perceived as far more effective and was likely to meet customers satisfaction, regardless of servicescape failure type. A simple apology or explanation did nothing to resolve the customer’s need for immediate action; meanwhile, an action without empathetic response did not ensure customer satisfaction. Customers were most likely not to repatronize the same eatery if they were dissatisfied with the servicescape as well as the way the food service employee handled the complaint. Dissatisfied customers did engage in word-of-mouth communication than satisfied customers. It is apparent that servicescape failures when combined with inappropriate recovery efforts can significantly affect customers’ behavioral responses. This study has implications for food service managers and/or practitioners who are seeking to improve the tangibles in their eateries. It is recommended that food service managers have to closely monitor the servicescapes and implement appropriate recovery strategies which may greatly affect customer satisfaction and future behaviors. Food service managers not only need to address issues that could minimize the occurrence of servicescape failures but also need to discuss specific and desired recovery efforts. Staff training is a necessary process in developing efficient and effective service delivery systems. Keywords: servicescape failure; recovery strategy; repatronage behavior; word-of-mouth communication; food service industry; critical incident techniqu

Malaysia as a culinary tourism destination : international tourists’ perspective / M. Shahrim Ab. Karim, Bee-Lia Chua and Hamdin Salleh

This study was conducted to determine Malaysia’s current food image and food attribute satisfaction from international tourists’ points of view and subsequently assess their overall satisfaction with the eating experience and behavioral intention. The results indicated that Malaysia possesses clear images of ‘core food value’, ‘Malaysian food specialty’, and ‘Malaysian food uniqueness’ but is rather unclear on the images of ‘food and dining atmosphere’ and ‘features of Malaysian food’. Tourists’ satisfaction with ‘quality and value of food’ and ‘accessibility convenience’ were relatively higher than ‘dining atmosphere’ and ‘culinary tourism products’. Regression analyses revealed that food images and food attributes’ satisfaction significantly predicted tourists’ overall satisfaction, and the overall satisfaction revealed a significant relationship with tourists’ behavioral intentions. Implications for managers who are involved in food tourism are posited

Malaysia as a culinary tourism destination: international tourist's perspective

This study was conducted to determine Malaysia’s current food image and food attribute satisfaction from international tourists’ points of view and subsequently assess their overall satisfaction with the eating experience and behavioral intention. The results indicated that Malaysia possesses clear images of ‘core food value’, ‘Malaysian food specialty’, and ‘Malaysian food uniqueness’ but is rather unclear on the images of ‘food and dining atmosphere’ and ‘features of Malaysian food’. Tourists’ satisfaction with ‘quality and value of food’ and ‘accessibility convenience’ were relatively higher than ‘dining atmosphere’ and ‘culinary tourism products’. Regression analyses revealed that food images and food attributes’ satisfaction significantly predicted tourists’ overall satisfaction, and the overall satisfaction revealed a significant relationship with tourists’ behavioral intentions. Implications for managers who are involved in food tourism are posited

Hotel restaurants’ challenges and critical success factors in Klang Valley, Malaysia: the inseparable roles of support centers and revenue streams

Hotel restaurants are of great importance in hotels, and the factors for this have so far been considerably understudied. This study investigated the challenges and critical success factors (CSFs) of restaurants owned and operated by five-star luxury hotels in Klang Valley, Malaysia. Four exemplar hotels were studied and 10 respondents responsible for hotel restaurants’ planning and operations were sampled in this multiple case study approach. A total of 13 challenges were identified, and thematic analysis found 10 common CSFs crucial to hotel restaurants. Among the 10 CSFs, 2 distinctive CSFs were identified playing exceptional roles, including: (1) the inseparable linkage between hotel restaurants and support centers, as well as (2) the inseparable linkage between hotel restaurants and revenue streams. Moreover, this study broadened the retrospective understanding of the term “inseparability” in service organizations, and also contributed several implications for hotel restaurant managers to incorporate into their businesse

The role of physical environment in leisure service consumption: evidence from a ski resort setting

Despite the importance of physical environment in hedonic service consumption, little is known about the extent to which physical environment influences ski resort visitors’ cognition, emotion, and behaviors. This study investigated the relationships among physical environmental stimuli (i.e., layout accessibility, aesthetics, cleanliness, and other visitors), perceived quality of physical environment, excitement, and behavioral intentions in ski resort. This study also attempted to test the moderating role of enduring involvement in the formation of behavioral intentions. Results showed that cleanliness and other visitors significantly and positively influenced visitors’ perceived quality of physical environment and excitement. The results suggest that physical environment is of great importance for the ski resort business. Perceived quality was indeed a significant predictor of excitement, which, in turn, positively influenced behavioral intentions. Finally, the study found that the effect of excitement on behavioral intentions was significant across high and low enduring involvement groups

Consequences of cruise line involvement: a comparison of first-time and repeat passengers

