Kwok, Sherine (2021) Exploring the non-complaining intention and behaviour of dissatisfied customers: an extended reasoned action approach. Doctoral thesis, University of West London.

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Abstract

Customer complaints are a valuable source of information for service providers to identify problems and improve their products or services. Evidence has shown that more than two-thirds of dissatisfied customers do not necessarily express dissatisfaction with the service providers through complaints. Some dissatisfied customers would rather spread negative word-of-mouth or switch to other service providers, which adversely affects the reputation and revenue of the service provider. Customer complaining behaviour has been extensively researched, however, very few researchers have explored the customer non-complaining behaviour (CNCB). The concept of CNCB and why some dissatisfied customers do not complain after service failure are relatively unclear. Therefore, this study aims to explore the non-complaining behaviour of dissatisfied customers by determining and explaining the factors that influence non-complaining intention and behaviour through an extended model of the reasoned action approach. Using the Reasoned Action Approach (RAA) model as a starting point but extended it by adding more relevant factors (situational factors and, service provider and marketplace-related factors), two-stage data collection fieldworks were conducted to gain a comprehensive understanding of non-complaining behaviour. In the first stage, 555 questionnaires were collected from non-complainers and analysed to identify factors that influence non-complaining intention and behaviour. In the second stage, 20 semi-structured interviews were conducted with survey respondents to gain a deeper understanding of the factors that affected their non-complaining intention and behaviour. The findings show that the extended RAA model is a valid model to explain dissatisfied customers’ non-complaining intention and behaviour. Inclusion of additional factors was supported in the RAA as they can help better explain the non-complaining behaviour. Attitude against complaining, social group pressure, perceived control of complaining circumstances have a positive influence on intention not to complain. Although dissatisfied customers are inclined not to complain, their non-complaining behaviour is predominantly determined by their actual control of complaining circumstances (e.g., the inability to communicate with the service provider), situational factors (e.g., time and energy required, perceived low benefits from complaining, etc) and, service provider and marketplace-related factors (e.g., perceived management ineffectiveness in collecting feedback and service recovery, etc). RAA proved to be a sufficient model to explain why people complain, but it is insufficient to explain why people do not complain. This study contributes by providing an extended RAA model of CNCB, with the inclusion of situational factors and, service provider and marketplace-related factors to explain non-complaining intention and behaviour. The model can serve as a theoretical foundation for future CNCB research. Managerially, the findings in this study reinforce the importance of manager and staff proactiveness to solicit feedback and establish long-term service improvement efforts and a customer engagement system.

Item Type:	Thesis (Doctoral)
Subjects:	Business and finance > Business and management Hospitality and tourism > Hospitality > Risk and reputation management
Depositing User:	Sherine Kwok
Date Deposited:	29 Sep 2021 09:17
Last Modified:	29 Sep 2021 09:17
URI:	https://repository.uwl.ac.uk/id/eprint/8280

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