Michael Baird

Complainers versus non-complainers retaliatory responses towards service dissatisfactions

Purpose – The paper aims to investigate the different forms of retaliatory responses towards unsatisfactory service encounters experienced by Australian consumers. It further compares demographic and psychographic profiles of complainers versus non‐complainers.Design/methodology/approach – In total, 1,200 mail surveys were sent out through a random list of addresses obtained from the White Pages. Data from 237 usable surveys (29.1 per cent) were analysed using a series of statistical techniques including factor analysis to profile psychographic factors and discriminant analysis to identify complainers from non‐complainers.Findings – It is found that both complainers and non‐complainers engage in some form of retaliatory responses. Complainers have a high sense of justice, are less conservative and have a more positive attitude towards complaining than their non‐complaining counterparts. Gender, income and education have no effect on complaining behaviour for both complainers and non‐complainers.Practical ...