A Content Analysis of Consumer Complaints, Remedies, and Repatronage Intentions Regarding Dissatisfying Service Experiences

Building on existing research examining customers’ complaints about service experiences, this study examined restaurant consumers’ episode-specific reactions to service failures. In the first stage of this work, restaurant patrons were asked to describe a recent service experience where they complained about some element of the service they received. From these statements a coding scheme was developed to classify the consumers’ qualitative descriptions of the service episodes where they experienced a service failure and remedy. The consumers’ reports addressed three issues:(a) the issue that triggered the complaint, (b) the complaint remedy further broken down on two dimensions based upon the degree of correction and whether the remedy produced a positive or negative outcome, and (c) how (and if) the service failure and remedy influenced repatronage intentions. Following the content analysis and the coding of the critical incidents, logistic-regression analyses revealed that the extent to which a service failure is corrected is important to customer satisfaction and satisfaction with a specific service remedy is connected to a consumer’s desire to return to the restaurant

Downsizing Survivors’ Communication Networks and Reactions: A Longitudinal Examination of Information Flow and Turnover Intentions

The pre- and postdownsizing information flow and postdownsizing turnover intentions of downsizing survivors were examined in the corporate office of an international hotel company. Using a combination of network analysis and path analysis, the relationship between changes in downsizing survivors’ betweenness centrality and perceptions of information adequacy relative to reported turnover intentions were examined across two postdownsizing time periods. Results of the path analyses provided general support for the model as hypothesized, indicating in postdownsizing periods that changes to network members’ network centrality positively influenced changes in their perceptions of information adequacy, which then negatively influenced their turnover intentions. The article concludes with a discussion of the support for the hypotheses and the study’s limitations and pragmatic implications

Efficacy and Outcome Expectations Related to Customer Complaints About Service Experiences

The social exchange between consumers and service providers in service- based operations (such as restaurants) provides an opportunity to examine complaint efficacy and outcome expectations. To further explain the cognitive influences behind complaint message production and delivery, this two-part investigation applied previous work involving self-efficacy theory within the context of consumer complaint intentions about service experiences. Specifically, it extended Makoul and Roloffs work from complaint intentions in romantic relationships to consumerism. In Study 1, existing measures of complaint efficacy and outcome expectations were redesigned and validated in a service context, indicating that the two constructs are in fact distinct, despite controversy over their conceptualization and measurement. In Study 2, the measures were revalidated and applied to a simple causal string, modeling the cognitive processing of complaint intentions in terms of the relationship among consumers\u27 dining frequency, complaint efficacy, and outcome expectations. Results indicated that dining frequency significantly influenced complaint efficacy expectations and that efficacy expectations significantly predicted outcome expectations

Guests’ Reactions to In-Room Sustainability Initiatives: An Experimental Look at Product Performance and Guest Satisfaction

Subtle energy saving changes in guest rooms did not diminish satisfaction, based on a study of 192 guests at an independent four-star hotel. Two changes were tested, a television with three energy settings and light-emitting diodes (LEDs) in place of the standard compact fluorescent lightings (CFLs). While overall satisfaction was not affected by these changes, some guests, notably those with high incomes, did react to the energy saving settings. Contrary to some studies, 45 percent of the guests agreed that they would pay a higher room rate to support sustainability programs. On balance, this study indicates that hotels can gain cost savings and improved sustainability by implementing judicious energy saving approaches without harming guest satisfaction. This article is based on a paper presented at the 2013 Quality in Service Conference (QUIS 13), in Karlstad, Sweden

Communication Richness: Why Some Guest Complaints Go Right to the Top - and Others Do Not

