Employee behaviour and relationship quality : impact on customers

Abstract

This paper examines relationship quality as a multidimensional metaconstruct comprising three dimensions; satisfaction, trust and commitment. The role of relationship quality in its nomological network with service orientation as an antecedent construct and consumers’ positive behavioural intentions, perceived switching costs and activism as the consequences is explored. Survey data from 728 travellers are used employing structural equations modelling to test this conceptualisation. We find that service orientation affects relationship satisfaction and trust, and that the latter influences satisfaction and commitment. In turn, satisfaction, trust and commitment have a positive impact on positive behavioural intentions, trust a negative one on activism, and commitment a positive one on perceived switching costs. The implications of this conceptual and empirical understanding of relationship quality are discussed and directions for future research presented.