A study of the relationship between 'reward club membership' and zones of tolerance in service quality

A quantitative methodology was used in an exploratory study to examine the zones of tolerance of non-business travelers, frequent and non-frequent flyer reward members alike, to airline service quality. An in-depth survey, data collection tool was used to elicit information from 548 on-line participants. The study concluded that a higher degree of tolerance of airline service quality exists among non-business travelers who are frequent flyer reward members. Furthermore, the study makes a number of key contributions to the literature, providing new knowledge in the area of customer relationship management. First, it presents a reliable picture that there is a change in the service quality zone of tolerance by non-business travelers as a result of change in airline membership reward offerings. Second, it demonstrates that there is a strong affiliation between non-business reward travelers and their member organization as a result of reward membership. Third, it documents that there is a resistance by non-business travelers to competitor marketing initiatives because of their frequent flyer reward membership. Recommendations for future research are submitted to explore facets of switching deterrents that were detected but could not be developed fully within the scope of the study.