Service Outlets Research Articles

Revisiting smoking bans in restaurants: Canadian employees perspectives

The issue of smoking in restaurants and other food service outlets continues to be hotly debated, especially with the bourgeoning interest in, and use of electronic cigarettes. While hospitality research has focused on restaurateurs’ and consumers’ attitude toward smoking bans in restaurants, employees’ views have been virtually ignored. This study examines restaurant employees’ attitudes toward smoking bans in two restaurant segments—the coffee and doughnut segment and the family style-dining segment. Findings suggest that employees’ attitudes toward smoking bans are largely related to their smoking status. Nonsmokers are generally in favor of smoking bans while smokers are generally in opposition. Overall, it was found that participants from both segments prefer a nonsmoking work environment.

A rapid appraisal of training issues of ASHAs (Accredited Social Health Activist) in Madhya Pradesh

Background: ASHA (Accredited Social Health Activist) acts as a ‘bridge’ between the rural people and health service outlets and play a central role, in achieving national health and population policy goals. Their effectiveness largely depends on the training and support from health system and the community. Training is the backbone of capacity building and functioning of ASHAs. Material and methods: cross sectional study done in Indore and Dewas districts of Madhya Pradesh in year 2013.Facility survey of training centre, observation of training micro plan and its implementation and trainees feedback (satisfaction) regarding training using structured Performa was done. Feedback from 270 ASHA from Indore and 310 ASHAs from Dewas selected by sequential random sampling was recorded. For statistical analysis Mann whitney U test was applied and p value less than 0.05 was considered significant. Observations: one of the training centre lack basic facilities like separate dormitories, mess, dining hall, adequate number of toilets. Delay in the running of session was seen and ASHAs come late at the training centre on first day. Feedback revealed that 70 % of the participants were satisfied with objectives, 94% of agreed with course material adequacy and utility and 74% agreed with their teaching efficiency. But only 65% were satisfied with the overall facilities at the training centres. Conclusion: there were deficiencies in the facilities for proper conduction of training which can be improved for better outcome of the training and functioning of ASHAs.

The influence of ethnic attributes on ethnic consumer choice of service outlet

PurposeMarketers are increasingly aware of ethnic subgroups as segments to target with customized offers. This paper aims to investigate the role of ethnic‐related outlet attributes in determining the attractiveness of mainstream and ethnic service outlets to ethnic consumers.Design/methodology/approachBased on institutional theory and self‐congruity theory, the paper proposes that two sets of outlet attributes, ethnic‐related and performative attributes, influence the attractiveness of an outlet. These effects are mediated by a business's pragmatic legitimacy, its social legitimacy (in terms of perceived sensitivity to ethnic culture), and the congruity between the consumer's self‐image and the business. A model is proposed and hypotheses derived. They are tested on data from an online survey among 483 Chinese Australian consumers about their use of travel agents. The hypotheses are tested using structural equation modelling.FindingsThe study reveals that ethnic‐related attributes play a specific and significant role in determining outlet attractiveness for Chinese consumers in Australia. Although they have a smaller effect than service and price, ethnic‐related attributes contribute positively to perceived attractiveness. Of the performative attributes, customer service has the largest effect; offering competitive prices has the second largest effect. Outlet accessibility has no significant effect while store atmosphere has an unexpected negative effect. Store atmosphere acts as both a performative and an ethnic‐related attribute. The results confirm the hypothesized mediation effects of pragmatic legitimacy, social legitimacy and congruity.Originality/valueThis study contributes to a better understanding of ethnic consumer behaviour and the role of ethnic retail and service outlets in the market place. It provides new insights by drawing from different theoretical frameworks (institutional theory and self‐congruity theory) and conducting an empirical study that uses validated scales in a unique setting among real consumers reporting about their use of a service provider. The results not only demonstrate the role and potential of ethnic attributes, but also how customer service and store atmosphere play a more intricate role than initially expected.

