ASSESSING THE ROLE OF COMPLAINT MANAGEMENT IN SELECTED FAST-FOOD CHAIN: ADDRESSING FEEDBACK TO IMPROVE BRAND LOYALTY

Abstract

This study assesses the role of complaint management in selected fast‑food chains—Jollibee, Mang Inasal, and McDonald’s—in improving brand loyalty. Guided by the Complaint Management Model, it examines how customer responsiveness, communication quality, resolution timeliness, and satisfaction vary across demographic groups such as age and gender. The study further explores how these complaint‑handling dimensions influence customer perceptions of brand loyalty. A comparative descriptive design is employed with purposive sampling to select 75 employees (25 per chain) from Jollibee, Mang Inasal, and McDonald’s. A structured survey questionnaire measures four complaint‑management dimensions—responsiveness, communication, resolution timeliness, and customer satisfaction—and five brand‑loyalty indicators—customer retention, repeat purchase intention, positive word‑of‑mouth, emotional attachment, and preference over competitors. Data are analyzed using means for each dimension and Pearson’s correlation to test the relationship between complaint management and brand loyalty. Respondents were predominantly aged 18 to 20 (68%) and male (68%). Mean ratings for complaint management were 3.31 for responsiveness, 3.24 for communication, 3.07 for resolution timeliness, and 3.28 for customer satisfaction. Brand loyalty means there is a 3.13 for customer retention, 3.24 for repeat purchases, 3.04 for positive word‑of‑mouth, 2.99 for emotional attachment, and 3.13 for preference over competitors. Pearson’s correlation analysis revealed no statistically significant relationship between overall complaint‑management effectiveness and brand loyalty. The findings indicated that while responsiveness, clear communication, prompt resolutions, and customer satisfaction scored moderately high, these alone did not translate into stronger brand loyalty within the sample. As a result, it was concluded that complaint management must be integrated with broader loyalty strategies—such as personalized rewards, customer engagement programs, and consistent service quality—to have a measurable impact on customer retention and advocacy.