دانلود رایگان مقاله اثر نامتقارن احساسات مشتری بر رضایت و وفاداری در زمینه خدمات مطلوب

abstract

This paper investigates the relative effects of customer positive versus negative emotions on satisfaction and loyalty in a utilitarian service setting. In-depth interviews with 20 call-center customers identify emotions and appraisals related to the customer service experience. Regression analysis of subsequent quantitative survey results from 1440 customers of a call-center shows that positive emotions influence satisfaction more strongly than negative emotions. In contrast, negative emotions influence recommendation intentions more strongly than positive emotions in line with prospect theory. However, for ‘higher risk’ repatronage the prospect of losses from switching reduces the effect of negative emotions resulting in a symmetric effect of positive and negative emotions on repatronage intentions.

5. Discussion and conclusion

The findings contribute to knowledge in several ways. First, they show that positive emotions are important in a utilitarian service setting. Previous research has suggested that the emotion of delight is irrelevant in mundane services such as online banking (Herington & Weaven, 2007) or e-retail (Loureiro & Roschk, 2014). However, we suggest that while delight may not be relevant, other positive emotions play a strong role. Second, by using emotions specific to call-center service customers, we reveal that lower arousal emotions such as happiness and relief are more likely to be operating in these types of services. We further suggest that these emotions are indicators of a positive disconfirmation experience leading to positive asymmetry (Falk et al., 2010; Rust & Oliver, 2000) in the effects of positive and negative emotions on satisfaction. In a call-center experience, customers approach the service with low expectations of pleasure, and can feel anxious even before placing the call (Bennington et al., 2000; Hudson et al., in press). As such, the emotions of happiness and relief have an enhanced effect similar to that of delight in services in the ‘domain of delight’ (Oliver et al., 1997, p. 330), leading to a larger impact on satisfaction than that of negative emotions.