Revealing the expectations and preferences of complaining customers by combining the laddering interviewing technique with the Kano model of customer satisfaction

摘要

Purpose – This paper focuses on complaint satisfaction with a particular emphasis on theudqualities and behaviours that affect customers during personal complaint handling encounters.udFollowing a literature review of complaint satisfaction and the role of customer contactudemployees in complaint encounters, an exploratory study using both the ladderingudinterviewing technique and Kano questionnaires is presented.udDesign/Methodology/Approach – A semi-standardized qualitative technique calledudladdering was combined with the Kano Model of Satisfaction. In total, 40 laddering in-depthudinterviews were conducted with mature students in a business management course. Followingudthe laddering interviews, 35 Kano questionnaires were handed out to students in anotherudbusiness management course who also had complaining experience.udFindings – The laddering results indicate that being taken seriously in the complaintudencounter and the employee’s friendliness, listening skills and competence are particularlyudimportant. The fact that interpersonal factors are highly regarded indicates that customersudwant to satisfy these process needs first and their outcome expectations second. The Kanoudresults show that employees’ active listening skills are the only must-be requirements whileudthe two concepts “Apology” and “Respectful Treatment” are close to being must-be criteria.udIn addition, the employee’s feedback after the complaint handling encounter can almost beudcategorized as an excitement factor.udLimitations/Originality/Value – By combing two research methods, the aim of this paperudhas been to develop an area of research that could reap considerable benefits for researchersudinterested in the area of customer complaint satisfaction. Due to the exploratory nature of theudstudy and the scope and size of the chosen sample, the results outlined are tentative in nature.