Training of Food Providers for Improved Environmental Conditions of Food Service Outlets in Urban Area Nigeria

Environmental conditions and hygiene practices under which foods are prepared and served for public consumption are a matter of concern. The study was conducted to investigate the impact of training of food providers on environmental conditions of food service outlets (FSO) in and around a university community in Southwestern Nigeria. Structured questionnaire and “Spot Check Observation” (SCO) were used to assess the hygiene practices and environmental condition of the FSO respectively. Sixteen (16) High Density Food Service Outlets (HDFSO) and twelve (12) Low Density Food Service Outlets (LDFSO) were investigated. From the findings, mean score of SCO for HDFSO was low (2.93 ± 0.09) compared to LDFSO (4.32 ± 0.56) (p = 0.014). There were significant differences in source of cooking water (p = 0.003), solid waste disposal method (p = 0.031), liquid waste disposal method (p = 0.023) and toilet facilities (p = 0.001) between HDFSO and LDFSO. Significant differences existed in the environmental hygiene between HDFSO and LDFSO (p 40 years of age were more likely to score high in SCO in HDFSO than the other age groups (OR = 1.80, 95%CI = 1.21, 2.68). Those with tertiary education were twice more likely to score high in SCO compared to those with lower educational qualifications in LDFSO (OR = 2.03, 95%CI = 1.48 2.78). Those who earned above ?40,000.00 were more likely to have higher SCO among both categories. A 3-day food safety workshop was organized among both groups at different times, three months later, SCO was conducted and scores improved greatly. Constant training of food service providers is important to improving the environmental condition of food service outlets in high-density urban areas in order to ensure food safety.

Optimal design of stormwater detention basin using the genetic algorithm

The urbanization of an undeveloped area often shortens outflow travel time and increases peak discharge from the basin, thereby increasing the downstream flood frequency. Stormwater detention ponds are the most common measure to maintain the outflow from the post-developed basin to a flow similar to that under the pre-developed condition. The design criteria of stormwater detention ponds are to minimize construction cost while achieving the flood control purpose. The tedious and time-consuming, trial-and-error method is commonly used to determine the optimal size and location of the pond and outlet structure for a design storm period. In this study, a stochastic search algorithm, a Genetic Algorithm (GA), is used to optimize the detention pond design. The decision variables are the pond storage, and the pipe diameters and number of pipes for the service outlet. The flood control objective considered in this study is that the peak discharge in the post-developed condition does not exceed that under the pre-developed condition and that the maximum water level in the pond during the flood remains below the allowable water level. The proposed optimization algorithm method was applied to the real design of two detention ponds in South Korea, where it generated better design options comprising smaller pond storage and smaller outlet standpipe dimensions than those of the traditional trial-and-error method, and in a much shorter computational time. Therefore, the stochastic search algorithm, GA, can be successfully applied in the design of a stormwater detention basin to improve accuracy and convenience. The engineers can accordingly assess the development plan in terms of the potential basin disaster more efficiently than is possible when using the tedious computation method.

TATA LETAK DAN KOMUNIKASI RUANG OUTLET VNC, SENAYAN CITY

This research aims to find out how the layout and space communications providing in VNC outlet Senayan City, And what message is being delivered to customers via VNC layout and space communications in the customer service outlets providing VNC, Senayan City. Theories used in research is the theory of Edward Hall, about the existence of intimate, personal, social distance is the distance, the distance of the public. According to Astrid Kusumowidagdo in his book the design of Retail (57: 2011) on the layout, i.e. Selling Space Space, Personnel, Merchandising Space, Customer Space. Because according to Shannon and Weaver (1949) that the communication is a form of interaction that interplay with each other, deliberate or accidental. Not tebatas in the form of communication using verbal language, but also in terms of expression, painting, art, and technology (nonverbal). The method of research is case studies with one case and multi unit of analysis. The collection of data obtained by the author with conducting research through participant observation in the natural situation of the research object of VNC, Senayan City outlets. Analysis of case studies on non-verbal communication when it is associated with this research is to describe How the layout and Space Communications Officer in the customer service Outlets Providing VNC, Senayan City The results showed a space communications outlets used VNC, Senayan City in providing services at the customer's personal distance communication, social distance, the distance of the public. With the consumer is not a mutual tangent with the officer and fellow visitors when dealing in the Outlet. The layout and space communication in the service of customers to note. The layout of individual items and accessories of other supporters have long distance interaction, where the customer can turned his attention to the products and services by making your employees satisfaction through comfort level optimal space. Harmony in structuring the space created when there is balance and alignment of the materials described above. The room must always provide a safe, healthy and peaceful, memorable. A summary of the results of this research is a communications space are good or comfortable reflected from the good and the room comfortable. Theoretical advice on non-verbal communication through layout and communications space spatial expressed very ease understanding of Edward Hall's condition through the distance and cue-cue. Practical advice so that the public understand the layout and space in daily communication in interacting with behaves the opposite communication. The layout of individual items and accessories of other supporters have long distance interaction, where the customer can turned his attention to the products and service by the employee so as to make optimal satisfaction through comfort level that was formed through the layout and communications space.

