- Title
- Loyalty programmes in the medical aid and insurance sector in South Africa
- Creator
- Mafa, Linda
- Subject
- Customer loyalty programs -- South Africa
- Subject
- Insurance companies -- South Africa Health insurance -- South Africa
- Date Issued
- 2019
- Date
- 2019
- Type
- Thesis
- Type
- Masters
- Type
- MBA
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/10948/40757
- Identifier
- vital:36233
- Description
- This treatise covers customer loyalty from the perspective of medical aid and insurance loyalty programmes. Previous work indicates that the healthcare sector does not have a strong consumer focus. As such, loyalty in this sphere is not strong and has not been explored as a means to enhance customer loyalty. The problem statement for this study states that loyalty programmes in the medical aid and insurance sector in South Africa have not been adequately assessed. While customer loyalty has been viewed from a generic marketing perspective, previous work has failed to address the critical factors that influence customer loyalty in medical aid and insurance loyalty programmes. A review of literature focuses on the definitions of customer loyalty in general and as it pertains to loyalty programmes, with attitudes and behaviours identified and common customer loyalty dimensions. This study has approached the assessment of customer loyalty in the healthcare sector by exploring the factors that influence customer loyalty in medical aid and insurance loyalty programmes in South Africa. The study was conducted using exploratory factor analysis of loyalty programme measurement items that evaluated attitudes and behaviours related to customer loyalty. The factor analysis was undertaken using data gathered from a self-administered online questionnaire. This treatise is part of a bigger study of loyalty programmes and customer loyalty in different sectors. The sample for this study was randomly selected using probability and convenience sampling. A sample size of n = 386 is applicable to this study. As part of the data analysis, descriptive statistics were used to compress and organise the sample data. Inferential statistics were used to project the findings of the sample data into the full population. The key impact of the research was the presentation and statistical assessment of an exploratory factor analysis of medical aid and insurance loyalty programme factors. The study concluded that attitudes related to the general assessment, trust, communication, personalisation, flexibility and rewards are relevant factors to consider in medical aid and insurance loyalty programmes. The study also concluded that behaviours related to the general assessment, purchase behaviour, communication, personalisation, flexibility and rewards are relevant factors to consider in medical aid and insurance loyalty programmes. Demographics variables, which were an overarching variable to the factors, were found to not show significant differences in the attitudes and behaviours of loyalty programme participants towards the loyalty programme factors. Repeat purchase behaviour is not necessarily influenced by loyalty programme participation. Perceived value has been found to be a more important consideration in influencing purchase behaviours of loyalty programme participants. The level of trust participants place on loyalty programmes is not confirmed by programme membership. To maintain programme credibility, loyalty programmes must gain the trust of participants. The study also found that there is no strong indication that loyalty programme communication currently enhances repeat purchase behaviour implying that communication strategies of medical aid and insurance loyalty programmes are not effective. Personalisation approaches are more focused on product personalisation than on service personalisation. The availability of points/rewards on different platforms is an important feature to programme participants. Non-reward related value-added services like priority service and exclusive access to products are not a preferred form of reward in medical aid and insurance loyalty programmes. The study contributed to the body of knowledge on the statistical assessment of an exploratory factor analysis approach to evaluate customer loyalty in medical aid and insurance loyalty programmes in SA.
- Format
- xii, 187 leaves
- Format
- Publisher
- Nelson Mandela University
- Publisher
- Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences
- Language
- English
- Rights
- Nelson Mandela University
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| Thumbnail | File | Description | Size | Format | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| View Details Download | SOURCE1 | Linda Mafa.pdf | 2 MB | Adobe Acrobat PDF | View Details Download |