The determinants of customer co-production and satisfaction in a compliance dependent service

Customer compliance has become a pivotal consideration in the marketing strategies of lifestyle management programmes. Previous research has shown that the better customers comply with the directives of service providers, the higher their levels of customer satisfaction (Dellande, 1999). There are numerous lifestyle management programmes available on the market today. Many of these programmes have been linked to the usage of a nutritional product range as a pre-requisite for entering the programme. The investigation of customer compliance in lifestyle management programmes is very important because many of the major societal problems of today, such as high-fat diets, poor physical fitness, substance abuse and smoking, exist because people make poor health choices. Most of the leading causes of death could be reduced substantially if people at risk change five behaviours, namely non-compliance with beneficial health behaviours, poor diet, lack of exercise, smoking and alcohol and drug abuse. The many societal ills related to non-compliance with the aforementioned five behaviours and the dearth of knowledge about the determinants of customer compliance were the main motivations for this study. Another important goal, underlying the motivation for this study, was to understand the relationship between role clarity, role ability, motivation, customer satisfaction and goal attainment. Motivation, which for the purpose of this study has been divided into intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, proved to be the strongest predictor of customer compliance. An online self-administered questionnaire was used to gather quantitative data from 155 respondents who have successfully completed a lifestyle management programme. The results of the first regression model indicated that two of the four independent variables, namely “customers’ role ability” and “intrinsic motivation”, are statistically significant, positive predictors of the dependent variable “customer compliance”. The other two independent variables, “customer role clarity” and “extrinsic motivation”, are not statistically significant predictors of “customer compliance”. The results of the second regression model indicated that “customer compliance” and “customer goal attainment” are statistically significant positive predictors of the dependent variable “customer satisfaction” The most important construct of the study, highlighted in Chapter 6 as well as in the study by Dellande (1999), is customer motivation. If a customer is not motivated, compliance levels will not be sufficient to generate high levels of customer satisfaction. Customer motivation was divided into extrinsic motivation and intrinsic motivation with intrinsic motivation proving to have a stronger correlation with customer compliance than extrinsic motivation. The study was conducted across three different organisations. Research has also suggested that more than half of the customers who commence with a lifestyle management programme never complete the programme or revert to the original lifestyle they followed prior to commencement of the programme. This could have a negative effect on their satisfaction levels. It is, therefore, imperative to ensure that all customers who join a lifestyle management programme are motivated and are able to comply with the directives of the programme to ensure the successful completion thereof.Dissertation (MCom)--University of Pretoria, 2012.Marketing ManagementMComUnrestricte

Towards a framework for identifying and engaging rural toursim route stakeholders in southern Africa

Several southern African governments view rural tourism development as a strategy for employment creation in rural areas where few other opportunities for poverty alleviation exist. Rural tourism routes can attract tourists from developed tourism nodes to rural areas. On both the strategic and operational levels, rural tourism routes can only function effectively if they have the support and co-operation of the wide range of stakeholders in the route. While some stakeholders are readily identified, others are not immediately apparent or may not be recognised as stakeholders in the route. Based on a qualitative study, a framework is developed to identify and link the range of stakeholders in southern African rural tourism routes. Three different groups of stakeholders are identified; each play different roles in the sustainable success of a rural tourism route, namely demand-side stakeholders or visitors, core stakeholders or tourism service providers on the route, and enabling stakeholders, who influence both the route operations and the environment in which the route operates. Finally, recommendations are made for rural tourism route organisations to engage with a range of stakeholders through an inclusive membership structure of the route organisation. Further research is also suggested on the nature and format of route organisation and membership structures to ensure sustainable route development.http://www.journals.co.za/ej/ejour_canus.htmlhttp://www.unisa.ac.za/default.asp?Cmd=ViewContent&ContentID=20113am201