After‐service response in service quality assessment: a real‐time updating model approach

Managers know that customers’ overall service quality perception and positive behavioral intentions toward the service provider are influenced strongly by effective complaint management. In this paper, we provide and test an explanation for how complaint management influences overall service quality perception and behavioral intentions. The implications of our model provide more focused guidance on complaint behavior management. It is suggested, based on our research, that service delivery and communications be used to emphasize a firm’s strengths. Thus complaint management should also result in reinforcing the strengths of the firm and not just in covering up or fixing its problems. Finally, we wish to emphasize that customer expectations themselves change within the encounter itself and play a key role in the perception of service quality. Thus, the focus during service delivery should also concentrate on reinforcing customer expectations on the strengths of the service provider.