Perceived salesperson service attributes and retail patronage intentions

Abstract

In the 1990s many companies have acknowledged the critical importance of being customer-oriented. However, as retailers contemplate the higher costs and higher revenues of increased customer service levels, they need to understand the relative importance to consumers of various aspects of customer service, particularly those delivered by salespeople. This research investigates the impact of selected salesperson service attributes and levels on consumer patronage intentions in a consumer electronics store setting. The study uses conjoint analysis to measure consumer priorities. The results indicate that salesperson's respect for the customer, knowledge, and responsiveness are the most important attributes. Where three service levels are presented, there is a greater difference in impact between the lowest and middle levels than between the middle and highest levels. This suggests that retailers do not necessarily have to offer the best service levels to satisfy customers, but must avoid poor service levels.

Influence of hedonic and utilitarian values in determining attitude towards malls: A case of Indian small city consumers

“…The attractiveness of a mall is affected by different attributes ( Stassen et al , 1999 ) and researchers have examined the factors that contribute to mall and retail patronage and its attractions ( Howell and Rogers, 1980 ;Finn and Louviere, 1990 ;Finn and Louviere, 1996 ;Swait and Sweeney, 2000 ;Darian et al , 2001 ;Yavas, 2003 ;De Juan, 2004 ). Holbrook and Hirschman (1982) suggest that malls are a central point of community entertainment and interaction and contribute to a city ' s social and economic environment ( Hernandez and Jones, 2005 ;Padilla and Eastlick, 2009 ).…”

Retailer behavior as determinant of service quality in Indian retailing

“…They believed that retailers could improve their services by understanding the problem areas through this tool. In their research on retail services, Darian et al (2001) identifi ed fi ve dimensions of salesperson attributes or behavior for assessing salespersons ' service quality: salesperson ' s respect for customers, their knowledge, responsiveness, friendliness and their availability. In retail services, the customers ' interaction with the retailer would be of signifi cant importance in determining their loyalty toward the store.…”

“…The physical attractiveness of the staff is vital in creating a favorable impression in the minds of the customers and enhancing the service experience ( Baker, 1987 ). Darian et al (2001) had conducted a research on service personnel behavior in retail; they established that customers gave importance to greetings by the salespersons and not being pressured to purchase products. Research on fashion stores in Hong Kong, by Sum and Hui (2009), showed that empathy was an important consideration for customer loyalty behavior.…”

Understanding the mediating effect of cognitive and emotional satisfaction on customer loyalty

“…The importance of CS to the success of consumer goods manufacturers (Burns and Neisner, 2006) and to the success of retailers (Darian et al, 2001) has been well documented. CS is regarded as a primary determining factor of repeat shopping and purchasing behavior.…”