Sensory cues and shoppers' touching behaviour: the case of IKEA

PurposeThe presented research aims to depict shoppers' touching behaviour in relation to the introduction of visual and olfactory sensory cues at point‐of‐purchase in a retail setting. In the field of retailing research, there is a paucity of knowledge on how visual and olfactory sensory cues impact on consumers' touch behaviour.Design/methodology/approachThe author presents a review of theoretically relevant work from retailing and consumer psychology, and an original study examining the impact of visual and olfactory sensory cues on consumer touch behaviour. The study was a field experiment in the glass department of the Swedish retailer IKEA. The design was quasi‐experimental with a convenience sample of shoppers assigned to a control group (n=451) and an experimental group (n=435).FindingsIn the reported study, the author finds significant differences between shoppers' touching behaviour in a manipulated point‐of‐purchase compared to a conventional one. The findings show that visual and olfactory sensory cues have a positive impact on shoppers' touching behaviour, purchase intentions and total sale.Research limitations/implicationsThe findings demonstrate that sensory cues exert a positive impact on consumers' desire to touch. Sensory cues frame consumers' affective responses and decision making through involving the sense of touch.Practical implicationsThe findings provide guidelines for managers of retail and service outlets, concerning the benefits of sensory cues in enhancing shoppers' touching behaviour at point‐of‐purchase.Originality/valueThe research demonstrates that the introduction of visual and olfactory sensory cues impact consumers' touch behaviour at point‐of‐purchase in a retail setting.

Organizacinės kultūros vystymas aptarnavimo sferos įmonėje

This article analyzes the importance of the organizational culture of the public service companies, and describes the organizational culture survey conducted in selected service industries in the organization. The importance of organizational culture in the public service companies revealed through human capital – the main service outlets success factor. These facilities are particularly important role for service personnel. So in order to improve the quality of services provided by the organization, in particular, need to develop the appropriate staff (especially the first line, which has a direct connection to the organization’s customers) perceptions of organizational culture – the values, priorities, attitudes and behavior. Researching organizational culture characteristics of service outlets were also found a direct relationship between organizational culture and organizational performance – appropriate organizational culture leads to greater service industries company performance. Researchers conducted a study, also found a positive correlation between leadership and service outlets reaction speed to changes. So leadership is also an important factor in shaping the appropriate organizational culture. Organisational culture study in public service company has been carried out on the basis of research approved by the organizational culture test methods – questionnaire survey of members of the organization, interviews with organization leaders, business documents, analysis and monitoring of the organization. In organizational culture study there was a question of the public service organization organizational culture type, distinguishing between the two groups of respondents – the organization’s executives and employees of the organization. [...]

Measuring the food environment in three rural towns in New South Wales, Australia

Food availability affects eating habits, and in the Australian context, refers to the numbers and locations of food retail and food service outlets and the types and range of foods in those outlets. The aim of this study was to assess the community and consumer food environment in three small rural towns in New South Wales, Australia. Geographical analyses were used to measure the diversity, variety and locations of food outlets (community food environment); and checklists were used to assess the availability of selected indicator foods within food outlets (consumer food environment). Supermarkets provided access to the full range of healthy indicator foods, with convenience stores selling a more limited set of healthy food items. There were high numbers of take-away food outlets in each town that had no, or a limited number of, healthy food items. Energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods such as soft drinks and potato crisps were readily available across all food retail outlets in all towns. This study illustrates a valid, reliable and practical way of systematically describing food availability at a local level. The findings emphasise the ubiquity of energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods, and suggest that interventions to promote the availability of healthier food items in take-away food outlets are required. Further research is required to assess other factors which may affect residents' food access, such as cost and transport.

Retail - A Sector Full of Opportunities and Challenges

Retail is a very wide area which includes a lot of stores providing goods and services to the final consumers. It not only includes the age-old kirana stores, cloth sellers or vegetables vendors, rather it also includes very big stores like Shoppers Stop, Lifestyle and service outlets like beauty parlors, service stations for vehicles, gas-stations, dog saloons, financial sector outlets like banks, insurance companies dealing with retail clients etc. From the above examples we can very well say that any shop or institution that provides goods and services to final consumer for their personal use and sell in small quantities comes under the parlance of retail sector.

