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Word of mouth: What we know and what we have yet to learn

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Bodo Lang at Massey University
Bodo Lang
K.F. Hyde
K.F. Hyde
K.F. Hyde
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WORD OF MOUTH: WHAT WE KNOW AND WHAT WE HAVE YET TO LEARN
Lang, Bodo;Hyde, Kenneth F
Journal of Consumer Satisfaction, Dissatisfaction and Complaining Behavior; 2013; 26,
ProQuest Central
pg. 1
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... It is precisely this possibility that has inspired the present study in which word-of-mouth is the main downstream variable. The present study has also been inspired by the argument that our understanding of word-of-mouth is still fragmented (Lang and Hyde, 2013) and that there has been less research on drivers of word-of-mouth (Berger and Schwartz, 2011). ...
... Most marketing scholars and practitioners would probably assume the following about word-of-mouth: when a potential customer receives word-of-mouth from a sender (another customer), the content of wordof-mouth (what the sender says about an offer) is likely to influence the receiver so that he or she would consider purchasing what the sender has talked about. Indeed, word-of-mouth may be many times more influential than messages sent by firms to the receiver; a message from another customer is assumed to be subject to less resistance and more trust than marketer-generated messages (Berger, 2014;Cheung et al., 2007;Huete-Alcocer, 2017;Lang and Hyde, 2013;Sivadas and Jindal, 2017). In a service context, due to the intangibility of services, it is also often assumed that the service customer is particularly likely to rely on word-of-mouth (Huete-Alcocer, 2017) and that word-of-mouth is a crucial source for encouraging others to use service robots (Lim et al., 2024). ...
... Empirically, however, this is not what the typical word-of-mouth study is examining. The most common study during the past decades has had another perspective: it focuses on the impact of the sender's overall evaluation of an offer (e.g., in terms of customer satisfaction) on the sender's word-of-mouth activity (Lang and Hyde, 2013). Yet, it captures neither what the sender actually says to a receiver nor if the sender says anything at all. ...
Human employees and service robots in the service encounter and the role of attribution of theory of mind
Article
  • Jun 2024
  • J Retailing Consum Serv
A frequently made assumption – supported in a large number of empirical studies – is that customer satisfaction stemming from a service encounter influences the customer's subsequent word-of-mouth activities. The present study re-examines this association with respect to both human service employees and service robots (which are expected to become more common in service encounters in the near future). First, it is assumed that the customer's attribution of theory of mind to a service agent is an important source of information for the formation of a satisfaction assessment. Indeed, it is assumed that the agent's theory of mind is a prerequisite for understanding the customer's needs. Second, in contrast to many existing studies, word-of-mouth is captured in terms of the valence of what customers actually say (as opposed to various forms of intentions to engage in word-of-mouth, which represent a dominant contemporary operationalization of word-of-mouth). A between-subjects experiment was conducted in which a service agent's identity (service robot vs. human) and service performance (poor vs. good) were the manipulated factors. The results show that both these factors influenced attribution of theory of mind to the agent, and that attribution of theory of mind enhanced customer satisfaction. The results also show that customer satisfaction affected word-of-mouth content in a valence-congruent way.
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... A salesperson who can build trust can also achieve important gains in reaching the goals of the business (Demirgünes, 2015;Bateman and Valentine, 2015;Prendergast et al., 2014;Badrinarayanan and Laverie, 2013;Keeling et al., 2010). Lang and Hyde (2013) examined the literature on WOMC. They concluded in their synthesized study that trust is one of the 3 variables that most affect WOMC. ...
The Moderating Role of Perceived Quality in the Effect of Trust in Sales Consultant on Word of Mouth Communication
Article
Full-text available
  • Dec 2024
The performance of sales personnel plays a critical role in achieving the goals of businesses. Trust is a significant factor in achieving the desired results in terms of human relations. The aim of this study is to investigate the moderating role of perceived quality in the effect of trust in sales consultants on word of mouth communication (WOMC). The study population consists of those who purchase the Thermomix TM6 product living in Türkiye. The sample of the study consists of 233 people. The sample was reached through a survey form shared in WhatsApp groups formed by those who purchased Thermomix TM6. The convenience sampling method was used to reach the sample. Structural equation modeling and Process Macro were used to test the hypotheses. It was concluded that perceived quality does not have a moderating role in the effect of trust in sales consultants on WOMC. In addition, it was found that trust in sales consultants does not have a direct effect on WOMC. It was seen that trust in sales consultants has a direct positive effect on perceived quality and perceived quality has a direct positive effect on WOMC.
