The Marketing Effect of Loyalty Program on Relational Market Behavior : Focusing in Franchise Membership Fitness Club

로열티 프로그램이 고객 참여와 소비자-브랜드 관계에 기초한 관계형 시장 행동에 미치는 영향 : 프랜차이즈 회원제 휘트니스클럽을 대상으로

  • 윤경구 (경희대학교 경영대학) ;
  • 신건철 (경희대학교 경영대학/경희대학교 경영연구원 센터)
  • Received : 2011.12.09
  • Accepted : 2012.04.01
  • Published : 2012.04.30

Abstract

I. Introduction : The purpose of this study is to test empirically hypothetical causality among constructs used in previous studies to build the model of relational market behavior on customers' participation and consumer-brand relationship after introducing theories of relationship marketing, loyalty program, consumer-brand relationship, customers' participation in service marketing as previous studies with regard to relational market behavior, which Bagozzi(1995) and Peterson(1995) commented on constructs and definition suggested by Sheth and Parvatiyar (1995). For this purpose, loyalty program by the service provider, customers' participation and consumer-brand relationship as preceding variables explain relational market behavior defined by Sheth and Parvatiyar(1995). This study proposes that loyalty program as a tool of relationship marketing will be effective in that consumers' participation in marketing relationship results in a narrow range of choice(Sheth and Parvatiyar, 1995) because consumers think that their participation motive result in benefits(Peterson, 1995). Also, it is proposed that the quality of consumer-brand relationship explain the performance of relationship as well as the intermediary effect because the loyalty program could be evaluated based on relationship with customers. We reviewed the variables with regard to performance of relationship based on relation maintain in marketing literature, and then tested our hypotheses related to several performance variables including loyalty and intention of relation maintain based on the previous studies and constructs(Bendapudi and Berry, 1997 ; Bettencourt, 1997 ; Palmatier, Dant, Grewal and Evans, 2006 ; You Jae Yi and Soo Jin Lee, 2006). II. Study Model : Analyses about hypothetical causality were proceeded. The marketing effect of loyalty program on relational market behavior was empirically tested in study regarding a service provider. The research model in according to the path hypotheses (loyalty program ${\rightarrow}$ customers' participation ${\rightarrow}$ consumer-brand relationship ${\rightarrow}$ relational market behavior and loyalty program ${\rightarrow}$ consumer-brand relationship, and loyalty program ${\rightarrow}$ relational market behavior and customers' participation ${\rightarrow}$ consumer-brand relationship, and customers' participation ${\rightarrow}$ relational market behavior) proceeded as an activity for customer relation management was suggested. The main purpose of study is to see if relational market behavior could be brought as a result of developing relationship between consumers and a corporate into being stronger and more valuable when a corporate or a service provider try aggressively to build the relationship with customers (Bettencourt, 1997; Palmatier, Dant, Grewal and Evans, 2006; Sheth and Parvatiyar, 1995). III. Conclusion : The results of research into the membership fitness club, one of service areas with high level of customer participation (Bitner, Faranda, Hubbert and Zeithaml, 1997; Chase, 1978; Kelley, Donnelly, Jr. and Skinner, 1990) are as follows: First, causalities in according to path hypotheses were tested, after the preceding variables affecting relational market behavior and conceptual frame were suggested. In study, all hypotheses were supported as expected. This result confirms the proposition suggested by Sheth and Parvatiyar(1995), who claimed that intention of consumer and corporate to participate in marketing relationship brings high level of marketing productivity. Also, as a corporate or a service provider try aggressively to build relationship with customers, the relationship between consumers and a corporate can be developed into stronger and more valuable one (Bettencourt, 1997; Palmatier, Dant, Grewal and Evans, 2006). This finding supports the logic of relationship marketing. Second, because the question regarding the path hypothesis of consumer-brand relationship ${\rightarrow}$ relational market behavior are still at issue, the further analyses were conducted. In particular, there existed the mediating effects of consumer-brand relationship toward relational market behavior. Also, multiple regressions were conducted to see if which one strongly influences relational market behavior among specific question items with regard to consumer-brand relationship. As a result, the influence between items composing consumer-brand relationship and ones composing relational market behavior was different. Among items composing consumer-brand relationship, intimacy was an influence of sustaining relationship, word of mouth, and recommendation, intimacy and interdependence were influences of loyalty, intimacy and self-connection were influences of tolerance and advice. Notably, commitment among items measuring consumer-brand relationship had the negative influence with relational market behavior. This means that bringing relational market behavior is not consumer-brand relationship without personal commitment, but effort to build customer relationship like intimacy, interdependence, and self-connection. This finding confirms the results of Breivik and Thorbjornsen(2008). They reported that six variables composing the quality of consumer-brand relationship have higher explanation in regression model directly affecting performance of consumer-brand relationship. As a result of empirical analysis, among the constructs with regard to consumer-brand relationship, intimacy(B=0.512), interdependence(B=0.196), and quality of partner(B=0.153) had the effects on relation maintain. On the contrary, self-connection, love and passion, and commitment had little effect and did not show the statistical significance(p<0.05). On the other hand, intimacy(B=0.668) and interdependence(B=0.181) had the high regression estimates on word of mouth and recommendation. Regarding the effect on loyalty, explanation level of the model was high(R2=0.515), intimacy(0.538), interdependence(0.223), and quality of partner(0.177) showed the statistical significance(p<0.05). Furthermore, intimacy(0.441) had the strong effect as well as self-connection(0.201) and interdependence (0.163) had the effect on tolerance and forgive. And these three variables showed effects even on advice and suggestion, intimacy(0.373), self-connection(0.270), interdependence (0.155) respectively. Third, in study with regard to the positive effect(loyalty program ${\rightarrow}$ customers' participation, loyalty program ${\rightarrow}$ consumer-brand relationship, loyalty program ${\rightarrow}$ relational market behavior, customers' participation ${\rightarrow}$ consumer-brand relationship, customers' participation ${\rightarrow}$ relational market behavior, consumer-brand relationship ${\rightarrow}$ relational market behavior), the path hypothesis of customers' participation ${\rightarrow}$ consumer-brand relationship, was supported. The fact that path hypothesis of customers' participation ${\rightarrow}$ consumer-brand relationship was supported confirms assertion by Bitner(1995), Fournier(1994), Sheth and Parvatiyar(1995) about consumer relationship to participate in marketing relationship.

