Chapter 1: Consumer Complaints: The Two Dimensions
Conceptualising Relationships
First Dimension: Consumer and the Complaints
Concept of Complaint
Neglect of Complaints
Post-purchase Satisfaction/Dissatisfaction
Consumer Behaviour in the Post-purchase Phase
Relationship Between Complaining Behaviour and Dissatisfaction
Factors Influencing the Tendency to Complain
Post-complaint Satisfaction/Dissatisfaction
Final Satisfaction/Dissatisfaction
The Concept of Fairness
Second Dimension: Company and Complaints
Neglect of the Defensive Marketing Strategy
The Complaining Consumer: An Important but Neglected Segment
Divorce of the Top Management from Complaining Consumer
Company’s Dilemma
Conclusion: Merger of the Two Dimensions
Chapter 2: Indian Passenger Car Industry
The Indian Scene: 1950 to 2002
Entry of Maruti Udyog Limited: A Revolution in the Passenger Car Industry
Liberalisation of 1991: Another Revolution in the Passenger Car Industry
The Changing Scenario
J D Power Reports of CSI and IIQS
Recent Trends
Current Status of Maruti Udyog Limited
Current Status of Hindustan Motors Limited
Current Status of Other Companies
Post-complaint Satisfaction: A Neglected Area
Concluding Remarks
Chapter 3: The Knowledge Pool
Classification of the Relevant Existing Literature
Uni-dimensional Studies
Studies on the Consumer’s Viewpoint of Complaints
Studies on the Company’s Viewpoint of Complaints
Two-dimensional Studies
Comments on the Earlier Studies
Chapter 4: Nature of Consumer Complaints
Common Areas of Complaint
Nature of Complaints in the Passenger Car Industry
Types of Complaints: MUL and HML
Types of Complaints: Small Car and Mid-size Car
Testing of hypothesis
Other Related Areas
Time Taken in Planning the Purchase of the Car
Time Taken in Planning the Purchase: MUL and HML
Reasons for the Purchase Planning Lasting for More Than One Month
Person(s)/Parties to Whom the Complaint was Voiced
Factors Considered while Selecting a Dealer
Factors Considered while Selecting a Dealer: MUL and HML
Factors Considered while Selecting a Dealer: Small Car and Mid-size Car
Inter-relation between the Issues
Impact of Time Taken in Planning the Purchase of the Car on the Number of Parties to Whom the Complaint was Made
Impact of Time Taken in Planning the Purchase of the Car on Response Expectation of he Car User
Conclusion
Chapter 5: Expectations of the Car User and Final Satisfaction/Dissatisfaction
Categories of Satisfaction as the Basis of Expectation
Expectations of the Car Users
User’s Expectation from the Car in the Form of Attributes
Attributes Preferred in the Car: Small Car Users and Mid-size Car Users
Car Users Abstaining from Rating an Attribute
Attributes Preferred in the Car: MUL’s Car Users and HML’s Car Users
Car Users Abstaining from Rating an Attribute
Post-complaint Response Expectation of the Car User
User’s Response Expectation: MUL’s Car Users and HML’s Car Users
User’s Response Expectation: Small Car Users and Mid-size Car Users
Final Satisfaction/Dissatisfaction
Final S/D of MUL’s and HML’s Car Users
Final S/D of Small Car Users and Mid-size Car Users
Testing of Hypotheses
Distributive Justice versus Procedural Justice
Distributive Justice versus Interactional Justice
Hypothesis Testing: MUL versus HML
Hypothesis Testing: Small Car versus Midsize Car
Reasons for Consumers not Voicing the Complaint
Conclusion
Chapter 6: Managerial Perception of Car User’s Expectation and Final S/D
Manager’s Perception of the Car User’s Expectations
Nature of Consumer Complaints Received
Nature of Complaints Received: MUL and HML
Nature of Complaints Received: Small Car and Mid-size Car
Manager’s Perception of the User’s Expectation from the Car in the Form of Attributes
Manager’s Perception of User’s Expectations: MUL and HML
Managers Abstaining from Rating an Attribute: MUL and HML
Manager’s Perception of User’s Expectations: Small Car and Mid-size Car
Managers Abstaining from Rating an Attribute: Small Car and Mid-size Car
Manager’s Perception of User’s Response Expectation to Complaints
Manager’s Perception of Response Expectation: MUL and HML
Manager’s Perception of User’s Response Expectation:Small Car and Mid-size Car
Manager’s Perception of the Final S/D of the Car Users
Manager’s Rating of Post-complaint S/D
Average Number of Car Users Satisfied by the Managers
Manager’s Perception of Final S/D of the Car Users
Manager’s Perception of the Factors Affecting Choice of the Dealer
Conclusion
Chapter 7: Consumer Complaints and Managerial Response: The Match
Complaint Management and Resolution
Car User’s Complaints and Manager’s Response: The Match
Types of Complaints: Complaints Made by the Car User versus Complaints Received by the Manager and Dealers
Complaints Made versus Complaints Received: MUL and HML
Complaints Made versus Complaints Received: Small Car versus Mid-size Car
Car User’s Expectations versus Their Perception by the Company/Dealer
Expectation from the Car
Expectation from the Car: MUL versus HML
Expectation from the Car: Small Car versus Mid-size Car
Expectation of Response to the Complaint
The Match of Response Expectation: MUL versus HML
The Match of Response Expectation: Small Car versus Mid-size Car
Final Satisfaction/Dissatisfaction (S/D)
Factors Affecting the Choice of the Dealer: Consumer’s Choice versus Company’s
Perception
Conclusion: The Final Finals
Chapter 8: Summary and Conclusions
Major Conclusions of the Study
Car User’s Expectations
Manager’s Perception of Car User’s Expectation
Consumer Complaints and Managerial Response: The Match
Final S/D: A Window-dressing
The Absence of a Sound Complaint-handling Mechanism
A Model of the Consequences in the Post-complaint Phase
Reasons for the Absence of Post-complaint S/D
Policy Implications of the Study
Epilogue
Select Bibliography
Index
