Nas empresas prestadoras de serviços, a manutenção e a ampliação das trocas relacionais reforçam a retenção de clientes como sendo um diferencial perante a concorrência. Para as empresas se habilitarem a adotar estratégias de retenção de clientes, é fundamental que conheçam o processo pelo qual seu cliente passa nos encontros de serviços, identificando os diversos construtos que estimulam a conquista e a retenção de clientes. Para o desenvolvimento da pesquisa, foi realizado o desenvolvimento e a testagem de um Modelo Teórico contemplando os construtos Valor Percebido, Reputação do Provedor de Serviços, Confiança e Custos de Troca como determinantes da Retenção de Clientes, considerando suas respectivas hipóteses. Para tanto, foi realizado o levantamento teórico que aborda a Retenção de Clientes, bem como a compreensão e análise dos demais construtos que antecedem e que afetam estrategicamente a competitividade de um provedor de serviços. Posteriormente, foi efetuado um estudo quantitativo de caráter descritivo, por meio da implementação de uma survey. A análise dos resultados foi feita com base em estatísticas multivariadas, utilizando-se a Modelagem de Equações Estruturais para se observar e analisar os elementos que compõem o fenômeno em estudo. A amostra foi composta por 269 empresas-clientes dos planos de saúde coletivos empresariais da região de Caxias do Sul. Os resultados da pesquisa apontam que o Modelo Teórico Reespecificado apresentou índices de ajustes satisfatórios, considerando-se o seu ineditismo. Além disso, foi verificada a moderação do tempo de cliente, através da Regressão Hierárquica, sendo que esta não confirmou sua relação entre os custos de troca e a retenção de clientes. As contribuições de destaque são a comprovação que o valor percebido influencia positivamente a reputação do provedor de serviços; que a reputação do provedor de serviços impacta diretamente na confiança e nos custos de troca; que os custos de troca se configuram como determinates da retenção de clientes; e que a retenção de clientes é positivamente influenciada pela reputação no provedor de serviços em um contexto relacional. / Submitted by Marcelo Teixeira (mvteixeira@ucs.br) on 2014-04-28T13:19:39Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Tese Luciene Eberle.pdf: 4832211 bytes, checksum: 6bf56e4c416976c44ab4cdb24d33a44f (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2014-04-28T13:19:39Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Tese Luciene Eberle.pdf: 4832211 bytes, checksum: 6bf56e4c416976c44ab4cdb24d33a44f (MD5) / In service firms, the maintenance and expansion of relational exchanges strengthen customer retention as a differential among the competitors. In order to qualify companies to adopt strategies of customer retention, it is essential that they know the process by which their customer goes through in service encounters, identifying the various constructs that encourage achievement and customer retention. To develop this research, a Theoretical Model was developed and tested considering the following constructs: Perceived Value, Reputation of Service Provider, Reliability and Cost of Exchange, as antecedents of Customer Retention, considering their respective hypotheses. Posteriorly, it was conducted a descriptive study of the literature that makes an approach in Customer Retention, as well as the understanding and analysis of the constructs that precede and affect strategically the competitiveness of a service provider. Later, the study was continued using a descriptive quantitative research, by means of a survey. The analysis of the results was made using multivariate statistics, using the Structural Equation Modeling to observe and analyze the elements of the phenomenon under study. The sample consisted of 269 client companies of the business health plan groups in the region of Caxias do Sul. The results of the research show that the Theorical Re-Specified Model presented satisfactory values, yet considering being unedited. Furthermore, it was verified the moderation time of the clients, through Hierarchical Regression, and this did not confirmed the relationship between switching costs and customer retention. The most important contributions are related to the evidences that prove that the perceived value positively influences the reputation of the service provider; the reputation of the service provider direct impacton trust and cost changes; the costs of trade showed a huge positive influence on customer retention; furthermore, the customer retention is a relation that’s positively influenced by the service provider reputation, in a relational context.