본 연구는 Sheth and Parvatiyar(1995)가 제시한 관계형 시장 행동의 가정과 정의에 대한 Bagozzi(1995), Peterson(1995)의 논평에 기초해 관계 마케팅 방식으로서 로열티 프로그램이 고객 참여와 소비자-브랜드 관계에 기초한 관계형 시장 행동에 미치는 영향을 실증해 보았다. 다음과 같이 연구 결과와 시사점을 정리한다. 첫째, 로열티 프로그램의 관계적 성과를 검증한 결과, 로열티 프로그램이 고객의 참여, 소비자-브랜드 관계, 관계형 시장 행동에 미치는 긍정적 효과를 실증하였다. 선행 연구에서의 주장과 일치하는 이러한 결과는 소비자와 기업이 마케팅 관계에 참여하려는 의지와 능력은 더 높은 마케팅 생산성을 낳는다는 Sheth and Parvatiyar(1995)의 제안 명제를 확인시켜 주고 있다. 둘째, 소비자-브랜드 관계의 매개효과 그리고 소비자-브랜드 관계의 구성 변수와 관계형 시장 행동의 구성 변수간 영향을 미치는 개별적인 인과 관계에 대해 일관된 결과를 보이지 않고 있다는 주장(Palmatier, Dant, Grewal and Evans, 2006)에 따라 다중 회귀분석으로 추가 분석을 실시한 결과, 소비자-브랜드 관계의 질적 특성을 이루는 여섯 개 항목들이 개별적으로 관계형 시장 행동에 영향을 미치는 회귀 모델의 설명력이 더 높다는 Breivik and Thorbjornsen(2008)의 연구결과를 지지하는 결과를 얻었다. 셋째, 고객의 참여를 활성화시킬 때 소비자-브랜드 관계 및 관계형 시장 행동이라는 관계 성과가 나타난다는 시사점을 제시하였다. 이는 관계 마케팅 활동과 고객 참여를 증가시키려는 노력이 소비자와의 관계 유지와 성과에 중요하다는 선행 연구의 주장 (Bitner, 1995, Fournier, 1994 ; Sheth and Parvatiyar, 1995)에서 뒷받침된다.

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