Service Quality Perceptions

Service Quality Perceptions

Post-Purchase Behavior

Post-purchase behavior is when the customer assesses whether he is satisfied or dissatisfied with a purchase.

Post-purchase behavior is the final stage in the consumer decision process when the customer assesses whether he is satisfied or dissatisfied with a purchase. How the customer feels about a purchase will significantly influence whether he will purchase the product again or consider other products within the brand repertoire. A customer will also be able to influence the purchase decision of others because he will likely feel compelled to share his feelings about the purchase.

Cognitive dissonance, another form of buyer’s remorse, is common at this stage. This is when the customer may experience feelings of post-purchase psychological tension or anxiety. For example, the customer might feel compelled to question whether he has made the right decision. They may also be exposed to advertising for a competitive product or brand which could put into question the product that they have chosen. A customer may also have a change of heart and decide that he no longer has a need for this particular product.

Some companies now opt to engage their consumers with post-purchase communications in an effort to influence their feelings about their purchase and future purchases. Offering money back guarantees also serve to extend and enrich post-purchase communications between the company and its consumers. Other examples include VIP invitations to become part of a club or special and select group of consumers who buy a particular product. Another example is when customers are asked for their contact information at the point of purchase so they can be targeted later with a follow-up call that surveys the product’s performance and consumer satisfaction. This approach could help influence or alleviate feelings of cognitive dissonance or “buyer’s remorse” following a product purchase.

Digital Surveys

Digital surveys, also referred to as online questionnaires, are research tools that ask consumers questions in a virtual environment. These surveys are a type of Online Research Method (ORM). Many of these ORMs are related to older research methodologies that have been re-invented and re-imagined to work with new technologies and the on-the-go conditions of a digital environment.

With the increasing use of the Internet, online questionnaires have become a popular way of collecting information. However, the online research field remains relatively new and continues to evolve. With the growth of social media, new levels of complexity and opportunity have been created for using digital surveys to conduct market research.

Advantages of Digital Surveys

• The administrator has greater flexibility in displaying questions. Questions can be displayed with check boxes, pull down menus, pop up menus, help screens, or submenus.
• An online forum allows responses to be received from more subjects and from anywhere in the world.
• This method is also cheaper to use, because there are fewer costs incurred from buying paper, printing materials or paying postage.
• Since data is collected into a central database, the time for analysis is substantially reduced.
• It is easier to correct errors on an online questionnaire, since the administrator does not have to reprint and redistribute all the questionnaires.