Buying and Post Purchase dissatisfaction

                                  

     After a long day of working I began to realize that a biological need[1] had become aroused[2], hunger. When deciding where to get something to eat, a determining factor was time. These temporal influences[3] ultimately pushed me towards a to go order from Chili's Bar and Grill. I quickly found the company’s number on my phone, called, placed my order, and within ten minutes I had my lunch and was headed back to my house. As I got home and sat at my kitchen table ready to finally eat my lunch, I noticed the order was wrong, in fact it was missing half of the food. I was really surprised by this because I had ordered various to go orders from this location and they have always been exceptional. So based on my expectancy disconfirmation model[4] I was really disappointed. After a twenty minute drive from the restaurant to my home, I really did not want to drive all the way back, so I decided to act on my dissatisfaction[5] through a voice response[6] to the restaurant.

            During my voice response to the restaurant I remained calm and simply explained the situation, asking if there was a way to credit my card for the amount of food missing. They referred my call to their store manager, Steve who was very nice and understanding. I re described the situation to him, and he gave me a few options. The first option was that I could come back to Chiles and pick up the food they forgot to add to my order, or  he could send me coupons in the mail. I was happy with his helpfulness and compliance, and I decided that the coupons sounded great to me. Steve asked my name and address and I received the coupons in my mailbox, within a week. By the time I received them I had actually forgotten all about the mishap, but was pleasantly surprised as to what I found inside. Steve had written me a letter apologizing for the mistake and enclosed fifteen dollars worth of coupons (with no expiration or usage policies), which was actually more than what I paid originally. In their response to my complaint, they far exceeded my expectations, and increased their store image[7] in my perspective.

            To conclude, my overall satisfaction (on a scale of 1 to 7 where 1 is extremely dissatisfied and 7 is extremely satisfied) is a 7. The likelihood of me going back to this firm on the same scale as stated above is a 7, and the likelihood of me recommending this firm is a 7. Chili's far exceeded my expectations with their response to my dissatisfaction with my order. This exemplifies a company with great customer service that truly values their patrons.

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[1] A need that is fundamental, like food, water, or shelter.

[2]  This is when a consumer first recognizes a need.

[3]  These are time factors that affect purchasing decisions.

[4]  We form beliefs about product performance based on prior experience with the product or communications about the product that imply a certain level of quality.

[5]  When quality satisfactions are not met, consumers act on their dissatisfaction through Voice, Private, and Third-Party responses.

[6]  This is when a consumer appeals to a retailer directly.

[7] The personality of the store.

Desision Making

     While on vacation for Spring break, I planned a trip to Florida to visit my sister, and her new home. During the actual vacation we decided to dedicate a day to shopping. Forty minutes north of her home is a town called Ellenton. Ellenton contains a number of high-end designer premium outlets. While shopping through these outlets (containing 50+ stores) we decided to stop at the Juicy Couture store. While browsing through the boutique, I found my one weakness, a new purse. While a purse is not an actual need[1] I was able to use my rationalization perspective[2] to justify the purchase, as an opportunity need[3]. Since the purse was relatively pricey (even on sale) I used an extensive problem-solving[4] tactic for my buying decision behavior[5].

         The first step in my decision making process was problem recognition[6]. I noticed a difference between my actual and ideal states, and tried to figure out which was more important. I decided that I really loved the purse and that every-time I wore it I would remember my sister and our fun vacation. Therefore, through my opportunity recognition, my ideal state moved forward. My second and third step worked with one another. My second step was a thorough Information Search[7]. I conducted my information search online by looking at different websites on my Iphone, to see if I could find the exact purse for a lower price, the search deemed unsuccessful. I then conducted an external search to evaluate alternatives (step 3) and went to other stores around the complex. My third attempt’s purpose was to find a comparable product for a more affordable price, but again no results. My last and final step was the ultimate product choice; I ended up purchasing the purse with a matching wallet, and was able to save three hundred dollars by putting my decision-making skills to work.

         Concluding, my overall satisfaction with the product (on a scale from 1 to 7 where 1 is extremely dissatisfied and 7 is extremely is satisfied) is a 7. On the same scale as stated above, my likelihood of going back to this firm is a 7, and my likelihood of recommending this product is a 7.

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[1] A biological Ex- need, food, water, shelter

[2]  A type of logic associated with a consumer that they use to justify purchase decisions

[3]  Certain circumstance occur to help meet a specific need

[4]  This type of problem solving takes more thought/decision processing. Usually used for expensive purchases or brands that you make not know too much about.

[5]  This is the behavior (routine response, limited problem solving, or extensive problem solving) that we use to make a final decision.

[6] When consumers see differences between current and ideal state.

[7] The process by which we survey the environment for appropriate data to make a reasonable decision

Attitudes

    

                                 The Liquid Plumber

                                      

 

     Liquid Plumber Double Impact Snake and Gel system is an affordable and suitable alternative to hiring a plumber. At a price of around twelve dollars, compared to varying labor prices of an actual plumber ($50.00+), Liquid Plumber seems like the better choice. Liquid Plumber is essentially used to unclog drains through the use of a 23” deep-reaching tool to dislodge the clog and a powerful gel to flush the rest away. The product in itself seems easy enough to use, and one that I would prefer to use over hiring a professional. Although, after watching their newest commercial, my attitude[1] toward the attitude object[2] has drastically changed. When watching the commercial, I felt a major

Disconnect between the product and the Value-expressive function[3] of my attitude.

            I felt that the commercial was heavily sexual, and inappropriate to be broadcasting on standard television channels during daytime TV. As of now, the commercial has been banned and can only be seen online, which is a much more appropriate setting for it’s explicit innuendos and content. It seems that Liquid Plumber was trying to create a viral advertising campaign (which they did, with over 1M views) but I feel it has tainted their brand/product image. During the ad I was not focused on the product or its uses but rather on the content of what I was viewing. The commercial gave no factual information about their product or product line, and essentially made a mockery out of the product they were trying to advertise. Overall my affect[4], behavior[5], and cognition[6] were tainted after watching the advertisement.

            Overall the message had a negative affect[7] on my attitude toward the product and the brand, through lack of factual/functional information, inappropriate content, and humorous appeals[8]. On a scale of 1 to 7 (where 1 is extremely dissatisfied and 7 is Extremely satisfied) my satisfaction with the product is a 2. On the same scale as stated above I would rate my likelihood of going back to this firm a 5, and my likelihood of recommending this product is a 1. It is crucial for a brand to evoke trust and morality in their consumers, while still staying true to the brand. Liquid plumber failed at this attempt, they went for cheap laughs and have ultimately damaged the integrity of their brand.  

           

           

           

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[1] A lasting, general evaluation of people, objects, advertisements, or issues.

[2] Anything toward which one has an attitude

[3] Expresses consumer’s values or self-concept

[4]  The way a consumer feels about an attitude object.

[5] Person’s intentions to do something with regard to an attitude object.

[6] Beliefs a consumer has about an attitude object.

[7] Undesirable feelings towards a product/brand due to their positioning

[8] A marketer’s use of humor to appeal to customers within their advertisements.