A Research study on the relationship among relational benefit, perceived quality, image and customer loyalty in different hospitality
Businesses
Bilsen Bilgili
Kocaeli University, Turkey
Burcu Candan
Kocaeli University, Turkey
Songül Bilgili
International Papers,Plastic,Print Products Inc. Co, Turkey
Abstract
As in all sectors, it is very difficult to make a difference that will provide advantage in competition in the services of hospitality services sector. It is important to increase customer loyalty by positively affecting the perception of quality and image among customers. In recent studies, it has been determined that relational benefit is an influential factor on quality, image and customer loyalty especially in services. Relational benefit consists of three dimensions which are social benefit, trust and special care. In this study, primarily it has been aimed to determine the effects of relational benefit of customers who purchase hospitality business service on the perception of quality and image. The effects of perception of quality and image resulted from relational benefit have been investigated on customer loyalty. In this study, the questionnaire study have been conducted on 400 customers who buy service from hospitality businesses which serve in different categories
(3 stars,4 stars,5 stars) in Turkey-İstanbul. The research model presented below has been tested through structural equation model. Discriminant analysis have been conducted to determine whether there is a difference in the relationships in the research model according to the types of hospitality businesses from which customers buy service. In accordance with the results of the research, various suggestions related to marketing strategies towards creating relational benefits have been made for the hospitality businesses. Key words: Hospitality business, Relational Benefit, Image, Loyalty, Quality.
Introduction
Today’s consumers always want to do a more reasonable shopping and buy better quality with a lower price. Even though they seem like not looking for other shops different from the ones they often prefer, even rarely, they want to obtain the maximum benefit from the opportunities they come across. In recent years, businesses have often been utilizing
CRM techniques such as making customers club members, providing some privileges by giving customer or store cards, offering products of higher quality and plus value, contacting the customers in regular intervals, having an on-going communication with the customers and turning complaints into satisfaction to create customer commitment and loyalty (Pickel, 2000). In economies in which there is a fierce competition for even a single target customer, consumers struggle not be committed and addicted to a brand, and businesses struggle hard to keep them as customers and make them committed to their brands by the use of various forms and practices (Bergmann, 1998).
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Customer loyalty is the combination of the emotional commitment that a customer feels toward a certain business, the purchasing tendency and will which are intentional and the repeated preferences. Customer loyalty describes both the commitment to a certain business or brand and the commitment to the products or services of that business or brand. They loyalty can be towards not only the business but also the product or service
(Bayuk and Küçük, 2007, p.287). In this context, there are several ways of creating loyal customers and increasing the level of loyalty (Arnold, 1992, p.132). The consumers are categorized as loyal and less-loyal customers. The less-loyal customers are the minority.
But, the important point is ensuring the continuous satisfaction of these customers. One of the most remarkable indicators of a brand’s acceptability by customers and its long-term success is the market share. A brand which faces a positive reaction when entering a new market is bound to be successful in long term. Therefore, businesses can increase