The impact of post-complaint satisfaction with the salesperson, retailer, and manufacturer on relationship commitment

Customers play a vital role in the domain of marketing, yet a great deal remains unknown about how the relationship between a consumer and a seller is formed, maintained, and enhanced. While much of the relationship marketing literature has addressed the formation of relationships and the development of loyalty through repurchase programs, still much is unknown about the maintenance of these relationships. One activity in relationship maintenance is the resolution of problems or complaints from the customer. When consumers experience satisfactory problem resolution they tend to be more loyal than if they never experienced a problem; this leads to greater profitability. This study explores the multiplicity of actors in marketing relationships that represent the marketer (salespersons, dealerships, and manufacturers) and the concept of post-complaint satisfaction as it contributes to commitment to the future of the marketing relationship.