Most customer loyalty programs available across the service industry have largely focused on building repeat patronage. There is now a combined approach through a theoretical framework of customer loyalty that uses both repeat patronage and relative attitude constructs in measuring loyalty. Paying greater attention to attitude could help improve the cost effectiveness of the programs because the incentives used to enhance the attitudinal loyalty are often in the form of non-financial benefits. / This study contributes to an understanding of the relative effectiveness of a fee-based loyalty program and identifies the factors required for a successful program within the hotel industry. / Two key functions derived from an analysis of social influences variables are explained as implicit and explicit concerns. Implicit concerns, such as knowing and greeting individual members, show greater strength in terms of loyalty development. This result contributes to the existing theory that social influences in the form of implicit concern are of higher importance than explicit concern. There is also no significant difference in the perceived importance toward social influence benefits among the new and renewed members. There would be no greater impact in giving more value to long-standing members over newer members. But there would be greater impact when giving more attractive hard benefits to the new members or to the existing members in the renewal stage. / Even though the study derives specific and unique findings, it is notable that in many areas the results of research match those conducted elsewhere in different industries and cultural contexts. Another limitation is that this study reveals the loyalty condition and the factors that influence loyalty development from the perspective of existing members only. / Further research could be geared towards the issue of member valuation, finding out the optimal value of financial benefits given in exchange for a certain membership fee. Future research could also examine the strengths and weaknesses of a fee based frequency program. It is suggested that action research could be used among the members with implicit concern, or even those with no implicit concern, to help gain higher validity. / Thesis (DBA(DoctorateofBusinessAdministration))--University of South Australia, 2007.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ADTP/267158 |
| Creators | Gibbins, Anchalee |
| Source Sets | Australiasian Digital Theses Program |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Rights | copyright under review |
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