Outcomes of service encounter quality in a business-to-business context

Abstract

Service encounter quality is an area of growing interest to researchers and managers alike, yet little is known about the effects of face-to-face service encounter quality within a business-to-business setting. In this paper, a psychometrically sound measure of such service encounter quality is proposed, and consequences of this construct are empirically assessed. Both a literature review and a dyadic in-depth interview approach were used to develop a conceptual framework and a pool of items to capture service encounter quality. A mail survey of customers was undertaken, and a response rate of 36% was obtained. Data analysis was conducted via confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling. Findings reveal a four-factor structure of service encounter quality, encompassing professionalism, civility, friendliness and competence dimensions. Service encounter quality was found to be directly related to customer satisfaction and service quality perceptions, and indirectly to loyalty. The importance of these findings for practitioners and for future research on service encounter quality is discussed.

Publication DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indmarman.2006.02.012
Divisions: College of Business and Social Sciences > Aston Business School > Marketing & Strategy
Additional Information: NOTICE: this is the author’s version of a work that was accepted for publication in Industrial Marketing Management. Changes resulting from the publishing process, such as peer review, editing, corrections, structural formatting, and other quality control mechanisms may not be reflected in this document. Changes may have been made to this work since it was submitted for publication. A definitive version was subsequently published in Jayawardhena, Chanaka; Souchon, Anne L.; Farrell, Andrew M. and Glanville, Kate (2007). Outcomes of service encounter quality in a business-to-business context. Industrial Marketing Management, 36 (5), pp. 575-588. DOI 10.1016/j.indmarman.2006.02.012
Uncontrolled Keywords: service encounter quality,customer satisfaction,service quality,loyalty,business-to-business,professional services
Publication ISSN: 1873-2062
Last Modified: 02 Oct 2024 07:11
Date Deposited: 16 Oct 2009 14:24
PURE Output Type: Article
Published Date: 2007-07
Authors: Jayawardhena, Chanaka
Souchon, Anne L.
Farrell, Andrew M. (ORCID Profile 0000-0002-5903-3611)
Glanville, Kate

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