This research investigates what rural villagers perceive as important and develops recommendations for improved electrification project implementation centring on user-perceived values (UPVs). UPVs capture more than the basic definition of value in the sense that they include benefits, concerns, feelings and underlying drivers that vary in importance and act as the main motivators in the lives of project beneficiaries as perceived at a given time. Low access to energy continues in rural sub-Saharan Africa despite significant investment by the development community. One fundamental reason is that energy infrastructure adoption remains low, as evidenced by the lack of project sustainability. To counter this, the challenge for energy project developers is to achieve sustainable long-term interventions through the creation of value for beneficiaries, rather than the traditional approach of focusing on short-term project outputs. The question of what is valuable to people in rural communities has historically not played into the design and diffusion of energy infrastructure development projects. This research drew on design and marketing approaches from the commercial sector to investigate the UPVs of rural Ugandans. To better understand the UPVs of rural villagers a new method, consisting of a UPV game and UPV framework, was developed. This method is suitable for capturing, understanding and mapping what rural populations perceive as important. Case study analyses were carried out in seven villages across rural Uganda. The case studies included the UPV game supplemented by non-energy-specific and energy-specific interviews with villagers. Additionally, interviews with experts were conducted to verify the UPV framework and to identify the gap between experts’ opinion and villagers’ perception of what is important. The research demonstrates the effectiveness of the UPV game in deducing the values of rural villagers. The findings demonstrate a disconnect in the ability to accurately capture and design projects which resonate with and respond to the UPVs of recipients of rural electrification projects. A comparison between the villagers’ statements and experts’ opinion regarding what is most valuable to rural communities reveals striking differences that point to a fundamental misunderstanding of rural community UPVs which are likely to be contributing to widespread electrification project failure.

Bakgrund När revisionsplikten avskaffades för mindre bolag under år 2010 gjordes detta med argument om att revisionen var en stor kostnad för de mindre bolagen, som ofta har mindre resurser. Efter avskaffandet gavs mindre bolag möjligheten att själva bestämma vilka ekonomiska tjänster som skulle köpas in. Något som beskrevs som en strukturell förändring inom branschen och som medförde ett ökat ansvar och ökade karriärmöjligheter inom professionen redovisningskonsulter. Men vad är anledningen till att redovisningskonsulter idag anlitas vid mindre bolag, som idag har valt bort revisorn? Syfte Syftet med studien är att utforska varför icke revisionspliktiga mindre bolag väljer att anlita en redovisningskonsult samt hur dessa mindre bolag upplever att redovisningskonsulten genererar värde till organisationen. Metod Studien har utförts genom en kvalitativ metod med ett deduktivt synsätt. Samtliga empiriska data utgörs av primärdata och har inhämtats genom semistrukturerade intervjuer. Slutsats Mindre bolag saknar ofta den kunskap och tid som krävs för att internt sköta bolagets ekonomi. Genom redovisningskonsulten sparas även tid och indirekt pengar, vilket gör att kärnverksamheten kan prioriteras. Vidare framkommer att det upplevda värdet är: förmedlad seriositet, trovärdighet och upplevd trygghet, vilka alla genereras av bolagets redovisningskonsult. / Introduction In 2010 the mandatory audit was abolished for smaller firms in Sweden with arguments that audit was a big expense for smaller firms, which often have less resources. After the abolition, smaller firms were given the opportunity to decide which financial services to hire. Something that was described as a structural change, which led to increased responsibility and career opportunities within the accountant consultants’ profession. But what is the reason why accounting consultants are hired by smaller firms who are exempt from mandatory audit? Purpose The purpose with this thesis is to explore why smaller firms, exempted from mandatory audit, choose to hire an accountant consultant and what value these smaller firms perceive that the accountant consultant brings to the organization. Method The study has been conducted through a qualitative method with a deductive approach. All empirical data consist of primary data obtained through semi-structured interviews. Conclusion Smaller firms often lack the knowledge and time required to internally manage the company´s finances. The accountant consultants also save time and indirect money for the smaller firms, which means that their core business can be prioritized. Furthermore, the following keyword appears: mediated seriousness, credibility and perceived safeness, all of which are generated by the company´s accountant consultant.