Purpose: This study aims to test the relationships among involvement, perceived price, perceived quality, affective satisfaction, perceived value, attitudinal loyalty and behavioral loyalty in the cruise line industry. In addition, this study attempted to identify whether the differences in these variables exist across first-time and repeat cruise customers. Design/methodology/approach: The web-based survey was used. A total of 403 complete responses were used for data analysis. Anderson and Gerbing’s (1988) two-step approach was used to achieve study objectives. Findings: The t-test analyses demonstrated that repeat cruise customers expressed significantly lower perceived price and higher affective satisfaction, perceived value and behavioral loyalty than first-time cruise travelers. The structural equation modeling results revealed that involvement has an important role in loyalty generation process. However, the structural model did not significantly differ across first-time and repeat customers. Practical implications: Overall, the results indicated the critical needs to develop individuals’ interest in cruise vacation with a particular cruise line. Cruise line operators who undertake promotion efforts that enhance people involvement with their cruise line should result in greater likelihood of choosing the same cruise line in the future. Originality/value: With a lack of research about cruise line involvement and loyalty, this research contributes to theoretical understanding of intricate attitudinal and behavioral loyalty generation process across first-time and repeat cruise passengers

Role of service encounter and physical environment performances, novelty, satisfaction, and affective commitment in generating cruise passenger loyalty

This research developed a theoretical model explaining the relationship between service encounter performance, physical environment performance, novelty, overall satisfaction, and loyalty in the cruise context. The results of structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis showed that service encounter performance and physical environment performance were significant predictors of novelty, which in turn affected overall satisfaction and loyalty. The mediation test indicated that novelty significantly mediated the effect of service encounter performance and physical environment performance on satisfaction; and overall satisfaction significantly mediated the relationship between novelty and loyalty. The relationship between physical environment performance and novelty and the relationship between novelty and overall satisfaction were significant in the high affective commitment group. In addition, the relationship between novelty and loyalty was only significant in the low affective commitment group

Investigating the structural relationships between food image, food satisfaction, culinary quality, and behavioral intentions : the case of Malaysia

This study was designed to test a theoretical model determining the relationships among tourists' perceived food image, food satisfaction, culinary quality, and behavioral intentions. The structural relationships between the variables were examined by adopting a structural equation modeling (SEM) approach, and the empirical data was collected in Malaysia. Analysis of findings revealed that (a) tourists' perceived food image played a role in directly influencing food satisfaction and quality of culinary experience (culinary quality); (b) food image influenced tourists' behavioral intentions through culinary quality; (c) tourist satisfaction with their food experience directly affected perceived quality of their culinary experience and behavioral intentions; and (d) tourists' behavioral intentions were directly affected by their evaluation of culinary quality. This study concluded that food was an imperative contributor in destination tourism due to its capability in influencing tourists' perceived image, food satisfaction, culinary quality, and consequently impacting tourists' behaviors in the selection of a travel destination

Price, people, location, culture and reputation: determinants of Malaysia as study destination by international hospitality and tourism undergraduates

This study aims to examine why international hospitality and tourism (H&T) undergraduates (IHTUs) travel to Malaysia for higher education and what factors influence their choices. In-depth interviews were conducted with IHTUs studying in six different private higher education institutions. Thematic analysis found five noble factors: price, people, location, culture and reputation. Our findings can assist Malaysian private institutions in better meeting IHTUs’ expectations and reinforcing their loyalty to the institution. Our results can also be useful to improve the quality of the H&T educational systems in Malaysia and simultaneously facilitate the country’s greater aim of becoming a knowledge-based economy and retaining sufficient skilled labor for the H&T industry. Moreover, the results of this study can be effectively used when inventing strategies for the development of international education tourism in Malaysia

Customers' reaction to servicescape failure and associated recovery strategy: an exploratory study in the food service industry

The term ‘servicescape’ refers to the physical environment in a service encounter which elicits internal reactions from customers leading to the display of approach or avoidance behaviours. This study examines the effects of servicescape failures on customers’ responses to the associated recovery strategies in the food service industry. Using the critical incident technique (CIT), data on 226 servicescape failures and 287 recovery strategies were collected from 174 informants who had experienced servicescape dissatisfaction and encountered recovery strategies over various types of the food service industry. The content analysis disclosed that cleanliness issues were the most reported problem in the food service industry, followed by design issues, social issues, and functionality issues. Customers exhibited negative reactions to failures, displaying emotional, physiological, and cognitive responses. It is appears that servicescape failures can significantly diminish perceptions of service performance and evoke feelings of dissatisfaction. The results suggest that customers’ recovery effort evaluations are not much influenced by the type of servicescape failures; overall, a combination of prompt action-oriented responses and sincere empathetic-oriented responses is perceived as the most important determinant of recovery effectiveness