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... Communication with the spoken word is considered an influential factor in the consumer's perception of the quality of the service or product; however, the problem lies in the difficulty to control it due to the independence of the person transmitting the word (Stern, 1994). The means of communication through the spoken word is unpaid (Lang & Hyde ,2013). The consumer's reaction to the word of mouth depends on his personal experience, and ability to form service expectations (Davis & Jones, 1979). ...
The Impact of Eco-gamification on Sustainable Tourist Behaviour: The Mediating Role of Word of Mouth
Article
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  • Oct 2024
This study aims to measure the impact of eco-gamification on sustainable tourist behaviour. Gamification is considered one of the modern and innovative trends in the field of information technology. An integrative model was developed to explore the impact of eco-gamification on sustainable tourist behaviour, through the mediating role of word of mouth. Using Warp pls 7, data collected from 344 Arab and foreign tourists who visited Egypt were analyzed. The study found that there is a direct relationship between eco-gamification and sustainable tourist behaviour. The results also showed that the word of mouth partially mediated the relationship between eco-gamification and the sustainability of tourist behaviour. Moreover, the study provided a set of recommendations for decision-makers in the tourist destinations and for experts in the technology field to design specific visual environmental games including information about the tourist destinations. They can help in maintaining sustainable development through influencing tourists' behaviour, as well as attracting tourists via using the gamification system. Furthermore, attention should be paid to the users' word of mouth regarding the environmental games because it has a major role in conveying their positive experience to others, which works to shape sustainable behaviour.
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... Free trials prompt consumers to write reviews, which impact future sales (Matute et al., 2016;Wang et al., 2023). Positive reviews assist consumers' decision-making processes and enhance perceived value of the products/services (Foubert and Gijsbrechts, 2016), accelerating the likelihood of positive online eWOM (Lang and Hyde, 2013;Amed et al., 2019). Similarly, positive online peerreviews in the post-purchase stage encourage positive eWOM (Barreda et al., 2015). ...
Young consumers' online experiential consumption behavior of foreign contemporary music: generational and gender differences in the refined stimulus-organism-response theory
Article
  • Aug 2024
  • Asia Pac J Market Logist
Purpose This study aims to examine the younger generations’ experiential consumption of foreign contemporary music online (i.e. digital music streaming services) by generation and gender in the US market. Design/methodology/approach The author proposes a sequential experiential consumption model by applying Jacoby’s refined stimulus-organism-response (S-O-R) theory to better understand the experiential sequences in foreign music consumption among young generations in the US market. The proposed model, using structural equation modeling (SEM), examines a cognitive permeable role and a hierarchical affective mediating role. Also, moderating roles of generation and gender are simultaneously tested in overall and specific causal relationships. Findings The refined S-O-R framework is superior to a linear one in better understanding young consumers’ online experiential foreign music consumption behavior. Moreover, hierarchical sequenced affective organismic behavior is crucial to enhance young consumers’ online music consumption experiences to regulate subsequent behavioral responses. Furthermore, gender differences but no generational differences exist in the experiential consumption process among young consumers. Nevertheless, the strength of S-O-R factors affecting experiential consumption seems idiosyncratic simultaneously in gender and generation. Practical implications The study suggests foreign music streaming services boost profitability by focusing on young consumers' psychological ownership and tailored experiences, encouraging a shift from freemium to premium subscriptions. Also, the findings recommend adopting phygital experiences using technologies like AR, VR and MR to enhance engagement and create unique, emotionally resonant experiences for young consumers, thus fostering a more profitable business model. Originality/value The authors address under-researched topics relevant to young generations by applying Jacoby’s refined S-O-R framework to foreign music consumption through online streaming. This approach delves into a lesser-explored consumer behavior framework, highlighting young generations’ musical trends. The model reveals cognitive and affective roles, offering advantages over traditional linear S-O-R models. It also uniquely incorporates the moderating effects of generation and gender in music consumption studies, addressing a gap in music-related studies.
