5. CONCLUSION, IMPLICATION AND LIMITATION 43
5.3 Limitations 45
This study investigates tactics influencing customer satisfaction and trust which will bring customer loyalty, using the survey research method. Although it builds up a new test model which based on theoretical knowledge, it also has some limitations and further research direction as follow:
In this research, it investigates some important tactics which influence customer loyalty on Swedish telecommunication industry. However, Bansal, Taylor and James (2005) also pointed out the impact of the relationship marketing tactics — “push effects”(quality, satisfaction, value, trust, price perception, commitment), the “pull effects”(alternative attractiveness) and the “moor effects”(attitude towards switching, subjective norms,
switching costs, prior switching experience, variety seeking) — on retaining customers. There are others important tactics such as commitment and customer behavior, which could influence customer loyalty, have not been discussed in this study. Thus further research needs to contain more desirable tactics, in order to gain better insight.
In this research, it uses the survey research method. The research make sampling for the undergraduate students and master students who study in Halmstad University in Sweden. Inevitably, the survey findings will not be generalized cross other group of population. It will bring limitation to complete a deeper research about the impact of customer relationship marketing tactics on customer loyalty. Further research could expand the survey in order to reduce the sample errors.
The items for each construct stated in the questionnaire were adapted from previous articles or developed by the researchers without pre-testing for reliability and validity before conducting the research. Some of the items might be ambiguous or hard to understand, this would cause invalid data collected, which definitely influenced the research results.
Reference
1. Andaleeb, S. S. (1996). An Experimental Investigation of Satisfaction and Commitment in Marketing Channels: The Role of Trust and Dependence, Journal of Retailing, Vol.72, No.1, pp.77-93, ISSN 0022-4359.
2. Anderson, E. and Weitz, B. (1989). Determinants of continuity in conventional industrial channel dyads, Marketing Science, Vol.8, No.4, pp.310-323.
3. Anderson, J.C. and Narus, J.A. (1990). A model of distributor firm and manufacturer firm working relationships, Journal of Marketing, Vol.54, No.1, pp.42-58.
4. Aydin, S. and Özer, G. (2005). The analysis of antecedents of customer loyalty in the Turkish mobile telecommunication Market, European Journal of Marketing, Vol.39, No.7/8, pp.910-925..
5. Bansal, H. S., Taylor, S.F. and St. James, Y. (2005). Migrating to New Service Providers: Toward a Unifying Framework of Consumers Switching Behaviors, Journal of the
Academy of Marketing Science, Vol. 33, No. 1, pp. 96-115
6. Berry, L. L. (1995). Relationship marketing of service: Growing Interest, emerging perspective, Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Vol.23, No.4, pp. 236-245. 7. Bitner, M.J.; Booms, B.H. andTetreault, M. (1990). The service encounter: diagnosing
favorable and unfavorable incidents, Journal of Marketing, Vol.54, No.1, pp.71-84. 8. Bryman, A. and Bell, E. (2003). Business Research Methods,. New York:Oxford
University Press Inc.
9. Bowen, J. T. and Shoemaker, S. (2003). Loyalty: A Strategic Commitment, Cornell Hotel
and Restaurant Administration Quarterly, Oct-Dec 2003, 44, 5/6, pp.31-46.
10. Chakrabarty, S.; Whitten, D. and Green, K. (2007). Understanding Service Quality and Relationship Quality in IS Outsourcing: Clinet Orientation & Promotion, Project Management Effectiveness, and the Task-Technology-Structure Fit, Journal of Computer
Information Systems, Vol. 48, No.2, pp.1-15.
11. Cheng, T. C. E.; Lai, L. C. F. and Yeung, A. C. L. (2008), “The Driving Forces of Customer Loyalty: A Study of Internet Service Providers in Hong Kong”, International
Journal of E-Business Research, Vol. 4, No. 4, pp. 26-42.
12. Chitty, Bill; Ward, Steven; and Chua, Christina (2007), “An application of the ECSI model as a predictor of satisfaction and loyalty for backpacker hostels”, Marketing
Intelligence and Planning, Vol.25, No.6, pp.563-580.
