Causal Relationship between Relationship Efforts and Customers’ Attitude and Behavior: A Case Study of Supercenters in Mahasarakham Province
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Abstract
This study aims to examine the goodness of fit between the hypothesized model and empirical data and also to investigate the causal relationship between relationship efforts, including direct mail, preferential treatment, and tangible rewards, of Supercenters and customer relationship outcomes in terms of trust, relationship commitment, and customer loyalty. This study used a self-administered questionnaire for collecting data from 431 customers, as informants, by using simple random sampling technique. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was employed to analyze the data. The outcomes of data analysis are (1) the hypothesized model is valid and well fitted to empirical data (X2= 244.65, df=176, P<0.05, X2/df= 1.39, GFI= 0.96 AGFI= 0.99, RMR= 0.030) and (2) consumers increase attitudinal and behavioral loyalty toward Supercenters where attempt to make relationships through using preferential treatment (Effect size is 1.26). It positively influences customers trust and lead to increased customer loyalty (Effect sizes are 1.00 and 1.00 respectively). In contrast, the relationships among direct mail, tangible rewards, and customer trust were not found in this study. Therefore, creating marketing policies that provide well-perceived customer values as well as training and motivating all levels of employees is necessary so as to develop their willingness and efforts to build up the relationship with consumers which results in the increasing of customer loyalty.
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