Made available in DSpace on 2010-04-20T20:51:31Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 3 119738.pdf.jpg: 16028 bytes, checksum: df14d20e7f66a77b0afee325aca99baf (MD5) 119738.pdf: 1536030 bytes, checksum: 9606f5ea1c5cb4c50f04e927597ed4a2 (MD5) 119738.pdf.txt: 349155 bytes, checksum: 53e4169f341f9ed7db790c9bd39f9c91 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2004-12-15T00:00:00Z / Empresas atuantes em mercados business to business estabelecem relacionamentos com seus parceiros de mercado, de forma a permitir a geração de valor para todos os participantes, sejam estes clientes, fornecedores ou intermediários. Deve-se considerar, porém, que para que estes relacionamentos interorganizacionais possam ser estabelecidos, é fundamental a existência da confiança e comprometimento entre as partes. Desta forma, sabendo que, assim como o valor, a confiança e comprometimento são elementos centrais para as relações entre empresas, a presente dissertação teve como propósito investigar o papel destes elementos para o valor percebido em relacionamentos entre canais de distribuição e seus fornecedores, sob o ponto de vista do canal. No estudo, considera-se que o valor é identificado a partir de uma análise entre benefícios e sacrifícios presentes em uma relação. Estes, juntamente com a confiança e o comprometimento, formam as variáveis de interesse na investigação de campo. Para tanto, o estudo fez uso de entrevistas em profundidade com informantes-chave em empresas canais de distribuição de produtos de Tecnologia da Informação na cidade de São Paulo, analisando de que forma os benefícios, sacrifícios, confiança e comprometimento no relacionamento interagem entre si e influenciam o valor percebido. Os resultados encontrados não possibilitaram o estabelecimento de relações precisas entre todas as variáveis investigadas: a confiança e o comprometimento foram vistos tanto como elementos que geram o valor como uma conseqüência deste; os benefícios foram associados diretamente ao valor; os sacrifícios, exceto pelos chamados gastos de Tempo, Esforço e Energia, não foram considerados como prejudiciais ao valor. Outros resultados são discutidos, como as inter-relações entre as variáveis investigadas. Também são apresentadas as limitações do estudo, sugestões para pesquisas futuras e implicações práticas e acadêmicas. / Companies operating in business-to-business markets develop relationships with their partners in order to generate value for all parties. For the development and effectiveness of these interorganizational relationships it is fundamental the existence of mutual trust and commitment. So, having established that along with value trust and commitment are central elements to relationships among companies, this dissertation has its objective in investigating the role of these elements to perceived value in relations between distribution channels and suppliers, from a distribution perspective. In this study, it is considered that value is identified by an analysis of benefits and sacrifices of the relationship. This, together with trust and commitment, compose the variables of interest in the field research. Data was collected conducting in depth interviews with key informants of companies distributing Information Technology’s products based in the city of São Paulo. The interviews analyzed the interaction among benefits, sacrifices, trust and commitment in the relationships and how they influenced perceived value. The results did not established precise relations between all the variables of the study: trust and commitment were seen as elements that either generate value or are a consequence of it; benefits were directly associated to value; sacrifices, except for costs of Time, Efforts and Energy, were not considered detrimental factors to the value of a relationship. Other findings are also discussed, as the inter-relations among variables of the study. Limitations of the research, suggestions for future research, managerial and academic implications have also been presented.

Abstract Bachelor Thesis in Business Administration. Bachelor of Science with Specialization in Marketing – Main Field of Study: Business Administration. School of Business and Economics at Linnaeus University, Course Code 2FE21E, 2018 Title: From Bags to Boxes: A Study of the Consumers Perception of Value in Online Fashion Retail Sales Authors: Nadine Bolm, Betty Hartigan Supervisor: Michaela Sandell Examiner: Åsa Devine Background: Online retail sales has been growing steadily since the late twentieth century. Fashion, as a segment of the online marketplace, is the largest market in cyberspace and as new companies are combined with old ones who want to establish a presence online, competition is stifling. As more companies offer fashion in the online world consumers behavior evolves with this new reality and customer-perceived value shifts as the consumers values in their transactions shifts. In order to gain and maintain a strong consumer base companies need to know what the variables are that make up customer-perceived value in hopes of affecting it. Purpose: The purpose of this research is to explain the relationship between values of utilitarian nature, those being; monetary savings, convenience, product variety, product information, and customer-perceived value in online fashion retail and to explain the relationship between values of hedonic nature, those being; adventure, gratification, best deal, idea, and customer-perceived value in online fashion retail. Methodology: The research conducted here was an explanatory study to determine how different independent variables related to a single dependent variable. The study was deductive in nature and used a quantitative approach. Independent variables were studied with the use of a convenience sample and self-reporting survey posted online. Statistical analysis was conducted with data collected from 142 valid responses and through the use of validity and reliability methods the data was determined statistically meaningful and valid to test the hypothesis as accepted or rejected.   