13. Chu, Kuo-Ming. (2009). The Construction Model of Customer Trust, Perceived Value and Customer Loyalty, The Journal of American Academy of Business, Cambridge, Vol.14, No.2, pp.98-103.
14. Crosby, L. A.; Evans, K. R. and Cowles, D. (1990). Relationship Quality in Services Selling: An Interpersonal Infulence Perspective, Journal of Marketing, Vol.54, No.3, pp.68-81.
15. Dobni, D.& Zinkhan, G. M.(1990). In search of brand image: a foundation analysis,
Advances in Consumer Research, Vol.17(1), pp. 110-119
16. Doney, P. and Cannon, J. P. (1997). An examination of the nature of trust in buyer seller relationships, Journal of Marketing, Vol.61, No.2, pp.35-51.
17. Egan, J. (2001). Relationship Marketing: Exploring Relational Strategies in Marketing, Pearson Education Limited, ISBN 0273-64612-5.
18. Fornell, C. (1992). A national customer satisfaction barometer: The Swedish experience. Journal of Marketing, Vol. 56, No.1, pp.6-21.
19. Garbarino, E. and Mark, S. J. (1990). The different roles of satisfaction, trust and commitment in customer relationships, Journal of Marketing, Vol. 63 (April), pp. 70-87 20. Geyskens, Inge; Steenkamp, Jan-Benedict E.M. and Kumar, Nirmalya (1998).
Generalizations about trust in marketing channel relationships using meta-analysis,
International Journal of Research in Marketing, Vol.15 (July), pp.223-248.
21. Gilbert, D.F. Buttle, ed. (1996). Airlines, In Relationship Marketing: Theory and Practice, London: Paul Chapman Inc.
22. Grönroos, C. (2000), “Service Management and Marketing: A Customer Relationship Management Approach”, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., (Second edition). ISBN 0-471-72034-8.
23. Grönroos, C. (2004). The Relationship Marketing Process: Communication, Interaction, Dialogue, Value, The Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing, 19 (2), 99-113.
24. Gwinner, K.P., Gremler, D.D. and Bitner, M.J. (1998). Relational benefits in services industries: the customer’s perspective, Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Vol.26, No.2, pp.101-114.
25. Hayes, B. E. (2008). The True Test of Loyalty, Quality Progress, 41, 6, pp.20-26.
26. Hougaard, S. and Bjerre, M. (2002). Strategic Relationship Marketing, Samfundslitteratur Press. ISBN 87-593-0840-0.
27. Ismail, I.; Haron, H.; Ibrahim, D. N.; and Isa, S. M. (2006), “Service quality, client satisfaction and loyalty towards audit firms: perceptions of Malaysian public listed
companies”, Managerial Auditing Journal, Vol.21, No.7, pp.738-756.
28. Keaveney, S.M. (1995). Customer switching behavior in service industries: an explorator study, Journal of Marketing, Vol.59, No.2, pp.71-82.
29. Keiningham, T. L.; Aksoy, L.; Cooil, B. and Andreassen, T. W. (2008). Linking Customer Loyalty to Growth, MITSloan Management Review, Vol.49, No.4, pp.50-57.
30. Keller, K. (1993). Conceptualizing, measuring, managing customer-based brand equity, J
Mark, Vol.57(1), pp 1-22.
31. Kim, C. S.; Zhao, W. H. and Yang, K. H. (2008), “An Empirical Study on the Integrated Framework of e-CRM in Online Shopping: Evaluating the Relationships Among Perceived Value, Satisfaction, and Trust Based on Customers’ Perspectives”, Journal of
Electronic Commerce in Organizations, Vol.6, No.3, pp.1-19.
32. Lages, C.; Lages, C. R. and Lages, L. F. (2005). The RELQUAL scale: a measure of relationship quality in export market ventures, Journal of Business Research, Vol.58, pp.1040-1048.
