Víctor Iglesias

The effects of brand associations on consumer response

This paper studies the dimensions of brand image, focusing on the functions or value of the brand as perceived by consumers. In this way, four categories of functions are identified: guarantee, personal identification, social identification and status. By way of hypotheses, it has been proposed that these functions have a positive influence on the consumer’s willingness to recommend the brand, pay a price premium for it and accept brand extensions. The hypotheses have been tested in the Spanish sports shoes market and were partially supported. The results obtained confirm the convenience of analyzing brand associations separately and enable the ascertaining of the brand associations that are the most relevant in order to attain certain consumer responses.

Consumer-based Brand Equity: Development and Validation of a Measurement Instrument

This work considers the development and validation of a measurement instrument of brand equity based on the value ascribed to brands by consumers. The results obtained indicate the existence of four basic dimensions of brand utilities: product functional utility, product symbolic utility, brand name functional utility, brand name symbolic utility. The various tests employed show a reasonable degree of reliability and validity of the proposed scale for the sports shoes sector.

The use of quality expectations to segment a service market

Reports some findings with respect to the possibility of classifying service consumers on the basis of their quality expectations. After reviewing traditional types of market segmentation, two hypotheses related to the applicability of service quality expectations as a grouping variable are formulated. Then, findings from a study developed in the tourism industry are presented, using the Chow test to verify the mentioned hypotheses. The study indicates that the segmentation proposed is operational and that, in general, the aspects for which the customers have greater expectations are those which influence their satisfaction to a greater extent. Finally, managerial implications are discussed based on the results of the study

The role of the brand name in obtaining differential advantages

In the brand equity literature, little attention has been paid to comparing the role of product and brand name attributes in obtaining differential advantages. This work presents a framework for analysis based on the benefits of these attributes as conceived by consumers. Two types of benefits are identified in both attributes – functional and symbolic benefits – and the dimensions of each of these benefits are specified. In line with the consumer assessments of six brands of sports shoes, we found evidence in the Spanish market that in the benefits associated to the brand name consumers observe greater differences between the brands than in the product‐associated benefits. This result suggests that the brand name can be a key strategy for the firm to enjoy comparative advantages.

Attitude and satisfaction in a traditional food product

The aim of this work was to analyse the relationships between three types of variables: consumer attitude towards a generic product – honey; the perceived quality of the specific brand consumed; and the satisfaction with this brand. The paper first tests the effects the different perceived quality dimensions exercise on satisfaction. Second, the paper proceeds to analyse the influence of attitudes, on the one hand, on the different quality dimensions and, on the other hand, on the effects of such dimensions on satisfaction.

The attribution of service failures: effects on consumer satisfaction

The aim of this paper is to analyse the effects of the attribution of service failures on consumer satisfaction. We analysed direct effects as well as indirect effects through cognitive processes and variables such as quality perceptions and overall quality evaluation. Basing the analysis on the attribution theories and information processing theories, four hypotheses are suggested. These are tested on a sample of 293 service encounters in which some type of failure is present (attributed to the firm or to some environmental factor). The results show that the attribution of the failure to the service firm causes a systematic reduction in all of the quality perceptions (even in service aspects not linked to the failure). But attribution also shows direct effects on satisfaction beyond the effect through perceptions. Attitude-based processes as well as attribute-based processes are affected by attribution.

Explaining customer satisfaction with complaint handling

Purpose – Due to the importance of understanding what circumstances make customer recovery programmes successful, this paper aims to study the effects of different cognitive evaluations (disconfirmation of expectations and perceived justice) and affective responses (positive and negative emotions) on satisfaction with complaint handling.Design/methodology/approach – The sample used in this study consists of 679 subjects who, over the last six months, had experienced service failures and had afterwards complained. The data were collected via personal interviews using a structured survey.Findings – The results of the study support the model and highlight the importance of the emotions experienced as a result of the complaint handling. Although these emotions have been underrepresented in the service recovery literature, our investigation shows that these emotions not only have an independent effect on customer satisfaction, after accounting for the effects of the cognitive evaluations of complaint handling,...

Service recovery, satisfaction and behaviour intentions: analysis of compensation and social comparison communication strategies.

In the marketing literature, there is a great interest in learning how companies should behave after a service failure. From this perspective, different service recovery strategies have been proposed. This experimental study of the airline industry deals with this topic, indicating the benefits of carrying out, after a service failure, a financial compensation and/or an explanation based on social comparison. The results indicate when financial compensation and social comparison increase satisfaction and when they have a positive impact on different behaviour intentions (repurchase intentions, positive or negative word of mouth communication, and complaints to the company and/or third parties). There predictions on the effects of the service recovery strategies are developed on the basis of failure stability and the emotions (anger) brought on by it.

Lack of preferential treatment: effects on dissatisfaction after a service failure

Purpose – Preferential treatment of selected customers is one of the strategies employed by companies seeking to implement relationship marketing. However, it remains unclear whether or not this policy negatively affects relationships with customers not receiving the above‐mentioned preferential treatment, as existing literature focuses, for the most part, on the beneficiaries. The purpose of this paper is to study whether or not the perception of lack of preferential treatment has a positive impact on dissatisfaction following a service failure, after accounting for the effects of attribution.Design/methodology/approach – The sample used in this paper consists of 344 subjects who, over the last six months, have experienced service failures. The data are collected via personal interviews using a structured survey. Structural equation modelling is employed in order to test the relationship between lack of preferential treatment and dissatisfaction.Findings – The results of this investigation indicate that ...

The Effect of Perceived Value and Switching Barriers on Customer Price Tolerance in Industrial Energy Markets

Purpose: This article analyzes the effects of perceived value, satisfaction, and switching barriers on price tolerance. It also examines the moderating effect of switching barriers. Methodology/Approach: Empirical research was conducted by collecting information from a sample of 326 major gas and electricity consumers in a newly liberalized industrial market with a high concentration of suppliers. Findings: Switching barriers are the main antecedent to price tolerance. Price tolerance of industrial customers depends directly on switching barriers more than on satisfaction. The customer satisfaction construct is a necessary but not sufficient predictor of price tolerance. While satisfaction has an effect on price tolerance, the effect of perceived value on price tolerance is only indirect through satisfaction, even though it may produce positive direct effects when there are high switching barriers. Originality/Value/Contribution: For the first time in a B2B framework, the moderating effects of switching barriers on the relationship between perceived value, satisfaction, and price tolerance have been analyzed.