The Influence of Services Marketing Mix and Electronic Word of Mouth (eWOM) on Consumers' Decision-Making Behavior in Choosing Barbecue Restaurants in Nakhon Pathom Province

Abstract

This research has two main objectives 1) to compare the decision-making behavior of consumers using grilled restaurants in Nakhon Pathom Province, classified by personal factors, and 2) to study the influence of the service marketing mix and electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) on the decision-making behavior of consumers using grilled restaurants in Nakhon Pathom Province. Data were collected from a sample of 400 respondents using convenience sampling. The research instrument was a questionnaire that had been validated for both validity and reliability. The statistics used for data analysis included percentage, mean, standard deviation, independent t-test, One-Way ANOVA, and Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The research findings revealed that: 1) The decision-making behavior of consumers using grilled restaurants in Nakhon Pathom Province showed statistically significant differences based on occupation and monthly income. 2) Electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) and the service marketing mix had a positive direct influence on the decision-making behavior of consumers using grilled restaurants in Nakhon Pathom Province at a statistical significance level of 0.001. Electronic word-of-mouth had the highest influence on decision-making (β = 0.752), followed by the service marketing mix (β = 0.410). Furthermore, the service marketing mix had a high positive influence on electronic word-of-mouth (β = 0.859). Both factors could jointly explain 92.00 percent of the variance in service decision-making behavior.