Research has shown that only three out of every four customers are -- on average -- satisfied by a firm's marketing program. Your group's assignment for the week is to discuss the topic ofCustomer Satisfaction generally and these research results specifically.

There are numerous directions your group may take the discussion, just make certain to stay on-topic, which is customer satisfaction & the research results. For simplicity, we will assume that an exchange has taken place (i.e., a customer gives company money and gets something in return) yet is not satisfied with that exchange. Marketing focuses on facilitating exchanges (see page 8 in your textbook).

Here are several prodding questions to answer.

• If customer satisfaction is so important to firms, why don't firms score better?
• What does customer satisfaction really mean?
• Do marketers & customers have different views?
• Does the meaning of customer satisfaction vary by industry, customer type or geography?
• Give an example(s) of a purchase you made where you were not satisfied.
• What could the firm have done to change your satisfaction?
• Did the firm have an opportunity to change your satisfaction? Why or why not? Explain.
• If the firm did something to change your satisfaction, what was it? (In marketer-speak, we call this customer recovery.)
• If you continued to do business with the firm yet you remain dissatisfied, why?