Analysis of the Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission (PMTCT) Service utilization in Ethiopia: 2006-2010

IntroductionAlthough progressive improvements have been made in the coverage and quality of prevention of HIV/AIDS mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) services in Ethiopia, the national coverage remained persistently low. Analysis of the cascaded PMTCT services can reveal the advancements made and the biggest hurdles faced during implementation.ObjectiveTo examine the progresses and unaddressed needs in access and utilization of PMTCT services in Ethiopia from 2006 to 2010 thereby developing best-fit regression models to predict the values of key PMTCT indicators at critical future points.MethodsFive-year national level PMTCT data were analyzed in a cascaded manner. Five levels of analysis were used for ten major PMTCT indicators. These included description of progress made, assessment of unaddressed needs, developing best-fit models, prediction for future points and estimation using constant prevalence. Findings were presented using numerical and graphic summaries.ResultsBased on the current trend, Ethiopia could achieve universal ANC coverage by 2015. The prevalence of HIV at PMTCT sites has shown a four-fold decrease during the five-year period. This study has found that only 53% of known HIV-positive mothers and 48% of known HIV-exposed infants have received ARV prophylaxis. Based on assumption of constant HIV prevalence, the estimated ARV coverage was found to be 11.6% for HIV positive mothers and 8.4% for their babies.ConclusionThere has been a remarkable improvement in the potential coverage of PMTCT services due to rapid increase in the number of PMTCT service outlets. However, the actual coverage remained low. Integration of PMTCT services with grassroots level health systems could unravel the problem.

Retail - A Sector Full of Opportunities and Challenges

Retail is a very wide area which includes a lot of stores providing goods and services to the final consumers. It not only includes the age-old kirana stores, cloth sellers or vegetables vendors, rather it also includes very big stores like Shoppers Stop, Lifestyle and service outlets like beauty parlors, service stations for vehicles, gas-stations, dog saloons, financial sector outlets like banks, insurance companies dealing with retail clients etc. From the above examples we can very well say that any shop or institution that provides goods and services to final consumer for their personal use and sell in small quantities comes under the parlance of retail sector.

How Employer and Employee Satisfaction Affect Customer Satisfaction: An Application to Franchise Services

In small-service settings, how do owner satisfaction, front-line employee satisfaction, and customer satisfaction relate to one another? The authors use generalized exchange theory (GET) to examine how satisfaction levels of these three constituents are reciprocated. The authors examine a European franchise system comprising 50 outlets, 933 employees, and 20,742 customers. Their results show two important findings. First, the effect of owner-franchisee’s satisfaction on customer satisfaction is fully mediated by front-line employee satisfaction. Thus, managers of a service outlet can strongly impact the satisfaction and behavioral intentions of their customer base, even without direct contact with them. Second, the link between customer satisfaction and purchase intention is moderated by employee satisfaction at an outlet. The link between customer satisfaction and customer purchase intentions is almost twice as strong when employees are satisfied than when they are not. Thus, there is a ‘‘doublepositive effect:’’ not only does higher employee satisfaction at an outlet directly lead to higher customer satisfaction but it also indirectly strengthens the association between customer satisfaction and their repurchase intentions.

Rural Banking: The Case of Rural and Community Banks in Ghana

This case study describes the history and business model of the Rural and Community Bank (RCB) network in Ghana, analyzes its performance, identifies key issues, and makes recommendations on the way forward. The study analyzes the service delivery and financial performance of the RCBs. Before the establishment of RCBs in the late 1970s and the subsequent expansion of other service providers into rural areas, access to institutional credit for farm and nonfarm activities was scarce. The main sources of credit were moneylenders and traders that charged very high interest rates. In many rural communities, secure, safe, and convenient savings and payment facilities hardly existed. The first RCB was established in a farming community in the central region of Ghana in 1976. Rural communities showed tremendous interested in the community ownership and management features of RCBs, and by 1984 the number of RCBs reached 106. The introduction of a check payment system for cocoa farmers also spurred the establishment of local banks in many communities. The financial performance of many RCBs started to decline, however, for several reasons, including a drought that affected the country in 1983, weak governing ability, conflicts within boards of directors, and ineffective management in many RCBs. By the end of 2008, 127 RCBs were in operation with a total 584 service outlets. RCBs are regulated by Ghana's central bank, the Bank of Ghana, and thereby form part of the country's regulated financial sector. RCBs are the largest providers of formal financial services in rural areas and represent about half of the total banking outlets in Ghana.

