Chantale and Clinton Call for Service

Chantale and Clinton have purchased a new refrigerator from The Canadian, one of the largest department store chains in Canada. It subsequently began to malfunction. After receiving poor service from the vendor’s repair division, they were wondering what to do next. Do nothing, and assume it was an isolated incident? Vow never again to deal with this vendor and brand? Write a letter of complaint to the vendor and demand an apology or other compensation? Underlying all these questions was the issue: Was it worth the trouble? The case can be used to illustrate consumer behaviour in marketing management, with emphasis placed on controllable and uncontrollable factors that influence individual buyer behaviour. It can also be used in a service marketing setting, where issues of service failure and recovery can be emphasized.