Enhancing the Value of Survey Data on Customer Satisfaction in the Framework of a Customer Loyality Programme: Case of a Slovenian Retailer

Abstract

In retailing, one of the most important factors shaping overall satisfaction are customer perceptions of sales personnel characteristics (e.g. physical appearance, willingness to listen, assure and oblige, etc.). In our empirical project we aim to show that this effect is even larger in the framework of a loyalty programme aiming at creation of long-term relationships. Liberally made and often repeated promises which are not kept create room for development of negative feelings towards retailers (especially if customers feel trapped). Furthermore, long-term relationships might go stale due to predictability of the shopping experience (the so-called “negative loyalty programme effect”). A relevant combination of survey and transaction data enables a retailer to develop and implement measures to keep identified customer segments satisfied and consequently in the spending mood.

Key Words:

• Customer data analysis
• customer loyalty
• customer satisfaction
• loyalty programme
• service quality
• survey data
• socio-economic data
• transaction data

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Irena Ograjensek

Irena Ograjensek is an Assistant Professor of Statistics at the University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Economics. At present she is Chair of the Department of Statistics and Member in the Department of Marketing. Her current research interests include: (1) application of statistical methods in business (with focus on marketing, especially customer data analysis in the framework of a loyalty programme, measurement of service quality, and measurement of customer satifaction); and (2) new approaches to teaching research methods to business students (with focus on development and evaluation of e-textbooks). She is a President-Elect of the European Network for Business and Industrial Statistics (ENBIS), Managing Director of the ENBIS Academic Publications Panel and Editor of ENBIS News.

Vesna Žabkar

Vesna Žabkar is an Associate Professor of Marketing at the University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Economics. At present she is Member in the Department of Marketing and Head of the Marketing Institute. She is teaching undergraduate and graduate courses in Advertising, Sales Promotion, Marketing Communications, Marketing Research, Strategic Marketing Analysis and Electronic Marketing. Her consulting and research work focus is in the areas of marketing communications and marketing strategies. She is a Member of the Academy of Marketing Science, Marketing Society of Slovenia, European Network for Business and Industrial Statistics (ENBIS), as well as several other professional associations. She has been acting as a Supervisor of the Slovenian National Readership Survey since 2002.