Findings: The findings of this study show that a new theoretical model was needed to better demonstrate the direct connection between variables that consumers identified as valuable to them in online fashion shopping, had with consumer-perceived value. By examining data collected through online survey it was determined that of the 8 variables, seen as valuable by research into consumer perceived value, 4 would be accepted as such. These 4 variables would become the basis for a new model that explained how consumers develop customer-perceived value. Conclusion: The research explains the relationship the 8 variables selected by previous research for their effect on customer-perceived value. It also provides a model for future research activities or for development of marketing plans with exceptional efficiency and effectiveness in mind. In directly relating each variable to customer-perceived value on its own merit it was found that the variables respondents valued most were of the more practical or utilitarian in nature aside from one, adventure, which possessed the highest level of value of the 8 variables.     Keywords: Customer-perceived value; Utilitarian value; Hedonic value; Online retail; Online fashion retail; Ecommerce; Monetary savings; Convenience; Product variety; Product information; Adventure; Gratification; Best deal; Idea

Nas empresas prestadoras de serviços, a manutenção e a ampliação das trocas relacionais reforçam a retenção de clientes como sendo um diferencial perante a concorrência. Para as empresas se habilitarem a adotar estratégias de retenção de clientes, é fundamental que conheçam o processo pelo qual seu cliente passa nos encontros de serviços, identificando os diversos construtos que estimulam a conquista e a retenção de clientes. Para o desenvolvimento da pesquisa, foi realizado o desenvolvimento e a testagem de um Modelo Teórico contemplando os construtos Valor Percebido, Reputação do Provedor de Serviços, Confiança e Custos de Troca como determinantes da Retenção de Clientes, considerando suas respectivas hipóteses. Para tanto, foi realizado o levantamento teórico que aborda a Retenção de Clientes, bem como a compreensão e análise dos demais construtos que antecedem e que afetam estrategicamente a competitividade de um provedor de serviços. Posteriormente, foi efetuado um estudo quantitativo de caráter descritivo, por meio da implementação de uma survey. A análise dos resultados foi feita com base em estatísticas multivariadas, utilizando-se a Modelagem de Equações Estruturais para se observar e analisar os elementos que compõem o fenômeno em estudo. A amostra foi composta por 269 empresas-clientes dos planos de saúde coletivos empresariais da região de Caxias do Sul. Os resultados da pesquisa apontam que o Modelo Teórico Reespecificado apresentou índices de ajustes satisfatórios, considerando-se o seu ineditismo. Além disso, foi verificada a moderação do tempo de cliente, através da Regressão Hierárquica, sendo que esta não confirmou sua relação entre os custos de troca e a retenção de clientes. As contribuições de destaque são a comprovação que o valor percebido influencia positivamente a reputação do provedor de serviços; que a reputação do provedor de serviços impacta diretamente na confiança e nos custos de troca; que os custos de troca se configuram como determinates da retenção de clientes; e que a retenção de clientes é positivamente influenciada pela reputação no provedor de serviços em um contexto relacional. / In service firms, the maintenance and expansion of relational exchanges strengthen customer retention as a differential among the competitors. In order to qualify companies to adopt strategies of customer retention, it is essential that they know the process by which their customer goes through in service encounters, identifying the various constructs that encourage achievement and customer retention. To develop this research, a Theoretical Model was developed and tested considering the following constructs: Perceived Value, Reputation of Service Provider, Reliability and Cost of Exchange, as antecedents of Customer Retention, considering their respective hypotheses. Posteriorly, it was conducted a descriptive study of the literature that makes an approach in Customer Retention, as well as the understanding and analysis of the constructs that precede and affect strategically the competitiveness of a service provider. Later, the study was continued using a descriptive quantitative research, by means of a survey. The analysis of the results was made using multivariate statistics, using the Structural Equation Modeling to observe and analyze the elements of the phenomenon under study. The sample consisted of 269 client companies of the business health plan groups in the region of Caxias do Sul. The results of the research show that the Theorical Re-Specified Model presented satisfactory values, yet considering being unedited. Furthermore, it was verified the moderation time of the clients, through Hierarchical Regression, and this did not confirmed the relationship between switching costs and customer retention. The most important contributions are related to the evidences that prove that the perceived value positively influences the reputation of the service provider; the reputation of the service provider direct impacton trust and cost changes; the costs of trade showed a huge positive influence on customer retention; furthermore, the customer retention is a relation that’s positively influenced by the service provider reputation, in a relational context.

