Abstract
In the current competitive era, one of the most important factors for the success of travel agencies is customer loyalty to the services provided by them. Therefore, the quality of services provided by travel agencies, given that a large number of service recipients believe in the suggestions of friends or family more than any other type of advertising, can affect the customer's intention to buy. Accordingly, the main purpose of this study is to investigate the mediating effect of word of mouth on the impact of service quality on customer purchase intention in airline travel agencies in Bushehr province. The research is applied and descriptive-correlation in terms of purpose and method, respectively.The population of the study encompasses customers of travel agencies in Bushehr province. A random sampling method was adopted to distribute and collect the required data. The data were collected through distributing questionnaires among 384 customers. The validity of the questionnaire was confirmed through convergent validity and its reliability was confirmed through Cronbach’s alpha method for the whole questionnaire (0.9). Data analysis was performed with structural equation modeling (SEM) using SmartPLS software. According to the data analysis results, 41.4% of the total effect of service quality variable on customer intention to buy in airline travel agencies in Bushehr province indirectly explained by word of mouth variable.
Introduction
In the current competitive era, one of the most important factors for the success of travel agencies is customer loyalty to the services provided by them. Therefore, the quality of services provided by travel agencies, given that a large number of service recipients, believe in the offers of friends or family more than any other type of advertising, can affect the customer's intention to buy.Travel agencies are one of the main foundations of the tourism industry, which play a role as a distribution channel in this industry. That is, they are the link between consumers and suppliers. The final product of the travel service offices includes transportation, accommodation, etc., which the tourist buys one of the products or all the products in the form of travel tours (depending on the trip) depending on his needs.In recent years, government policies for the development of tourism, as well as the use of information and communication technologies in the activities of travel agencies have led to an increase in their number day by day, in the meantime, travelers are looking for reliable travel agencies with suitable services to Travel safely. With the created competition, not paying attention to the needs of the customers seriously threatens the success of such organizations. Because in competitive markets, higher levels of service quality lead to higher levels of customer satisfaction, greater perceived value, and positive behavioral tendencies.
Case study
The current research is applied in terms of purpose and descriptive-survey in terms of data collection methods. The statistical population is the customers of travel agencies in Bushehr province. Due to the fact that it is not possible to prepare a list of the people of this statistical population, the intended statistical population is considered unlimited the information related to these agencies has been prepared from the trade association of travel and tourism service offices of each city. The information obtained from 38 travel agencies, 20 agencies from the agencies active in the cities of Bushehr, Asaluye, Kangan and Barazjan were considered as a statistical sample in a simple random manner. Finally, among the travelers of the mentioned agencies, Based on the following relationship, 384 people were selected by simple random to collect data.
Materials and Methods
While reviewing the theoretical literature and research background in scientific documents and databases, standard questionnaires have been used to test the hypotheses. In order to measure the level of customer perception about service quality from Parasurman Questionnaire (1988), to measure the customer's intention to revisit Ghafouri Questionnaire (2014) and to measure the level of customer perception about word of mouth advertising from airline travel agencies. Jalilvand et al. (2012). Cronbach's alpha coefficient and Combined Reliability Index (CR) were used to assess the reliability of the questionnaire items.
Discussion and Results
In order to analyze the hypotheses, Structural Equation Modeling was used through SMART PLS software. Factor load coefficients of all indicators are more than the minimum acceptable (0.5). According to the participants in the present study, the dimensions of service quality in travel agencies are confidence (84.5%), empathy (81.1%), monetary price (76.5%), accountability (67.3%), trust (2), respectively. 63%) and feelings (51.2%) explain the variable of service quality. Findings show that, the quality of services explains about 46% of the changes in word-of-mouth advertising variables. The service quality variable explains about 29% of the changes in the revisit variable. The word-of-mouth variable explains about 44% of the changes in the revisit variable. The quality of service directly and without considering the mediating variable of word of mouth changes only 29% of the dependent variable changes the intention to visit again. While considering the mediating variable of word of mouth changes, 41.4% of the total effect of the variable of service quality on the intention to visit again is indirectly explained by the mediating variable of word of mouth.
Conclusion
Considering that in all businesses, the type and quality of products and services provided is one of the most important reasons for attracting customers, in travel agencies, due to the existence of intense competition, this issue is more important. Because it affects not only the repurchase intention of current customers but also the purchase intention of their potential customers. Therefore, by identifying and understanding the needs of customers and trying to meet their demands by improving the provision of services such as suitable equipment, appropriate response to customers, appropriate behavior and other things, they provide the basis for their presence in the company again.
In order to properly influence travel agencies in Bushehr province, on the intention of customers to buy and decide to reuse their services, in addition to improving the quality of services provided to competitors, on the one hand, well-known and influential people in the province identify, communicate and cooperate Provide them with the institution through advertising, on the other hand by creating effective communication channels with actual customers, using a variety of virtual social networks while continuously evaluating the needs of customers by receiving comments and constructive feedback from clients, in addition to improving quality Services tailored to their needs, cause their loyalty to the institution.