Understanding Customer Behavior Flashcards

A customer who repeatedly purchases the same brand regardless of competitors' promotions is demonstrating which type of loyalty?

Answer: True loyalty

True loyalty reflects both a high relative attitude toward a brand and repeated patronage behavior, even when alternatives are available.

Which psychological concept explains why customers who receive a free sample are more likely to make a purchase?

Answer: Reciprocity principle

The reciprocity principle states that people feel obligated to return a favor, making free samples a powerful driver of purchase behavior.

A customer complains loudly in a store but does not contact the company directly. This behavior is best classified as:

Answer: Third-party response

Third-party response involves complaining to other people or public forums rather than directly to the company.

What term describes the gap between what a customer expects and what they actually experience?

Answer: Expectation disconfirmation

Expectation disconfirmation theory holds that satisfaction results from the comparison between expectations and actual performance.

A customer who switches providers after a single bad experience is most likely driven by:

Answer: Low switching costs and unmet expectations

Customers with low switching costs and unmet expectations are most vulnerable to defection after a negative service encounter.

Which customer segment is most likely to spread negative word-of-mouth after a poor service experience?

Answer: Detractors

Detractors, scoring 0–6 on the Net Promoter Scale, are unhappy customers who are most likely to share negative experiences with others.

When a customer exaggerates a problem to gain a larger resolution, this is an example of:

Answer: Opportunistic complaint behavior

Opportunistic complaint behavior occurs when customers exploit the complaint process to receive compensation beyond what the situation warrants.