A typology of consumer dissatisfaction response styles
Singh set out to identify groups of dissatisfied consumers with distinct response styles, to validate the typology against behavioural data and to profile each group. Four questionnaires were developed and a random sample of 4,000 households was asked to take part. Cluster analysis identified four styles, passives, voicers, irates and activists. The typology was supported by an internal check on a hold-out sample and an external check against actual complaint behaviour. Voicers were described as the most favourable style for retailers because they neither spread negative word of mouth nor switched patronage, and retailers were encouraged to measure how the styles are distributed among their customers and to create programmes that make the voicer style more appealing. Reading depth: abstract; the figures used are 4,000 households and four styles.
Singh set out to identify groups of dissatisfied consumers with distinct response styles, to validate the typology against behavioural data and to profile each group. Four questionnaires were developed and a random sample of 4,000 households was asked to take part. Cluster analysis identified four styles, passives, voicers, irates and activists. The typology was supported by an internal check on a hold-out sample and an external check against actual complaint behaviour. Voicers were described as the most favourable style for retailers because they neither spread negative word of mouth nor switched patronage, and retailers were encouraged to measure how the styles are distributed among their customers and to create programmes that make the voicer style more appealing. Reading depth: abstract; the figures used are 4,000 households and four styles.
Written from the abstract, ProQuest record, 2026-11-02.
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Spring 1990. No DOI; record https://www.proquest.com/docview/228599635