Customer Deviance Flashcards
(12 cards)
What is Dysfunctional Customer Behaviour (DCB)?
Actions by customers who intentionally or unintentionally, overtly or covertly, disrupt otherwise functional service (Harris & Reynolds 2003)
What is a Jaycustomer?
A customer who acts thoughtlessly or abusively, causing problems for the firm, employees and other customers (Lovelock et al 2009)
Define Moral Licensing in consumer behaviour.
The phenomenon where people allow themselves to behave immorally after having previously acted morally (e.g. “I am a good person, so stealing a little is okay”).
List the 8 forms of Dysfunctional Customer Behaviour
- Compensation Letter Writers
- Undesirable Customers
- Property Abusers
- Service Workers (Insider Exploit)
- Verbal Abusers
- Vindictive Customers
- Physical Abusers
- Sexual Predators
What are the main motivations for Dysfunctional Customer Behaviour?
Financial Gain (e.g. theft)
Non-financial Gain (e.g. ego, thrill, group belonging)
What are the three main drivers of Dysfunctional Customer Behaviour (Reynolds & Harris 2009)
- Personality Traits (e.g. Machiavellianism, aggression)
- Service Dissatisfaction (percieved inequity)
- Servicescape (poor environment design)
What are the consequences of Dysfunctional Customer Behaviour for employees?
Long-term psychological harm
Short-term emotional effects
Behavioural consequences (e.g. revenge, teamwork)
Physical harm
How does Dysfunctional Customer Behaviour affect fellow customers?
Domino effect (contagious deviant behaviour)
Spoilt consumption experience, reduced loyalty
What are the organisational consequences of customer deviance?
Indirect: Increased workload, turnover, loyalty loss
Direct: Financial losses, legal costs, reputation damage
Give 3 managerial responses to reduce Dysfunctional Customer Behaviour
Feedback systems & real-time complaint resolution
Servicescape optimisation (layout, atmosphere)
Staff training for conflict management & resilience
What is the significance of the British Airways Case Study in customer deviance?
It highlights real-world impacts of customer abuse on staff morale and turnover, prompting the need for proactive managerial interventions.
What is the critique of traditional marketing thought regarding customer behaviour?
It assumes customers are always moral, functional, and dissatisfaction is unintentional, ignoring deviant and unethical behaviours
