Service Encounter Approach and Word of Mouth

Abstract

'l'he concept of Word of Mouth (WoM) seem to be one of the most effective marketing strategy in High Learning Institution (HLIs) than any other marketing strategy because WOM is thousands of times as powerful as conventional marketing since friends and relatives are the number-one source of information about service quality. Generally, the study aimed to assess the effect of service encounter on Word of Mouth. Specifically, to determine the effect of service personnel on word of mouth, examine the relationship between service facility and Word of Mouth and to determine the effect of service value on word of mouth. This study is guided by SERVIQUAL Model and expectation disconfirmation theory. A cross-sectional research design was adopted while stratified and simple random sampling techniques were used to obtain 201 respondents. Data were collected through questionnaire and interview while Covariance Based Structural equation modeling (CB-SEM) models were used in analyzing data with Amos 26. The findings shows that service facility has significant effect on word of mouth, likewise there are relationship between service facility and word of mouth also service value has significant effect on word of mouth. The study also found that for the service encounter to affect word of mouth then satisfaction or dissatisfaction must occur so as word of mouth could happen, this means that satisfaction direct mediate the effect between service encounter and word of mouth. This study concluded that service personnel, service facility and service value are the factor identify the service encounter and for the service encounter to occur it is very important for satisfaction or dissatisfactions to occur and when customer are satisfied then will be positive word of mouth. This study recommends to HLIs to invest much on improve the service facility, service value and service personnel since they are the most important things that affect student during the moment of encounter or contact between them and the HLIs.