Despite everyone’s best efforts, restaurant service falls short at times. In those situations, guests perceive a service failure, and many complain. This study of 513 guests in three U.S. markets examines the guest characteristics that seem to drive the channel used for those complaints. Using a framework of media richness theory, the study found that guests who are more educated, more likely to complain, more frustrated, and in need of greater information about the service failure will typically take their complaint directly to management, either face-to-face or via written communication. On the other hand, those who are less educated or less frustrated will instead complain to line staff or use corporate guest-comment cards. Some of these findings appear not to support media richness theory, as face-to-face complaints are the richest channel (whether to line staff or management). However, it appears that for this sample of restaurant guests, the idea of taking it to the top (both in person or in writing) is important, particularly for frustrated, educated guests

How to Build Service Quality into Your Operation

[Excerpt] You\u27ve probably heard about or used some kind of quality assurance program in your operation, including total quality management, Six Sigma, lean, quality circle, or Kaizen. These techniques or approaches have been developed to help operators define, create, and execute organizational processes to build and maintain service quality. Regardless of the approach you use, service quality initiatives and processes are widely recognized as critical tools for ensuring guest satisfaction and developing a competitive advantage. Needless to say, creating and delivering a consistent, quality product and service is a key to long-term business success. Hospitality service-quality initiatives require excellent service processes and consistently effective employees. As a manager, operator, or supervisor, most of your time will be spent working to understand, develop, and modify the behavior of your guests, employees, and owners. A total quality approach to management can help you gain better control over those important people. In this chapter, I present and discuss the foundations of service quality— in particular, what you can do to bring it into your organization

The Food-Service Industry: Best of Times, Worst of Times

Technology has long been a factor in restaurants’ back-of-house operations, but the actual amount of automation depends on the restaurant operator’s preferences and, to some extent, the type of restaurant. Technology is now expanding in the front of the house, as part of the service interaction with guests, but again the implementation is uneven and depends in part on the restaurant’s concept. Whatever technology is introduced should at minimum not damage the guest experience and preferably should boost service levels. Participants in a recent roundtable at the School of Hotel Administration examined these and other issues in the foodservice industry, with a particular emphasis on the entrepreneurial aspects of the restaurant industry. Food service now stretches beyond the restaurant business, as grocery stores have entered the meal replacement sector, and food-kit deliveries are growing in popularity. Changes in the restaurant industry have influenced vendors, whether they offer a broad line or systems distribution. One other issue that is in flux is tipping, as some restaurateurs have eliminated tipping and raised menu prices to balance payrolls throughout the restaurant, while others retain tipping due to customers’ price sensitivity

I Told You So! Restaurant Customers’ Word-of-Mouth Communication Patterns

When restaurant food service goes awry, one might expect that unsatisfied guest to go out and complain to her friends. In fact, word-of-mouth patterns – good or bad – are more complicated than that

Guest Service Management and Processes in Restaurants: What We Have Learned in Fifty Years

Although restaurant-related research has long focused on boosting sales, the focus on revenue as a quantitative discipline has arisen only in the past fifteen years, with restaurant revenue management. This series of studies is emblematic of the increased focus on scientific studies to help restaurateurs improve their operations. Another thread of research, on service process management, included a series of articles explaining the many elements beyond the food itself that go into a successful restaurant operation. A particular element in guest satisfaction is the extent to which employees believe that their restaurant maintains service standards. Finally, when service goes awry, service recovery requires handling guest complaints in a prompt and appropriate fashion. Service failures subject restaurants to negative word of mouth, but it is not simply a matter of a dissatisfied guest complaining to a certain number of friends. Instead, the nature and number of subsequent negative comments depends on the type of failure—with food quality being most critical

An Examination of Guest Complaints and Complaint Communication Channels: The Medium Does Matter!

In this study guests of casual-dining restaurants were asked to report how they preferred to complain about service failures they experienced while dining. Guests who reported higher levels of frustration, a higher propensity to complain, and greater information inadequacy generally preferred to complain face-to face to a manager or via a letter written to management. This finding diverges from the expectations created by communication theory, which suggests that face- to-face communication is richer than written approaches. Moreover, this study found that complaints lodged face-to-face to nonmanagerial service employees were viewed similarly to complaining via a comment card-a less-rich mode of communication