Meredith E. David

Generating positive word‐of‐mouth in the service experience

Purpose – This paper seeks to investigate the effects of relationship benefits on relationship quality and aspects of service quality, namely technical and functional quality, and the subsequent influence on word‐of‐mouth behavior.Design/methodology/approach – The paper reports results from a structural equation model that utilizes data from 591 consumers across a range of services.Findings – The findings highlight the important role of relationship benefits in driving customer perceptions of technical, functional and relationship quality. While confidence, social and special treatment benefits drive technical and functional quality, it is only confidence benefits that drive relationship quality. Furthermore, it is found that functional and relationship quality drive word‐of‐mouth behavior.Research limitations/implications – The findings of this study contribute to the literature by showing the differential impact that relationship benefits have on quality – technical, functional, and relationship – and s...

Uncovering the real effect of switching costs on the satisfaction‐loyalty association

Purpose – This paper seeks to demonstrate that assuming an increase in satisfaction will always lead to greater loyalty oversimplifies the complex association between these constructs. A more accurate view of the satisfaction‐loyalty relationship is gained by examining the moderating effect of involvement, switching costs, and relationship benefits.Design/methodology/approach – This paper reports the results of a hierarchal‐moderated regression analysis on data gathered from a national mail survey of 509 customers across nine service types.Findings – The findings of this study suggest that the satisfaction‐loyalty relationship is not as simple as it seems. Specifically, the negative effect that switching costs have on the association between satisfaction and loyalty declines as customer involvement with the service relationship grows, but increases as the customer perceives greater relationship benefit. These findings suggest that simply enhancing satisfaction will not always generate greater customer loy...

Do relationship benefits and maintenance drive commitment and loyalty

Purpose: This paper seeks to examine the central role that commitment plays in driving customer loyalty and to identify the effect that confidence, social and special treatment benefits as well as relationship investment, communication and management have on the development of commitment, and ultimately customer loyalty. Design/methodology/approach: The paper reports the results of a national mail survey of 591 consumers across nine different service industries. Findings: The findings of the study suggest that relationship commitment drives customer loyalty and that confidence, social and special treatment benefits affect commitment to the service, as does relationship investment and management. Surprisingly, relationship communication was found to have a negative effect on commitment to the service. Practical implications: This paper provides managers with insight as to how they can better create and sustain loyal relationships through the creation of customer commitment. Originality/value: The paper empirically demonstrates the importance of commitment in developing and sustaining loyal relationships while also providing a detailed assessment of the role of relationship benefits and maintenance in creating committed customers.

My life has become a major distraction from my cell phone

Partner phubbing (Pphubbing) can be best understood as the extent to which an individual uses or is distracted by his/her cell phone while in the company of his/her relationship partner. The present study is the first to investigate the oft-occurring behavior of Pphubbing and its impact on relationship satisfaction and personal well-being. In Study 1, a nine-item scale was developed to measure Pphubbing. The scale was found to be highly reliable and valid. Study 2 assessed the studys proposed relationships among a sample of 145 adults. Results suggest that Pphubbings impact on relationship satisfaction is mediated by conflict over cell phone use. Ones attachment style was found to moderate the Pphubbing - cell phone conflict relationship. Those with anxious attachment styles reported higher levels of cell phone conflict than those with less anxious attachment styles. Importantly, Pphubbing was found to indirectly impact depression through relationship satisfaction and ultimately life satisfaction. Given the ever-increasing use of cell phones to communicate between romantic partners, the present research offers insight into the process by which such use may impact relationship satisfaction and personal well-being. Directions for future research are discussed. A valid scale of partner phubbing (Pphubbing) was developed.Pphubbing was found to have a negative impact on relationship satisfaction.Cell phone conflict mediated the impact of Pphubbing on relationship satisfaction.Attachment style moderated the Pphubbing - cell phone conflict relationship.Pphubbing was found to indirectly impact life satisfaction and depression.

