Title:
ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS AND CUSTOMER LOYALTY OF RESTAURANTS IN PORT HARCOURT

Authors:
Miyene Charles Tom

Abstract:
Creating positive experiences around consumers enhance the value of service offerings which could be utilized as a differentiation strategy in a highly competitive retail business. The growing body of knowledge in the academic space suggests that creating pleasant experiences to customers in shopping is strategic in gaining high purchase. Hence, Atmosphere has become an important consideration in assessing service delivery from the customers’ point of view because it influences repurchase behaviour and the cognitive, emotional and psychological status of the customer. Despite the growing concern of this subject in marketing research, it has not been wholesomely exhausted in marketing practice. This work seeks to validate empirically, while analyzing the influence of eatery atmosphere on customer loyalty of restaurants in Port Harcourt. This study adopted quantitative research design using a survey method. The study comprised of twenty-five (25) registered restaurants outlets in Port Harcourt. A total of 150customers in the frame of six (6) respondents from each restaurant were surveyed through questionnaire administration. Six research questions were posed and six hypotheses tested. Data analysis was done using descriptive statistics of mean and standard deviation while inferential statistics of Pearson Product Moment Correlation coefficient (PPMC) was used to test the stated hypothesis in SPSS version 25 which was used to correlate data on the independent and dependent variables of the study. The findings from the Pearson product-moment correlation analysis result reveal a significant relationship between ambient factor, design factor, social factor, and customer loyalty in repeat purchase and customer referral of restaurants in Port Harcourt. The study concludes that the eatery atmosphere influences on customer loyalty of restaurants in Port Harcourt is to a high extent. The study, therefore, recommends that the restaurants in Port Harcourt should install necessary ambient elements such as décor, temperature, scent, lighting, color, and delightful music and consistently maintaining them for optimal functionalities. The restaurants in Port Harcourt should adopt the latest global designs in complex decoration and maintaining both internal and external facilities that provide customer comfort. The restaurants in Port Harcourt should reduce overcrowding by providing adequate number of dining tables and maintaining minimum number of sales persons.

Keywords:
Atmospheric Conditions, Customer Loyalty, Restaurants, Port Harcourt