The present work examines a model of Sirdeshmukh et al. capable of indicating how to build consumerÂs loyalty in an environment of great competitiveness. Delivering value and making actions that help it to be perceived by clients associated to having confidence in the service provider, enables to amplify the relation client-provider. The studied sector is the automobile industry in its most intimate context with the consumer, the distribution in the authorized car dealers. The method used in the reserch is the exploratory. The approach is the quantity and quality based case-study. The survey with 122 clients tries to observe how is the relation among the perceived value, the confidence, and the loyalty and whether this model, which was previously apllied in other sectors, would generate the same results. The first confirmation is confidenceÂs influence in loyalty in two different ways: administrative practices and policies (PPAs) and front line employees (ELFs). The hypothesis of the perceived valueÂs influence towards the clientÂs loyalty is also confirmed in this study but, its mediator role is not so clear. The confidence showed a consistent influence in the clientÂs perceived value. Excluding the perceived valueÂs mediator role between the confidence and the loyalty, it can be affirmed that the results were as expected and in accordance with the presented literature. The observed limitations suggest new proposals to future works about the discussed theory, the apllied methodology and the obtained results themselves. / O presente trabalho buscou analisar o modelo de Sirdeshmukh et al. capaz de indicar um caminho para o estabelecimento da lealdade de clientes em ambientes de grande competitividade. Por meio da entrega de valor e aÃÃes que levem a sua percepÃÃo pelos clientes, associada à confianÃa no provedor de serviÃos, à possÃvel ampliar a relaÃÃo cliente fornecedor. O setor estudado foi o automobilÃstico em seu contexto mais Ãntimo com o consumidor - a distribuiÃÃo de veÃculos por meio de concessionÃrias. O mÃtodo utilizado foi o exploratÃrio, a abordagem foi qualitativa e quantitativa. Com um survey com 122 clientes buscou-se observar se hà relaÃÃo entre os construtos valor percebido, confianÃa e lealdade, como à esta relaÃÃo entre eles e se esse modelo, jà aplicado em outros setores, ocasionaria os mesmo resultados. A primeira confirmaÃÃo foi a da influÃncia da confianÃa na lealdade em suas duas facetas: prÃticas e polÃtica administrativas (PPAs) e com os empregados de linha de frente (ELFs). A hipÃtese da influÃncia do valor percebido na lealdade tambÃm pÃde ser comprovada neste estudo, mas seu papel mediador nÃo ficou tÃo claro. A confianÃa mostrou uma influÃncia consistente na percepÃÃo de valor do cliente. à exceÃÃo do papel mediador do valor entre a confianÃa e a lealdade, pode-se asseverar que os resultados foram conformes ao esperado e de acordo com a literatura apresentada. As limitaÃÃes apresentadas sugerem novas propostas para trabalhos futuros na teoria discutida, na metodologia aplicada e nos prÃprios resultados alcanÃados.

More and more businesses today focus on building long-term customer relationships with the objective to secure recurring revenues in competitive markets. As a result, management philosophies such as Customer Success have emerged, which underlines the importance of knowing your customers in order to make them stay. A common way of tracking the well-being of a firm's customers is the use of customer health scores. Such tools monitor assembled data and indicate whether a customer is doing fine, or is in the risk zone of ending the business relationship. However, there exists little to no consensus on what customer health actually means, or how to distinguish suitable parameters for measuring this concept. Therefore, the purpose of this thesis has been: To extend the existing knowledge of the business concept customer health, and show how to identify relevant parameters for measuring customer health. To reach this purpose, a study has been conducted at a software-as-a-service company operating in the field of digital marketing; where methods such as semi-structured interviews, ethnography, web survey, data mining execution and statistical analysis have been used. The results show that software usage differs between active and former customers, with the general tendency that a high software usage indicates a higher propensity to stay as a customer. The study concludes that customer health is best defined as "the perceived value a customer experiences when using a product". In addition, the parameters that were found to best indicate customer health at the company studied were linked to customers’ software usage as well as their marketing set-up.