Family‐themed control in “service factories”

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore the deployment of family‐themed control in McDonaldized service outlets. More specifically, the paper aims to contribute to the debate about the nature of the service encounter and the type of management control employed by organizations in the hospitality sector.Design/methodology/approachThe paper adopts a case study approach, focusing on a UK restaurant chain. A total of 55 interviews were conducted with area managers, restaurant managers and employees in seven of the company's restaurants.FindingsThe evidence shows that the case study company employed a family‐based type of control which aimed to address the perennial issue of high labour turnover, which is common in hospitality. The relative success of normative control in this case is explained by the fact that it did not co‐exist with other, more militaristic forms of control, as is often the case in fast‐food outlets.Research limitations/implicationsThe study is based on a single organization. Further research is needed into the rationale behind the deployment of normative control by service factories.Originality/valueThis study addresses limitations in previous research which discusses types of management control in hospitality organizations within a framework informed by the notion of “best fit” between service archetypes and HRM styles. The paper shows that the adoption of specific types of management control is related not only to the nature of the service encounter but also to broader sectoral issues.

Measuring the Food Service Environment: Development and Implementation of Assessment Tools

The food environment is increasingly being implicated in the obesity epidemic, though few reported measures of it exist. In order to assess the impact of the food environment on food intake, valid measures must be developed and tested. The current study describes the development of a food service environment assessment tool and its implementation in a community setting. A descriptive study with mixed qualitative and quantitative methods at a large, North American university campus was undertaken. Measures were developed on the basis of a conceptual model of nutrition environments. Measures of community nutrition environment were the number, type and hours of operation of each food service outlet on campus. Measures of consumer nutrition environment were food availability, food affordability, food promotion and nutrition information availability. Seventy-five food service outlets within the geographic boundaries were assessed. Assessment tools could be implemented in a reasonable amount of time and showed good face and content validity. The food environments were described and measures were grouped so that food service outlet types could be compared in terms of purchasing convenience, cost/value, healthy food promotion and health. Food service outlet types that scored higher in purchasing convenience and cost/value tended to score lower in healthy food promotion and health. This study adds evidence that food service outlet types that are convenient to consumers and supply high value (in terms of calories per dollar) tend to be less health-promoting. Results from this study also suggest the possibility of characterizing the food environment according to the type of food service outlet observed.

Measuring the Food Service Environment: Development and Implementation of Assessment Tools

The food environment is increasingly being implicated in the obesity epidemic, though few reported measures of it exist. In order to assess the impact of the food environment on food intake, valid measures must be developed and tested. The current study describes the development of a food service environment assessment tool and its implementation in a community setting. A descriptive study with mixed qualitative and quantitative methods at a large, North American university campus was undertaken. Measures were developed on the basis of a conceptual model of nutrition environments. Measures of community nutrition environment were the number, type and hours of operation of each food service outlet on campus. Measures of consumer nutrition environment were food availability, food affordability, food promotion and nutrition information availability. Seventy-five food service outlets within the geographic boundaries were assessed. Assessment tools could be implemented in a reasonable amount of time and showed good face and content validity. The food environments were described and measures were grouped so that food service outlet types could be compared in terms of purchasing convenience, cost/value, healthy food promotion and health. Food service outlet types that scored higher in purchasing convenience and cost/value tended to score lower in healthy food promotion and health. This study adds evidence that food service outlet types that are convenient to consumers and supply high value (in terms of calories per dollar) tend to be less health-promoting. Results from this study also suggest the possibility of characterizing the food environment according to the type of food service outlet observed.

Mold spore penetration through wall service outlets: a pilot study

A pilot study was conducted to estimate fungal spore penetration for wall service outlets subjected to a constant air pressure. During the laboratory experiment, a wall chamber was fabricated, and telephone, electrical, and cable service outlets were installed. Penicillium chrysogenum spores were aerosolized into the chamber that was held under pressure. Spores that penetrated the outlets were funneled into an impinger for microscopic enumeration. Thirty trials were conducted for each of the five outlets (N = 150), and the wall chamber was decontaminated between trials. Results of an analysis of variance suggest wall service outlets allow spore penetration. The penetration factor for the telephone outlet was significantly greater than all other outlets (p < 0.05), and there was no difference in penetration between electrical outlets with and without plugs. Penetration factor differences were attributed to air leakage rates across the outlets. Due to the experimental design and equipment limitations, further research is needed to support these findings.