33. Leong, Y. P. & Qing, W. (2006). Impact of relationship marketing tactics (RMTs) on switchers and stayers in a competitive service industry, Journal of Marketing
Management, Vol.22, pp. 25-29
34. Li Liu (2008). Study of the relationship between customer satisfaction and loyalty in telecom enterprise, 2008 IEEE International Conference on Service Operations and Logistics, and Informatics, Vol. 1, pp. 896-901
35. Li, Ye-Chuen and Ho, Yung-Ching (2008). Discuss the Impact of Customer Interaction on Customer Relationship in Medical Service, The Business Review, Cambridge, Vol.11, No.1, pp.152-158.
36. Liang, Chiung-Ju and Wang, Wen-hung (2008). Do Loyal and More Involved Customers Reciprocate Retailer’s Relationship Efforts?, Journal of Services Research, Vol.8, No.1, pp.63-90.
37. Lichtenstein, D. R., Ridgway, N. M. and Netemeyer, R.G..(1993). Price perceptions and consumer shopping behaviour: a field study, Journal of Marketing Research, Vol.30, No.2, pp.234-245.
38. Liou, J.J.H. (2009). A novel decision rules approach for customer relationship management of the airline market, Expert Systems with Applications, Vol. 36, No. 3, pp. 4374-4381.
39. Liu, Y.; Li, Y.; Tao, L.; and Wang, Y. (2008). Relationship stability, trust and relational risk in marketing channels: Evidence from China, Industrial Marketing Management, Vol.37, pp.432-446.
organizational trust, Academy of Management Review, Vol.20, No.3, pp.709-734.
41. Morgan, R.M. & Hunt, S. (1994). The Commitment-Trust Theory of Relationship Marketing, Journal of Marketing, Vol.58 (July 1994), pp.20-38.
42. Mouri, N. (2005). A Consumer-based Assessment of Alliance Performance: An
Examination of Consumer Value, Satisfaction and Post-purchase behavior; University of Central Florida, 2005, 156 pages; AAT 3193496, available on 01/03/2009
http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=1014307471&sid=1&Fmt=2&clientId=46934&RQT=309&VNa me=PQD
43. N’Goala, Gilles (2007). Customer Switching Resistance (CSR): The effect of perceived equity, trust and relationship commitment, International Journal of Service Industry Management, Vol.18, No.5, pp.510-533.
44. Oliver, R. L. (1997). Satisfaction: A Behavioral Perspective on the Consumer, New York: McGraw Hill.
45. Oliver, R. L. (1999). When consumer loyalty? Journal of Marketing, Vol.63, pp.33-44. 46. O’Loughlin, D., Szmigin, I. and Turnbull, P.(2004). Branding and relationships: customer
and supplier perspectives, Journal of Financial Services Marketing, Vol.8, No.3, pp.218-230
47. Parasuraman, A., Zeithamal, V.A.and Berry, L.L. (1988). SERVQUAL: A multiple-item scale for measuring consumer perceptions of service quality, Journal of Retailing, 64, pp.12-40.
48. Patterson, P. G. and Smith, T. (2003), “A cross-cultural study of switching barriers and propensity to stay with service providers”, Journal of Retailing, Vol.79, No.2, pp.107-120.
49. Peng, Leong Yow & Wang, Qing (2006). Impact of Relationship Marketing Tactics (RMTs) on Switchers and Stayers in a Competitive Service Industry, Journal of
Marketing Management, V.22, pp.25-59.
50. Peppers, D. and Rogers, M. (2004). Managing Customer Relationships: A strategic
Framework, Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoken, New Jersey. ISBN
0-471-48590-X.
51. Ravald, A. & Gronroos, C. (1996). The value concept and relationship marketing,
European Journal of Marketing, Vol. 30, No.2, PP.19-30.
52. Saunders, M., Lewis, P., and Thomhil, A.(2000). Research Methods for Business
Students ,(second edition), London: Pearson Education Limited.
53. Selnes, F. (1993), “An examination of the effect of product performance on brand reputation, satisfaction and loyalty”, European Journal of Marketing, Vol.27, No.9, pp.19-35.
54. Singh, R. (2008), “Relational embeddedness, tertius iungens orientation and relationship quality in emerging markets”, Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics, Vol.20, No.4, pp.479-492.