Instructors' use of e-learning systems in higher education institutions is a central concern of researchers, academicians, and practitioners. Higher education institutions are investing substantial resources to incorporate and maintain the infrastructure of e-learning systems; however, instructors' use of e-learning systems in two-year colleges is relatively limited. In this context, the goal of this study was to investigate the factors that may affect instructors' intention to use e-learning systems in two-year colleges. Based on literature review on technology acceptance, this study proposed a theoretical model predicting instructors' intention to use e-learning systems in two-year colleges based on their resistance to change, perceived value of e-learning systems, computer self-efficacy (CSE), and attitude toward e-learning systems. Consequently, this study investigated the effect of four independent variables on the dependent variable, intention to use e-learning systems. A Web-based survey was designed to empirically assess the effect of aforementioned constructs on instructors' intention to use e-learning systems in two-year colleges. The Web-based survey was developed as a multi-item measure using Likert-type scales. Existing validated scales were used to develop the Web-based survey. The target population of this study was instructors of public and private two-year colleges. The sample for this study was 119 (over 41% response rate) full-time, part-time, and adjunct instructors in different academic departments at a two-year college. Two statistical methods were used to formulate and test predictive models: Multiple Linear Regression (MLR) and Ordinal Logistic Regression (OLR). Both MLR and OLR results showed that the theoretical model was able to predict instructors' intention to use e-learning systems. All four independent variables have significant effects on the dependent variable. Results of both analyses were consistent on resistance to change as having the greatest weight on predicting instructors' intention to use e-learning systems, while CSE in both analyses was found to have the least weight. This study contributes to the body of knowledge by providing empirical results for the key constructs that affect two-year college instructors' intention to use e-learning systems. Results of this research may also help IT practitioners to concentrate their efforts on ways to address resistance to change as it was found to be the most significant factor affecting e-learning accepted by two-year college instructors.

Submitted by Nadir Basilio (nadirsb@uninove.br) on 2016-04-05T23:41:21Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Anna Sofia Costa Neri.pdf: 1757298 bytes, checksum: b4e53d5be3ed8bb584b6b5da02489f69 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-05T23:41:21Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Anna Sofia Costa Neri.pdf: 1757298 bytes, checksum: b4e53d5be3ed8bb584b6b5da02489f69 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-12-07 / The service sector has shown steady expansion in the Brazilian economy, reflecting directly expressive financial results for the country. The health insurance sector is inserted in this context and in the face of disability in the provision of public health services to the population in a universal way, it presents itself as an indispensable element in the framework currently in force in Brazil. The sector's growth has provided an intense competition between operators of health plans by requiring these companies seek to capture and keep customers loyal to their services, thus remaining competitive. However, a considerable amount of customer complaints of this market is presented by the National Health Agency. Identifying the relationship between perceived quality, perceived value and cost of change as trainers concepts of customer loyalty, this study sought to understand that relationship with users of supplemental health services. These, in turn, provided information by completing a validated questionnaire that was used to build a theoretical model analyzed by structural equation modeling with the use of partial least squares technique (PLS). The theoretical framework used in this paper presents the trainers concepts and customer loyalty influencers. The results demonstrated an understanding of users and service aspects of the study, both in its relationship to the health insurance, as in its relationship with the hospital use most with your plan. Relations between the concepts presented in the model were mostly positive, except for the influence of the value perceived by the customer in relation to the health plan on loyalty to the hospital, and the influence of the value perceived by the customer in the hospital on customer loyalty to the health plan. / O setor de serviços tem apresentado constante expansão na economia brasileira, refletindo diretamente em resultados financeiros expressivos para o país. O setor de saúde suplementar está inserido nesse contexto e, diante da incapacidade na prestação de serviços públicos de saúde à população de forma universal, se apresenta como um elemento indispensável no quadro atualmente vigente no Brasil. O crescimento do setor proporcionou a competitividade entre as operadoras de planos de saúde, exigindo que estas empresas busquem captar e manter clientes leais aos seus serviços, consequentemente, mantendo-se competitivas. Entretanto, um considerável volume de reclamações dos clientes desse mercado é apresentado pela Agência Nacional de Saúde Suplementar. Identificando a relação entre qualidade percebida, valor percebido e custo de mudança como conceitos que influenciam a lealdade do cliente, este trabalho buscou entender a referida relação junto aos usuários dos serviços de saúde suplementar. Estes, por sua vez, forneceram informações por meio do preenchimento de um questionário que foi utilizado para construção de um modelo teórico analisado por meio da modelagem de equações estruturais com a utilização da técnica dos mínimos quadrados parciais (PLS). O suporte teórico utilizado neste trabalho apresenta os conceitos formadores e influenciadores da lealdade do cliente. Os resultados demonstraram o entendimento dos usuários quanto ao atendimento dos aspectos estudados, tanto em sua relação com o plano de saúde, como em sua relação com o hospital que mais utiliza com seu plano. As relações entre os conceitos apresentados no modelo foram, em sua maioria, positivas, com exceção da influência do valor percebido pelo cliente em relação ao plano de saúde sobre a lealdade ao hospital, e a influência que do valor percebido pelo cliente no hospital sobre a lealdade do cliente ao plano de saúde.