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Cited by 725Customer Service Quality and LoyaltyService and Product InnovationAI in Service Interactions

Consumer responses to compensation, speed of recovery and apology after a service failure

Wirtz, Jochen, Mattila, Anna S.·2004·International Journal of Service Industry Management
DOI 10.1108/09564230410532484
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Abstract

This experimental study examined how the three dimensions of fairness (distributive, procedural and interactional) influence consumers' attributional processes, their post‐recovery satisfaction and behavioral responses (repatronage intent and negative word‐of‐mouth) in a service failure context that does not involve monetary costs to the consumer. Our results indicate that recovery outcomes (e.g. compensation), procedures (e.g. speed of recovery) and interactional treatment (e.g. apology) have a joint effect on post‐recovery satisfaction. Specifically, our findings suggest that compensation may not enhance satisfaction when the recovery process is well‐executed (an immediate response combined with an apology). Similarly, compensation failed to lessen dissatisfaction with a poor recovery process (a delayed response without apology). It thus seems that compensation is a poor substitute for a good recovery process. However, offering compensation was effective in increasing satisfaction in mixed‐bag recovery situations (delayed recovery with an apology, or immediate recovery without apology). Furthermore, we found that service recovery satisfaction acted as a full mediator between service recovery attributes (compensation, recovery speed and apology) and behavioral intentions (repurchase intent and negative WOM). Finally, our findings suggest that consumer attributions for stability and controllability for the failure vary across recovery efforts. Managerial implications for these findings are discussed.

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Crossref · 10.1108/09564230410532484

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  • Post-complaint satisfaction completely mediates the relationship between organizational responses and customer behavioral intentions.

    “It is also demonstrated that post-complaint satisfaction partly mediates the relationship between justice perceptions and customer behavioral intentions (Maxham III and Netemeyer 2002) and completely mediates the relationship between organizational responses and customer behavioral intentions (Wirtz and Mattila 2004).”

    From A Meta-Analysis of Organizational Complaint Handling and Customer Responses (2011) · cites this paper as Wirtz and Mattila 2004

  • Post-complaint satisfaction partly mediates the relationship between justice perceptions and customer behavioral intentions.

    “It is also demonstrated that post-complaint satisfaction partly mediates the relationship between justice perceptions and customer behavioral intentions (Maxham III and Netemeyer 2002) and completely mediates the relationship between organizational responses and customer behavioral intentions (Wirtz and Mattila 2004).”

    From A Meta-Analysis of Organizational Complaint Handling and Customer Responses (2011) · cites this paper as Wirtz and Mattila 2004

  • Research consistently shows that an apology has a positive main effect on satisfaction.

    “and satisfaction (Mattila, Cho, and Ro 2009; Wirtz and Mattila 2004)”

    From A Meta-Analysis of Organizational Complaint Handling and Customer Responses (2011) · cites this paper as Wirtz and Mattila 2004

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Authors
Wirtz, J., & Mattila, A. S.
Affiliations
  • National University of Singapore (SG)
  • Pennsylvania State University (US)
ORCID
Venue
International Journal of Service Industry Management
Publisher
Emerald
Published
2004-04-01
Volume
15
Issue
2
Pages
150-166
ISSN
0956-4233 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1108/09564230410532484
OpenAlex
W2062193161
Cited by
725
References
51
Citations by year
2026: 26 · 2025: 32 · 2024: 36 · 2023: 41 · 2022: 41 · 2021: 47 · 2020: 58 · 2019: 54 · 2018: 35 · 2017: 37 · 2016: 33 · 2015: 40 · 2014: 41 · 2013: 36 · 2012: 39
FWCI
21.64
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
www.emerald.com/insight/site-policies (tdm)
Locations
  • International Journal of Service Industry Management (publishedVersion)
  • National University of Singapore (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management › Customer Service Quality and Loyalty
  • Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Marketing › Service and Product Innovation
  • Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Artificial Intelligence › AI in Service Interactions
Keywords
service failure, service recovery, compensation, recovery speed, apology, distributive fairness, procedural justice, interactional justice, consumer attributions, post-recovery satisfaction, repurchase intention, negative word-of-mouth, consumer behavior

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