55. Smith, J. B. (1998), “Buyer-Seller Relatioships: Similarity, Relationship Management, and Quality”, Psychology and Marketing, Vol.15, No.1, pp. 3-21.
56. Spath, D. and Fähnrich, K.-P. (Eds) (2007), “Advances in Services Innovations”, Springer,
Berlin, ISBN: 978-3-540-29858-8.
57. Stone, M., Woodcock, N., and Machtynger, L. (2000). Customer Relationship Marketing:
Get to know your customers and win their loyalty, 2nd Edition, Kogan Page Ltd, ISBN
0-7494-2700-0.
58. Tseng, Yi Ming (2007). The Impacts of Relationship Marketing Tactics on Relationship Quality in Service Industry, The Business Review, Cambridge; Summer 2007, 7 (2), pp.310-314.
59. Tian, Yu; Lai, Fujun and Daniel, Francis (2008), “An examination of the nature of trust in logistics outsourcing relationship: Empirical evidence from China”, Industrial
Management & Data Systems, Vol.108, No.3, pp.346-367.
60. Wilson, D. T. & Jantrania, S. (1995). Understanding the Value of a Relationship,
Asia-Australia Markeing Journal, 2(1), pp. 55-66
61. Wood, J. A. (2008). The Effect of Buyers’ Perceptions of Environmental Uncertainty on Satisfaction and Loyatly, Journal of Marketing Theory and Practice, Vol.16, No.4, pp.309-320.
62. Wulf, K. D., Odekerken-schroder, G. and Iacobucci, D. (2001). Investments in consume relationships: a cross-country and cross-industry exploration, Journal of Marketing, Vol. 65, No.4, pp. 33-50
63. Yin, R. K. (1994). Case Study Research: design and methods, (second edition), Thousand Oaks, London. Sage Publication Inc.
64. Zeithaml, V. A. (1988). Consumer perceptions of price, quality and value: a means-end model and synthesis of evidence, Journal of Marketing, Vol.52 (July), pp. 2-22
Appendix :Questionnaire
Dear Participants,
We are conducting a survey of Swedish mobile telecommunication markets. In the following questionnaire, we would like to know your attitudes and behaviors related to satisfaction and loyalty about the Swedish mobile service provider you are using presently. This survey is a part of our master thesis, and your kindly help is crucial for our successful completion of this research project. Your responses will be anonymous; data will be combined and analyzed as a whole. Please attempt to answer all the questions and click one appropriate box that best suits your perspective for each statement.
Your participation in the study will be greatly appreciated. Thank you very much for your time and assistance.
Individual Characteristics
a) Your Gender: Male Female
b) Please fill in the name of the mobile telecom operator you are using now? (e.g. Tele2, Telia and so on ) _____________________________
Service quality
1. This mobile telecom operator follows up in a timely manner to customer requests. 5 strongly agree 4 agree 3 neutral 2 disagree 1 strongly disagree
2. The frontline employees of this operator are always willing to help me.
5 strongly agree 4 agree 3 neutral 2 disagree 1 strongly disagree
3. The response to consumers’ complaints are always taken quickly.
5 strongly agree 4 agree 3 neutral 2 disagree 1 strongly disagree 4. This operator is consistent in providing good quality service.
5 strongly agree 4 agree 3 neutral 2 disagree 1 strongly disagree
5. This operator offers personalized services to meet customers’ need.
5 strongly agree 4 agree 3 neutral 2 disagree 1 strongly disagree
6. This operator provides timely information when there are new services.
5 strongly agree 4 agree 3 neutral 2 disagree 1 strongly disagree
Price
7. This operator took effective ways to help us know its pricing policies of products and services.
5 strongly agree 4 agree 3 neutral 2 disagree 1 strongly disagree 8. The pricing policies of products and services from this operator are attractive.
5 strongly agree 4 agree 3 neutral 2 disagree 1 strongly disagree 9. The calling rate offered by this operator is reasonable.
5 strongly agree 4 agree 3 neutral 2 disagree 1 strongly disagree 10. This operator is offering flexible pricing for various services that meet my needs.
