Customer service
Customer service (CS) refers to the combination of activities offered by retailers. If taken
seriously, CS is presented with the intention of enhancing service quality, so that customers
perceive the shopping experience as more pleasant and even rewarding ( Howardell, 2003; Levy
& Weitz, 2001: 586, 587; Woodruff, 1997; Zikmund & d’Admico, 2001:331). For the purpose of
this study, CS is interpreted in terms of the four elements of the marketing mix namely, product,
place, price, promotion, and three additional elements (added to the marketing mix by Booms &
Bit-ner, 1981), namely people, processes and physical evidence, to include the widest possible
spread of possible influencing variables. CS is further considered as a means-to-end process
where all the inter-actions/“moments of truth” are interrelated in terms of a total experience. It is
assumed that good CS revolves around getting all the elements of the process right to prevent
failure because of an apparent weakest link (Rhee & Bell, 2002; Woodruff, 1997). Customer
service in terms of customer satisfaction .From a business point of view, customer satisfaction
implies always doing the right things right(Levy & Weitz, 2001:586; Woodruff, 1997). Customer
satisfaction is essential for the survival of retailers because it enhances repeat purchase behaviour
and contributes to positive word-of-mouth communication and the breeding of so-called
customer advocates (Malan, 2003). Process definitions of satisfaction are based on the
expectancy is confirmation paradigm that proposes that confirmation and positive
disconfirmation generally result in satisfaction, as opposed to negative disconfirmation that leads
to dissatisfaction. Evaluation is generally done within a framework of expectations to conclude a
desires congruency (with what was expected), and either positive or negative disconfirmation
(Spreng & Mackoy, 1996); this can result after single, or brief encounters. Satisfaction can also
refer to a state of fulfillment that involves reinforcement and arousal over time; this requires
repetitive exposure and experience (Yi, 1990 in Iacobucci et al, 1995). Consumer satisfaction
influences a consumer’s motives and attitudes during subsequent consumer decisions, e.g. to
patronize a specific supermarket or not (Du Plessis et al, 1990 in Erasmus & Donoghue, 1998).
Customer service in terms of store loyalty. Store loyalty occurs when a customer intentionally
chooses one store over others, irrespective of the offerings at the other stores (Levy & Weitz,
2001:152). Consumer satisfaction however does not necessarily result in store loyalty;
consumers who are highly satisfied with a store’s CS may for example still not be loyal. Well
managed customer retention programs that are communication and tactics-driven and which
strive to improve CS are generally used to encourage customers’ loyalty in a competitive market
place (Malan, 2003). Customer service as a collective phenomenon CS per se refers to an
assortment of attributes that collectively represent the service. The systems theory provides a
useful vehicle for incorporating the various elements of CS, i.e. discussing an experience as a
whole (Spreng & Mackoy, 1996; Whitchurch & Constantine, 1993:328). The systems theory
enables a study of the various elements of CS but acknowledges the sequence, relationship and
interdependency of the fundamental elements of CS. The elements of CS comprise all the
external factors that incite the consumer’s mind (Thang & Tan, 2003). The interpretation of the
individual elements of CS is considered a cognitive activity; it involves interpretation within
established schemata in memory that are based on existing knowledge structures (Spears &
Gregoire, 2003:2). Consumers can therefore be postulated to convert stimuli (elements of CS)
into meaningful information and then apply this consciously or subconsciously when they
comprehend the environment before making a judgment (Thang & Tan, 2003). Upon entering a
supermarket, consumers therefore rely on internal resources to comprehend the situation and to
guide their decision-making processes (Belch & Belch, 1998:104). The systems theory further
postulates that when one element (e.g. price) changes, a consumer’s interpretation of the
other elements of CS (e.g. product availability) as positive/negative will also change. This occurs
on a subliminal level (Schiffman & Kanuk, 2000:172-179). Wholeness is another important
characteristic of a systems approach; the output of the system (e.g. superior CS) may not
necessarily be derived from elements of CS considered in isolation (e.g. assuming that
competitive price would be a precondition for superior CS). Of greater importance is the
collective contribution (priority and hierarchy) of the composite elements of CS in terms of
service quality and store loyalty (Whitchurch & Constantine, 1993:325, 328). Although
consumers do judge and comment on elements independently, their collective contribution
eventually determines the interpretation of service quality/outcome. Within the systems theory,
equifinality refers to the phenomenon where a certain level of CS (output) may be achieved via
different routes, e.g. a combination of lower prices and higher product availability at the cost of
store design and layout, as opposed to higher prices and elaborate product ranges or convenient
store design. The compensatory rule of consumer decision-making applies (Schiffman & Kanuk,
2000:452); a consumer evaluates CS and allocates relative weights to elements of CS in terms of
their perceived importance in a specific context to establish a final CS score for each store
visited. The store with the highest score will thus probably represent the preferred one. Two
stores might thus earn the same total score although scores for individual service elements might
differ considerably; both will then provide “good CS”, but via different routes. On the other
hand, a store with a high score, which might appear acceptable, may still fail to attract customers
due to an unacceptable minimum condition. This explains the contribution of each element of CS
in terms of eventual acceptable CS. Customers will patronize a retailer when the perceived CS
meets or exceeds their expectations (Levy & Weitz,2001:152, 587). The post-purchase reaction
to purchase behavior that is typical of a dynamic system affects subsequent purchases by creating
an internal frame of reference that determines future evaluation. If the consumer is satisfied with
the consequences of a purchase experience, the probability of repeat purchases behavior in-
creases. Feedback is therefore of utmost importance in searching for ways to improve customer
service (Spears & Gregoire, 2003:2,3).Individual elements/attributes of customer service
Consumers generally look for tangible evidence (contextual cues) of what they are about to
experience in a given service encounter, which is intangible (Bitner, 1994). The elements of CS
that may contribute to service quality are now briefly discussed in terms of the traditional
variables of the marketing mix (as discussed by McCarthy in 1960), and including the expanded
version discussed by Booms and Bitner (1981), that acknowledges certain additional contextual
cues (Woodruff, 1997:142).
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