Customer Complaint Behavior
Consumers’ complaint behaviour. Taxonomy, typology and determinants: Towards a unified ontology
Received (in revised form): 16th August, 2003
Dominique Crie ´ is Professor of marketing at the University of Sciences and Technologies of Lille, in the Business Administration Department (IAE). He manages the postgraduate degree course: statistical specialisation for marketing databases. He is also a marketing consultant and statistician, member of the Association Francaise de Marketing and of the Societe Francaise de Statistiques. ¸ ´ ´ ¸ His research focuses on the customer relationship, particularly in relation to satisfaction, loyalty and retention.
Abstract Complaint behaviour is a set of consumer dissatisfaction responses. It is an explicit expression of dissatisfaction, but dissatisfaction is only one determinant of this behaviour. Complaint behaviour can be analysed as various types of response but also as a process. This paper proposes an integrated framework of the various theories of complaint behaviour leading toward a unified ontology and to interpreting it from a new perspective.
Dominique Crie ´ IAE de Lille, 104, Avenue du Peuple Belge, 59 043 Lille Cedex, ´ France. Tel: 33 (0)3 20 12 34 64; Fax: 33 (0)3 20 12 34 48; E-mail: DomiCrie@aol.com
INTRODUCTION This paper reviews a concept still relatively rarely considered by companies: consumer complaint behaviour. Within the framework of the relationship paradigm, complaint behaviour is a powerful signal which companies should take into account. On the one hand, it gives an organisation a last chance to retain the customer, if the organisation reacts appropriately, on the other hand it is a legitimate and ethical act toward the consumer. Generally, but not exclusively, complaint behaviour is one of the responses to perceived dissatisfaction in the post-purchase phase. In the first section of the paper, a taxonomy of response styles used by dissatisfied consumers is proposed. Then consumer complaint
Received (in revised form): 16th August, 2003
Dominique Crie ´ is Professor of marketing at the University of Sciences and Technologies of Lille, in the Business Administration Department (IAE). He manages the postgraduate degree course: statistical specialisation for marketing databases. He is also a marketing consultant and statistician, member of the Association Francaise de Marketing and of the Societe Francaise de Statistiques. ¸ ´ ´ ¸ His research focuses on the customer relationship, particularly in relation to satisfaction, loyalty and retention.
Abstract Complaint behaviour is a set of consumer dissatisfaction responses. It is an explicit expression of dissatisfaction, but dissatisfaction is only one determinant of this behaviour. Complaint behaviour can be analysed as various types of response but also as a process. This paper proposes an integrated framework of the various theories of complaint behaviour leading toward a unified ontology and to interpreting it from a new perspective.
Dominique Crie ´ IAE de Lille, 104, Avenue du Peuple Belge, 59 043 Lille Cedex, ´ France. Tel: 33 (0)3 20 12 34 64; Fax: 33 (0)3 20 12 34 48; E-mail: DomiCrie@aol.com
INTRODUCTION This paper reviews a concept still relatively rarely considered by companies: consumer complaint behaviour. Within the framework of the relationship paradigm, complaint behaviour is a powerful signal which companies should take into account. On the one hand, it gives an organisation a last chance to retain the customer, if the organisation reacts appropriately, on the other hand it is a legitimate and ethical act toward the consumer. Generally, but not exclusively, complaint behaviour is one of the responses to perceived dissatisfaction in the post-purchase phase. In the first section of the paper, a taxonomy of response styles used by dissatisfied consumers is proposed. Then consumer complaint
References: Vol. 11, 1, 60–79 Henry Stewart Publications 1741–2439 (2003) Henry Stewart Publications 1741-2439 (2003) Vol Henry Stewart Publications 1741–2439 (2003) Consumers’ complaint behaviour Henry Stewart Publications 1741-2439 (2003) Vol