Hazards analysis critical control points (HACCP) and microbiology qualities of sea-foods as affected by handler's hygience in Ibadan and Lagos, Nigeria.

This study reports the hazard analysis critical control points (HACCP) and microbiological qualities of seafood products as affected by hygiene of handlers in Ibadan and Lagos, Nigeria. Seafood products were purchased at four different processing plants, two each from Ibadan and Lagos. This study consisted of observing the raw materials, water used, the utensils used and the environment, monitoring all steps of the processing and packaging, recording temperatures during preparation, storage and display and collecting samples of seafood products for total viable counts, coliforms, Salmonella and Shigella counts and fungi counts. A microbiological survey of seafood processors/handlers was also performed. Palms of processors/handlers were swabbed and analyzed for the presence of indicator organisms of sanitary quality. The total viable bacteria count decreased with time from raw to packaging and to when ready for consumption. Coliforms, B. cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella sp, and fungi were isolated and had count higher than 103 cells/ml before processing and after processing with few exceptions. A total of 186 organisms were isolated and identified. Almost all palms of the handlers sampled haboured Micrococcus sp. [36(21.1%)] and Enterobacter sp. [30(18.0%)], followed by Bacillus sp. [24 (14.0%)], Flavobacterium sp. [19 (11.1%)], Staphylococcus sp. [17(9.9%)],Escherichia coli [15(8.8%)], Proteus sp [8(4.7%)], Salmonella sp. [7(4.1%)],Citrobacter sp [3(1.8%)], Klebsiella sp [4(2.3%)], Pseudomonas sp. [3(1.8%)], Serratia sp. [3(1.8%)] and Achromobacterium sp [2(1.2%)], Aspergillus formigatus[3(20.0%)], Aspergillus niger [2(13.3%)], Fusarium sp [2(13.3%)], Mucor mucido[3(20.0%)], Neurospora crassa [2(13.3%)] and Rhizopus sp [3(20.0%)]. Seafood processors/handlers may be sources of microbial chance inoculation, microbial food poison, food intoxication and food spoilage hence, processors/handlers may be counter productive by being responsible for public health hazard and loss of revenue. The level of counts appears high for processed and unprocessed products; the presence of coliforms, S. aureus, B. Cereus, Salmonella and fungi showed that processing of these seafood products in a highly contaminated environment and holding at frozen temperature for sale could be risky. Using current WHO/FAO/NAFDAC guidelines and standards for foods and water, none of the food processors/handlers, the utensils and the products were within acceptable standards. There were significant correlations between bacteriological quality and food hygiene training, and waste product management polices. The findings of this study suggests that there is need to improve on hygienic practices as well as HACCP implementation in public food service outlets in order to obtain relatively safe processed seafood products for consumption. The new approach to supervision of food hygiene and sanitary quality, the HACCP system works rationally as it is based on analysis of systematically assembled data on the causes and conditions which evoked the illness of the consumers by food products or meals. Therefore, education of owners of seafood processing plants, processors/handlers on hazards, critical control points and the importance of hygienic environment is imperative. The control measures and monitoring procedures for seafood processing and packaging are thus advocated. Key words: Coliforms, contamination, frozen seafood, hazards, food hygiene, CCP, control measures,monitoring, microbiological quality, sanitary standards.

Enhancing retail services: an empirical investigation

Researchers have shown that there is a relationship between the retail environment and revenue in retail and service outlet stores, satisfaction, and product selections and evaluations. A consumer's retail experience is affected by their emotional states, retail store attributes, and parking facilities. The purpose of the present study is to identify those factors likely to negatively affect retail patronage. Focus group interviews identified eleven attributes likely to evoke negative patronage. A survey instrument was developed and randomly administered via mall intercept. Three consumer clusters were produced; respondents comprising the first cluster appear to be more sensitive to personnel related issues while respondents comprising the second and third clusters appear to have diminishing levels of sensitivity to product related issues. The results of the study suggest the areas of potential concern to which retail management should develop proactive strategies. Finally, implications and directions for future research are discussed.