| Referrals, sometimes called recommendations, represent positive word of mouth (WOM) that is directed toward potential clients. Although they have received relatively little treatment in the literature, referrals are an important form of marketing communication, both for organizations and consumers. Professional service providers often acquire their best clients through referrals, and consumers frequently seek referrals when they have a particular service need. A review of the literature and various factors associated with clients' tendencies to give referrals reveal satisfaction and affective commitment as the two main antecedents of referral-giving. Apparently no empirical study, however, has explored why some clients who possess these two attributes still do not give referrals. Consequently, this study has used the theory of planned behavior (TPB) as a conceptual framework for testing several related hypotheses. First, the study found evidence that satisfied and affectively committed clients had stronger intentions to give referrals than did other clients. In addition, satisfied and affectively committed clients' negative attitudes toward giving referrals were found to be a significant predictor of their lack of intention to refer their accounting firm to acquaintances. Also, clients' perceptions of limited behavioral control over giving referrals emerged as a particularly strong indicator of diminished referral intent. No evidence was found, however, to support a relationship between subjective norms about giving referrals and intentions to refer. |
