Customer behavioural analysis: The impact of internet addiction, interpersonal competencies and service orientation on customers’ online complaint behaviour

Abstract

Customers share their service experiences on social media. However, prior research has not investigated the role of customers’ traits on their complaining behaviour. This study focuses on a hospitality setting to explore relationships among customers’ interpersonal competencies, internet addiction, service orientation, and their online complaining behaviours. The findings identify differences based on customers’ service orientation. Customers’ internet addiction, interpersonal competencies, and an escalating service failure continuum do not influence complaining behaviours when their service orientation is low; however, these factors influence complaining behaviours when their service orientation is high. Results also show differences in complaining behaviours when exposed to technical service failures versus functional service failures. The findings highlight the importance of service orientation as a tool for hospitality organisations to achieve higher service performance and even competitive advantage.