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User-generated content behaviour of the dissatisfied service customer

Caterina Presi (Leeds University Business School, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK)
Charalampos Saridakis (Leeds University Business School, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK)
Susanna Hartmans (Leeds University Business School, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK)

European Journal of Marketing

ISSN: 0309-0566

Article publication date: 2 September 2014

5664

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to focus on the motivation of service customers to create user-generated content (UGC) after a negative service experience. In examining this relationship, the moderating role of “extraversion” personality trait is also taken into consideration. Furthermore, the paper examines how differently motivated service customers react to a firm’s service recovery strategies, whilst insights into the relationship between UGC creation and specific online platform usage are also provided.

Design/methodology/approach

Structural Equation Modeling is used to test the conceptual model, based on an empirical dataset collected from an online survey research of 239 service customers. The dataset pertains to international travellers and their UGC behaviour after a negative travel experience.

Findings

Altruistic, vengeance and economic motivations are strong drivers for UGC creation after a negative service experience. Motivations also correlate to participation in specific online platforms. Furthermore, it is shown that highly extraverted customers create more UGC after a negative service experience when motivated by vengeance. Finally, higher levels of altruistic and self-enhancement motivations correlate with a positive attitude towards a firm’s response, whereas customers who are motivated by vengeance have a negative attitude towards a firm’s response.

Practical implications

Customers who share their negative service experience by creating UGC in social media can be segmented according to their motivation. Service providers should inspect the UGC of their customers to understand the motivation behind it. The motivation to create UGC varies across platforms, and hence, customized service recovery strategies are required.

Originality/value

This paper examines UGC creation in relation to motivation, extraversion, and attitude towards a firm’s response. This is the first reported application which collectively examines important issues like these in a unified theoretical framework.

Keywords

Citation

Presi, C., Saridakis, C. and Hartmans, S. (2014), "User-generated content behaviour of the dissatisfied service customer", European Journal of Marketing, Vol. 48 No. 9/10, pp. 1600-1625. https://doi.org/10.1108/EJM-07-2012-0400

Publisher

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Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2014, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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