The Differences Between Positive And Negative Word-Of-Mouth -Emotion As A Differentiator?

Organisations are continually seeking new ways to achieve competitive advantage and wordof-mouth (WOM) represents such an opportunity. However, little research has addressed differences in the content and style of positive and negative WOM. This study explores this issue through a series of six focus groups and 103 critical incidents surveys with 54 respondents. Results indicated that, when compared to positive WOM, negative WOM is more emotional in nature, is associated with dissatisfaction and is almost twice as likely to influence the receiver’s opinion of the firm. In addition, consumers who have had a negative experience with a firm are more driven to ‘vent’ their emotion, offering WOM sooner after the incident than those with positive experiences. By contrast, positive WOM is more cognitive, more considered and more closely associated with service quality-related comments. The study offers a new perspective on WOM research and offers suggestions for future research, as well as offering practical implications for service providers.