Hysteresis: a model of consumer behaviour?

Abstract

A number of models of consumer behaviour, or of the influences on consumer behaviour, imply nonlinearity and non-reversibility. These include the order winning/qualifying criteria model from manufacturing strategy, and the satisfier/dissatisfier and zone of tolerance models from the field of service quality. This paper demonstrates that these models share a commonality with the physical sciences' hysteresis model, and that hysteresis can be used as a valid and informative model of a number of aspects of consumer behaviour. The application of this pre-existing model unifies a number of previously disparate and even contradictory elements and suggests a common pattern of behaviour over a wide range of activities. The implications of this for operations strategy, service quality and further research are discussed.

Customer experience management: a critical review of an emerging idea

“…Most quantitative approaches to understanding service quality have used linear measures of performance, despite a suggestion that consumers' response to quality improvement may be non linear (Cronin, 2003;Galloway, 1999). One nonlinear approach, empirically undeveloped, is the concept of "customer delight", defined as an unexpectedly high level of service quality which surpasses expectations (Cronin, 2003).…”

The Future of Relationship Marketing

“…It is also questionable whether some characteristics of a relationship generate satisfaction in customers while others generate dissatisfaction (Galloway, 1999). It has not been clearly demonstrated whether improvement in one element will generate satisfaction, but its absence, or reduction will not generate dissatisfaction.…”

Σχέση Ικανοποίησης Του Πελάτη Και Χρηματοοικονομικής Απόδοσης Επιχειρήσεων

“…Οη Ώπηφο ν παξάγνληαο ρξεζηκνπνηείηαη γηα λα πεξηγξάςεη "ηελ πξνζπκία θαη ηελ ηθαλφηεηα απφ ηελ πιεπξά ηνπ εξγαδνκέλνπ λα ηξνπνπνηήζεη ή λα κεηαβάιεη ηε θχζε ηεο ππεξεζίαο ή ηνπ πξντφληνο γηα ηελ θάιπςε ησλ αλαγθψλ ηνπ πειάηε". Οη πεξηζζφηεξνη νξηζκνί γηα ηελ πνηφηεηα ππεξεζηψλ είλαη πειαηνθεληξηθνί, απνδίδνληαο ηελ ηθαλνπνίεζε πειαηψλ σο ζπλάξηεζε ηεο αληηιακβαλφκελεο απφ απηνχο πνηφηεηαο ή αληίζηξνθα, ηελ αληηιακβαλφκελε απφ ηνπο πειάηεο πνηφηεηα σο ιεηηνπξγία ηθαλνπνίεζήο ηνπο (Galloway, 1999). Πνηφηεηα Τπεξεζηψλ είλαη ν βαζκφο ελαξκφληζεο/ζχκπησζεο ησλ πξνζδνθηψλ ησλ πειαηψλ (πξηλ ιάβνπλ ηελ ππεξεζία) θαη ηεο αληίιεςεο πνπ ζρεκαηίδνπλ γηα ηελ ππεξεζία (αθνχ ηε ιάβνπλ) (Gilbert andParhizgari, 2000, Dale, 1999).…”