Predicting referral and retention behaviour using a Dependable Customer Indicator

One of the difficulties encountered by marketers is to be able to determine the security or dependability of their customer base. A means of combining several measures of customer perspectives post-purchase is developed to provide a more comprehensive indicator of likely customer referral and retention. Two samples of 180 respondents were asked to provide their views and opinions about two sports clubs at which they were members.A Dependable Customer Indicator is developed that has a much stronger relationship with customer referral and retention intentions than individual measures. Further, the distribution of the DCI provides richer data of referral behaviour and retention intentions than any single measure.