Beyond satisfaction: The relative importance of locational convenience, interpersonal relationships, and commitment across service types
Managing Service Quality: An International Journal
ISSN: 0960-4529
Article publication date: 17 May 2011
Abstract
Purpose
Many studies have documented that satisfaction does not always result in loyalty, and that dissatisfaction does not necessarily result in defection. In response, this study goes beyond satisfaction and proposes the moderating effects of locational convenience, interpersonal relationships, and commitment between satisfaction and customer loyalty across search, experience, and credence attribute services.
Design/methodology/approach
Hierarchical moderated regression analysis was used to test the hypotheses.
Findings
The results suggest that from search attribute services to experience and credence attribute services, the relative importance of locational convenience with regard to retaining dissatisfied customers is likely to decline. Search and experience attribute services that can develop and maintain close interpersonal relationships with their customers are more likely to retain dissatisfied customers. Commitment maintains customer loyalty, even when customer satisfaction is lower across search, experience, and credence attribute services.
Originality/value
This study discriminates dissatisfied customers' loyalty behaviors based on locational convenience from those behaviors resulting from interpersonal relationships and commitment across service types, and thus has significance for the marketing strategies of businesses providing different service types, particularly in terms of dissatisfaction resolution strategies.
Keywords
Citation
Wu, L. (2011), "Beyond satisfaction: The relative importance of locational convenience, interpersonal relationships, and commitment across service types", Managing Service Quality: An International Journal, Vol. 21 No. 3, pp. 240-263. https://doi.org/10.1108/09604521111127956
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2011, Emerald Group Publishing Limited