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... The collaborative distribution specifically involves collaboration within the GP team, where GPs work in coordination with community nurses, public health physicians, rehabilitation therapists, and others to deliver high-quality services [21], operationalized in this study through Income Distribution Ratio (IDR), which allocates income based on the services provided and costs incurred by members of the GP team. Word-of-mouth is the communication between non-commercial communicators and receivers regarding brands, products, or services, considered a powerful force in shaping consumer behavior, with customer trust and satisfaction significantly influencing word-of-mouth communication [76]. In this study, the intervening factors for promoting the adoption from word-of-mouth primarily stem from improvements in service quality on the supply side and the increased attractiveness of GPSP on the demand side. ...
Does a GP service package matter in addressing the absence of health management by the occupational population? A modelling study
Article
Full-text available
  • May 2024
  • BMC HEALTH SERV RES
Objective To assess the influence of supply and demand factors on the contract behavior of occupational populations with general practitioner (GP) teams. Methods We employed a system dynamics approach to assess and predict the effect of the general practitioner service package (GPSP) and complementary incentive policies on the contract rate for 2015–2030. First, the GPSP is designed to address the unique needs of occupational populations, enhancing the attractiveness of GP contracting services, including three personalized service contents tailored to demand-side considerations: work-related disease prevention (WDP), health education & counseling (HEC), and health-care service (HCS). Second, the complementary incentive policies on the supply-side included income incentives (II), job title promotion (JTP), and education & training (ET). Considering the team collaboration, the income distribution ratio (IDR) was also incorporated into supply-side factors. Findings The contract rate is predicted to increase to 57.8% by 2030 after the GPSP intervention, representing a 15.4% increase on the non-intervention scenario. WDP and HEC have a slightly higher (by 2%) impact on the contract rate than that from HCS. Regarding the supply-side policies, II have a more significant impact on the contract rate than JTP and ET by 3–5%. The maximum predicted contract rate of 75.2% is expected by 2030 when the IDR is 0.5, i.e., the GP receives 50% of the contract income and other members share 50%. Conclusion The GP service package favorably increased the contract rate among occupational population, particularly after integrating the incentive policies. Specifically, for a given demand level, the targeted content of the package enhanced the attractiveness of contract services. On the supply side, the incentive policies boost GPs’ motivation, and the income distribution motivated other team members.
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... Word-of-mouth marketing (WOM marketing, also called word of mouth advertising) differs from naturally occurring word of mouth, in that it is actively influenced or encouraged by organisations. Whilst it is difficult to truly control WOM, research [25] has shown that there are three generic avenues to 'manage' WOM for the purpose of WOM marketing: (1) a strong WOM foundation (sufficient levels of satisfaction, trust and commitment); ...
Quality Determinants of Client Satisfaction: A Case Study of ACE – Australian Consulting Engineers, Sydney, Australia
Chapter
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  • Mar 2024
The construction industry is one of Australia’s fastest growing industries and its success is a result of a firm’s client satisfaction with focus on product determinants such as price and quality. Ensuring quality at every phase is a must and building rapport with the client will go a long way. To capitalise on the growing demand for Engineering Consulting Firms (ECFs), we should “redefine the bottom line by allowing client satisfaction, high-quality standards, and profits to be the top priorities”. Consequently, the emphasis should be on improving employee skills through various training provisions. Clients seek consistency and thus expect that all services should be similar in respect to quality and the ability to meet their needs. This calls for empowerment and comfortable work conditions to motivate employees and give them incentive to deliver quality and excellent output. The methodology utilised is triangulation-a combination of both quantitative and qualitative research. The case study-ACE was established in 1995 and has operations throughout Australia, the Philippines, Europe, U.A.E., K.S.A., and Lebanon. ACE is affiliated with key agencies and support organisations in the engineering industry with ISO certifications in Safety and Quality Management. The objective of this study is significant as it sheds light on employee motivation and client satisfaction as imperative determinants of the success of an organisation.
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... High positive WOM intensity sends clear and positive signals to customers. It increases customer loyalty and repurchases (Lang & Hyde, 2013). High negative WOM intensity also sends clear and negative signals to customers. ...
