TY - JOUR AU - Leelaharattanarak, Nattana PY - 2016/12/15 Y2 - 2024/03/28 TI - The Dynamic Formulation of a Complaint in a Thai Service Encounter: A Case Study JF - NIDA Case Research Journal JA - NCRJ VL - 8 IS - 2 SE - Case Study DO - UR - https://so04.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/NCRJ/article/view/72459 SP - 92-145 AB - <span class="fontstyle0">It seems to be more diffcult analyzing a complaint than the analysis of<br />rejections due to the fact that complaints have multi-layered and complicated<br />characteristics. Consequently, this research aims to explore the way in which customers<br />launch, develop, revisit and end the commercially-oriented complaint over a long<br />conversation during Thai service encounters. It also highlights some of the resources<br />utilized by the participant to construct and respond to the complaint. Data<br />consisted of one long naturally occurring face-to-face service encounter video- and<br />audio-recorded between Thai customers and agents at a Thai hotel. The data<br />revealed that it is signifcant for the customer to collect suffcient and reasonable<br />information supporting the customer’s fnely elaborated complaint before launching<br />it. In addition, both customer and agents employ various mixed (non)verbal and<br />prosodic strategies to aggravate or redress the fnely articulated complaint in a<br />single turn, for example, the unparalleled use of pronominal forms, making apologies<br />and giving a promise of a future repair. Loudness, disaffliative laughter and the<br />expression of a dissatisfed face are nonverbal features employed to aggravate the <span class="fontstyle0">explicit complaint, which threatens the agents’ face. In contrast, smiles, the use of<br />a pleasant voice and silence help to mitigate the complaint and indicate the<br />agents’ patience and face concerns.</span> </span> ER -