Full length articleMy life has become a major distraction from my cell phone: Partner phubbing and relationship satisfaction among romantic partners

Partner phubbing (Pphubbing) can be best understood as the extent to which an individual uses or is distracted by his/her cell phone while in the company of his/her relationship partner. The present study is the first to investigate the oft-occurring behavior of Pphubbing and its impact on relationship satisfaction and personal well-being. In Study 1, a nine-item scale was developed to measure Pphubbing. The scale was found to be highly reliable and valid. Study 2 assessed the studys proposed relationships among a sample of 145 adults. Results suggest that Pphubbings impact on relationship satisfaction is mediated by conflict over cell phone use. Ones attachment style was found to moderate the Pphubbing - cell phone conflict relationship. Those with anxious attachment styles reported higher levels of cell phone conflict than those with less anxious attachment styles. Importantly, Pphubbing was found to indirectly impact depression through relationship satisfaction and ultimately life satisfaction. Given the ever-increasing use of cell phones to communicate between romantic partners, the present research offers insight into the process by which such use may impact relationship satisfaction and personal well-being. Directions for future research are discussed. A valid scale of partner phubbing (Pphubbing) was developed.Pphubbing was found to have a negative impact on relationship satisfaction.Cell phone conflict mediated the impact of Pphubbing on relationship satisfaction.Attachment style moderated the Pphubbing - cell phone conflict relationship.Pphubbing was found to indirectly impact life satisfaction and depression.

Phubbed and Alone: Phone Snubbing, Social Exclusion, and Attachment to Social Media

Preoccupation with our cellphones has irrevocably changed how we interact with others. Despite many advantages of smartphones, they may undermine both our in-person relationships and our well-being. As the first to investigate the impact of phubbing (phone-snubbing), the present research contributes to our nascent understanding of the role of smartphones in consumer behavior and well-being. We demonstrate the harmful effects of phubbing, revealing that phubbed individuals experience a sense of social exclusion, which leads to a heightened need for attention and results in individuals attaching to social media in hopes of regaining a sense of inclusion. Although the stated purpose of technology like smartphones is to help us connect with others, in this particular instance, it does not. Ironically, the very technology that was designed to bring humans closer together has isolated us from these very same people.

Antecedents and consequences of customer-service provider relationship strength

Strong relationships are crucial to service industries as it reduces customer churn. This paper investigates the impact of relationship antecedents on relationship strength and its subsequent influence on attitudinal loyalty and share of wallet. Results from a structural equation model that utilises data from 591 consumers across nine different service types show confidence and social benefits, frequency, duration and relationship investment (driven by management and communication efforts) enhance relationship strength. Relationship strength drives attitudinal loyalty and share of wallet, with attitudinal loyalty mediating the relationship between relationship strength and share of wallet. This study investigates the factors that drive strong relationships and the importance of attitudinal loyalty as it mediates the relationship between relationship strength and share of wallet. This is the first study to simultaneously examine relationship benefits, investment and the frequency and duration of a relationship impact on relationship strength; and its subsequent influence on attitudinal and behavioural outcomes, in various service industries.

The quantitative strategic planning matrix: a new marketing tool

Abstract Originally introduced in a 1986 Long Range Planning article, the Quantitative Strategic Planning Matrix (QSPM) has become widely used in strategic management but is only rarely used in marketing strategy. This paper reveals how and why the QSPM should be commonly used in marketing strategy to assess the relativeness attractiveness of alternative strategies being considered. An example QSPM is developed in this paper for a firm considering two alternative marketing strategies: (1) Increase Advertising Expenditures by 50% vs. (2) Lower Menu Prices 10%. The QSPM process is exemplified and limitations are discussed herein. The primary contribution of this paper was to reveal how and why the QSPM can be useful, both theoretically and practically, in a devising an effective marketing strategy.

Too Much of a Good Thing: Investigating the Association between Actual Smartphone Use and Individual Well-Being

ABSTRACT Research suggests that people around the world spend anywhere from an hour to as much as ten hours daily on their smartphones. However, the vast majority of this research has used self-reported data, which is widely considered unreliable. The present research is among the first to capture actual smartphone use and to examine its relationship with individual and relational well-being. Results reveal that, although smartphone use is generally negatively associated with well-being, this is not always so. Deeper analyses show that certain categories of apps are positively associated with well-being, thus revealing a more nuanced relationship between smartphone use and individual well-being. Research which suggests a negative association between smartphone use and well-being may represent an oversimplified perspective of a complex relationship.

The Effects of Proenvironmental Demarketing on Consumer Attitudes and Actual Consumption

Leveraging Bagozzi’s (1992) appraisal framework, this research contributes to our understanding of the effects of demarketing. In particular, it examines the impact of a proenvironmental demarketing effort which calls attention to potential electricity saving ideas, on perceptions, and consumption. A pair of cross-validated studies indicates that proenvironmental demarketing may enhance consumers’ perceptions of the firm and subsequently affect consumption behavior. Specifically, study one suggests that proenvironmental demarketing leads to enhanced perception of an organization’s trustworthiness, market orientation, and environmental-sensitivity, while study two indicates that proenvironmental demarketing may lead to a reduction in electricity consumption.