Although the task of delivering consistent service quality to consumers by service professionals has been studied widely, little research has focussed on service quality cues in professional services advertising. Examines the relationship between the encoding of core service quality dimensions in a professional service’s advertisement and consumers’ perceptions of risk, service provider expertise and purchase intentions. Finds that: all five service quality dimensions decreased consumers’ perceptions of purchase risk; tangible, reliability, assurance and empathy cues in a professional service advertisement increased consumers’ perceived expertise of the professional service; both perceived expertise and perceived risk had a direct impact on purchase intentions. Discusses the relationships and the managerial implications of these ties to a professional service advertiser.
A critical issue in the effective development and promotion of services is the identification of which service components are most closely related to attitude toward the service provider and repeat purchase behavior. The present study disaggregates a service (passenger rail transportation) into pre‐core and core service performances, and uses these elements to create a model of the effects on relevant service attitudes and intentions. Using a sample of 2,529 Amtrak riders, the present research finds that the core service elements of on‐board conditions, cafe car conditions, and on‐time performance were most strongly related to attitude toward the service provider. Advertising implications for developing repeat purchase behavior are discussed.
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