The role of social networks in building customer-brand relationships in Tanzania: case of study of Hotels in Dar es Salaam
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Date
2015
Authors
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Journal ISSN
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Publisher
University of Dar es Salaam
Abstract
This study assessed the role of Social media website in building Consumer-Brand Relationship (CBR). Specially, the study analyzed the extent to which the consumer knowledge on the use social media websites relates to consumer brand relationships. The data were collected from respondents/customers encountered during the time of data collection at the selected hotels in Dar es Salaam. To enrich sample fan-page followers were sent the link of the questionnaires online so as to reach customers outside Dar es Salaam. A total of 187(93.5%) questionnaires were collected and analyzed out of 200 questionnaires distributed. Basing on the nature of this study, both quantitative and qualitative data were generated and analyzed. The quantitative data analysis was carried out using descriptive statistics which included both means and percentage. After conducting confirmatory factor analysis, the present study identified consumer attitude, consumer’s trust, consumer’s brand knowledge and the customer loyalty programs as the predictors of member participation in hotel and restaurant Facebook fan pages. The study found that customers attitude toward the hotel brands positively influenced by members ‘community participation in Facebook fan-pages; member participation were positively influenced by their trust toward a hotel brand. Biological gender had a significant moderating effect on the relationship between functional benefits and community participation in the hotel study. The findings of this study provide significant insights for the researchers and marketers. The present study recommends significant strategies for online community design by identifying how Facebook fan-page of a brand’s hotel used to create a strong CBR. The study identified customer attitude, brand knowledge, brabd trust and customer loyalty as important customer attitude, brand knowledge, brand trust and customer loyalty as important customer characteristic of the customer were found to be affected by the access and use of social networks. From a managerial perspective, marketers of hotel brands ‘pages first need to be aware of their members ‘characteristics and understand who their members are before developing strategies for successful Facebook pages.
Description
Available in print form, EAF Collection, Dr. Wilbert Chagula Library, (THS EAF HF5415.32.T34T4756)
Keywords
Customer relations, Branding (Marketing), Relationship marlketing, Hotels, Social networks, Dar es Salaam region, Tanzania
Citation
Thomas, C (2015) The role of social networks in building customer-brand relationships in Tanzania: case of study of Hotels in Dar es Salaam. Master dissertation, Universitry of Dar es Salaam