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Research in brief
Keywords
Restaurants, Decision making, Marketing, Surveys
Abstract
The need to acquire restaurant services may be motivated by various reasons but, whatever the reason, the potential customer has to search for information on the desired service in order to compare the alternatives and make the best purchase decision. Knowing how potential clients make this information search is fundamental for restaurant company managers so that they can carry out marketing communications strategies that facilitate the selection of their restaurant by potential customers. This paper examines the external information search process carried out by potential customers. It aims to determine what information search activities are carried out and what the motivating factors are for these activities. A survey was used to analyse the services offered by restaurants in the city of Zaragoza in the north-east of Spain. The results of the survey and implications for restaurant managers are discussed.
The buyers' decision process starts when they recognise a need that can be satisfied by acquiring, in this case, the services offered by a restaurant. The need to acquire restaurant services may be motivated by various reasons, such as family celebrations, leisure, business, not having time to go home, the ease of not having to cook, etc. But, whatever the reason for this need, individuals will have to search for information on the offer that exists for the desired service in order to be able to compare the existing alternatives and make the best purchase decision.
Knowing how their potential clients make this information search is fundamental for restaurant company managers so that they can carry out marketing communications strategies that facilitate the selection of their restaurant by potential customers. In this way, the objective of a business exchange, and therefore making a profit, will be fulfilled.
The characteristics of restaurant services, which are common to those in other services, such as intangibility, the simultaneity between production and consumption, greater direct contact between the supplier and consumer, and non-standardisation, influence the purchase behaviour of the potential customers.
Services are "experiences", and, as such, they are more difficult to evaluate before their purchase. If the consumer has prior experience with the service offered by the restaurant, this will be a credible source...