The Relationship Between Individual Customer Satisfaction and Loyalty: The Moderating Role of Firm-Level Signals
Article
Full-text available
  • Dec 2023
Although the moderators between customer-level satisfaction and loyalty have been a significant area of study within the field of marketing, scant research examines how firm-level signals may amplify the relationship. This study integrates signaling and social influence theories to gain a better understanding of how firm-level customer satisfaction, WOM intensity, and brand portfolios may serve as signals to affect the relationship between customer-level satisfaction and loyalty. We collected six-year longitudinal data from 125 firms in China and analyzed data using Hierarchical Linear Modeling (HLM) and floodlight moderation analyses. The results reveal that firm-level customer satisfaction magnitude and noise both positively moderate the customer-level satisfaction-loyalty relationship. We also find that negative WOM intensity weakens customer-level satisfaction and loyalty relationship, but only for firms using house-of-brands. These findings establish useful theoretical insights and managerial implications for customer retention.
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The Relationship between E-Service Quality on Satisfaction And Trust, and its Implications Related to Word of Mouth and Loyalty of E-Commerce Consumers in Indonesia
Article
Full-text available
  • Feb 2025
Electronic Commerce (E-Commerce) is a strategy that can be implemented to achieve business targets and goals. The increasingly developing digital era means that various aspects also have the potential to utilize technology in various lines. The various platforms, applications and digital features used can add value to company performance, because these platforms can help optimize business performance and strategy. The use of digital technology applies not only to manufacturing companies but also to service companies. Service is an important indicator of consumer satisfaction. Good service, quick response, willingness to accept feedback and criticism are advantages for the company. Because if consumers are satisfied with the services provided, it will also have a positive influence on the company. Apart from increasing satisfaction, good service will also increase consumer trust in the company. Associated with the digital era, service quality includes the e-service quality category. Nowadays, many services using digital media have been implemented considering the convenience and time efficiency. Quality service will also influence word of mouth and consumer loyalty. If consumers are satisfied with the service they receive, they will tell family and friends about this, which will indirectly increase promotion and branding. Then, satisfied consumers will also increase loyalty by making repeat purchases, thereby increasing engagement and company performance. Based on the results of data processing using the SEM method and the TAM model, a positive influence between variables was obtained.
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Pengaruh Celebrity Endorser Dan Word of Mouth Terhadap Keputusan Pembelian Produk Sweater Online Shop Alco Di Media Sosial Instagram
Article
Full-text available
  • Oct 2017
Alco is a small and medium businesses producing knit sweaters. Alco admitted about an increase in sales after endorsement to celebrity endorser. But there is a decline in sales in the mid 2016 even Alco been using celebrity endorser. From the initial survey results that the researcher conducted to prove recognition of Alco, these survey results showed that respondents knew Alco online shop and make a purchase decision from celebrity endorser, word of mouth, and explore Instagram. Inside Instagram, in addition to celebrity endorser that can affect a person's buying decision contained in a photo caption in the social media Instagram. And from the caption can be said as a word of mouth expressed by consumers an online shop on Instagram. explore Instagram is a feature from Instagram Thus, this study uses independent variable celebrity endorser and word of mouth. This study was conducted to know the influence of celebrity endorser and word of mouth partially and simultaneously on the purchase decision of sweater in an online shop Alco in social media Instagram. The type of research used is descriptive and causal research with the method used is quantitative. This study was involving 100 respondents of Alco consumers in social media Instagram. The sampling technique was using a non-probability sampling type of incidental sampling. This study uses multiple regression analysis technique. The results showed that simultaneously celebrity endorser and word of mouth are significantly influencing purchase decisions. Partially celebrity endorser and word of mouth are significantly influencing purchase decisions.
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The Impact of Word-of-Mouth Communication on Consumer Choices and Satisfaction: An Empirical Study of Students’ Perspective
Article
Full-text available
  • Jul 2024
With the number of existing studies and the contradiction of their conclusions about the word-of-mouth (WOM) phenomenon, there is a need to develop an all-embracing model capable of integrating prior findings and identifying future postulates. Therefore, this study explores the impact of WOM communication on students’ choice of university and satisfaction. The following work discusses the effect of WOM on students’ decision-making in the context of the likelihood elaboration model (ELM). Data was collected from the general population of 160000 students from different Georgia universities. We utilised deductive reasoning and quantitative and qualitative strategies such as focus groups followed by larger-scale surveys. We found that students are more inclined to choose the university when they are sure about WOM message source credibility and the quality of the message being transmitted. On the contrary, the mentioned WOM features do not persuade them to form a strong reputation for the university.
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