The effect of switching barriers on customer commitment: an application to mobile phone services

The goal of this research work is to investigate the relationship between switching barriers and customers' commitment. It is considered that different types of switching barriers have an opposite influence on the commitment of clients: it can be either a destructive effect or a beneficial effect on the long-term relationship between partners. We have distinguished between two types of switching barrier, negative and positive, depending on the customers' motivation to maintain the relationship. The results indicate that negative switching barriers weaken the affective commitment while positive switching barriers enhance it. Therefore, contrary to current practice in the mobile phone services sector, application of positive switching barriers is an effective strategy for building a long term customer relationship.