5 strongly agree 4 agree 3 neutral 2 disagree 1 strongly disagree
11. I will continue to stay with this operator unless the price is significantly higher for the same service.
5 strongly agree 4 agree 3 neutral 2 disagree 1 strongly disagree
Brand Image
12. I consider that this operator’s reputation is high.
5 strongly agree 4 agree 3 neutral 2 disagree 1 strongly disagree 13. I have a good feeling about the operator’s social responsibility.
5 strongly agree 4 agree 3 neutral 2 disagree 1 strongly disagree 14. The operator delivered a good brand image to its customers.
5 strongly agree 4 agree 3 neutral 2 disagree 1 strongly disagree
Value Offered
15. The promotional offers from this operator were worth the money.
5 strongly agree 4 agree 3 neutral 2 disagree 1 strongly disagree 16. It was easy to get benefits from the promotional offers.
17. The proposed rewards from this operator were what I wanted.
5 strongly agree 4 agree 3 neutral 2 disagree 1 strongly disagree 18. It is highly likely that I will achieve the proposed reward.
5 strongly agree 4 agree 3 neutral 2 disagree 1 strongly disagree
Trust
19. This operator is reliable because it is mainly concerned with the consumers’ interests. 5 strongly agree 4 agree 3 neutral 2 disagree 1 strongly disagree 20. The billing system of this operator is trustworthy.
5 strongly agree 4 agree 3 neutral 2 disagree 1 strongly disagree 21. The reputation of this operator is trustworthy.
5 strongly agree 4 agree 3 neutral 2 disagree 1 strongly disagree 22. The policies and practices of this operator are trustworthy.
5 strongly agree 4 agree 3 neutral 2 disagree 1 strongly disagree 23. The service process provided by this operator is secure.
5 strongly agree 4 agree 3 neutral 2 disagree 1 strongly disagree
Satisfaction
24. I am satisfied with the overall service quality offered by this operator.
5 strongly agree 4 agree 3 neutral 2 disagree 1 strongly disagree 25. I am satisfied with the professional competence of this operator.
5 strongly agree 4 agree 3 neutral 2 disagree 1 strongly disagree
26. I am satisfied with the performance of the frontline employees of this operator. 5 strongly agree 4 agree 3 neutral 2 disagree 1 strongly disagree
27. I am comfortable about the relationship with this operator.
5 strongly agree 4 agree 3 neutral 2 disagree 1 strongly disagree
Switching costs:
28. I feel that switching to a new operator causes monetary cost.
5 strongly agree 4 agree 3 neutral 2 disagree 1 strongly disagree
29. To switch to a new operator; I should compare all operators (on account of services, coverage area, billing, etc.)
5 strongly agree 4 agree 3 neutral 2 disagree 1 strongly disagree
30. Even if I have enough information, comparing the operators with each other takes a lot of energy, time and effort
5 strongly agree 4 agree 3 neutral 2 disagree 1 strongly disagree
31. If I change my phone number, I would be concerned if people dial my previous number but could not reach me.
5 strongly agree 4 agree 3 neutral 2 disagree 1 strongly disagree
32. If I switch to a new operator, I am not able to use some services (MMS, GPrice PerceptionS, WAP, etc.), until I learn to use them
5 strongly agree 4 agree 3 neutral 2 disagree 1 strongly disagree
Customer loyalty
33. I intend to continue using mobile services from this operator for a long time. 5 strongly agree 4 agree 3 neutral 2 disagree 1 strongly disagree
34. If I want to change a new telecom service, I am willing to continue selecting this operator. 5 strongly agree 4 agree 3 neutral 2 disagree 1 strongly disagree
35. Even if another operator’ price is lower, I will go on using this provider.
5 strongly agree 4 agree 3 neutral 2 disagree 1 strongly disagree 36. I am willing to say positive things about this operator to other people.
5 strongly agree 4 agree 3 neutral 2 disagree 1 strongly disagree 37. I will encourage friends and relatives to use the services offered by this operator.
5 strongly agree 4 agree 3 neutral 2 disagree 1 strongly disagree 38. To me, this operator clearly is able to provide the best service.
5 strongly agree 4 agree 3 neutral 2 disagree 1 strongly disagree