From the archives: Positive relationships between employees and customers increase word of mouth

A 2000 study co-produced by Bowling Green State, Kansas State, and Arizona State Universities examined the effects of interpersonal relationships between consumers and employees on word of mouth activity.

Through the polling of more than 1,500 random customers of a major southwestern bank as well as customers of a dental practice in the same region, researchers found a significant correlation between those customers who had high perceptions of trust and personal connections with employees of those businesses to their likelihood of spreading positive word of mouth.

Perhaps most notable about this study is that questions concerning satisfaction of products or services were not involved. Rather, the study instead focused entirely on the relationships between employees and customers.

Read the full study to learn more.

Tags: Arizona State, Bowling Green State, customer service, employee relations, Kansas State, research, wom, word of mouth, word of mouth marketing