A relationship dissolution model is developed that depicts some of the key antecedents of relationship commitment as revealed in the context of the dissolution of a buyer‐seller relationship. Despite the importance of the dissolution of marketing relationships, there has been little research on this topic. The level of commitment determines intentions to remain in the relationship. However, it is difficult to measure true commitment in a relationship until that relationship ends. In addition to adding to our knowledge about the dissolution of marketing relationships, this paper will also provide a new conceptual representation of the relationship commitment construct.

PurposeTo determine the impact of service recovery on consumer evaluations of service delivery.Design/methodology/approachAn experiment investigated consumer responses to three dimensions of perceived fairness of recovery efforts: redress, responsiveness, and empathy/courtesy.FindingsResults revealed that higher levels of redress independently increase positive consumer responses. It was further found that the interaction of employee responsiveness and courtesy can also have a dramatic impact on consumer evaluations. Satisfaction was highest and negative word‐of‐mouth (WOM) intentions were lowest only under conditions of high responsiveness and courtesy. Additionally, an interaction between courtesy and tangible rewards significantly decreased the level of negative WOM.Practical implicationsThe research offers empirical support for the “service recovery paradox” suggesting effective post‐recovery efforts may not only counteract bad service experiences, but may increase satisfaction beyond levels held before the service failure.Originality/valueKey elements for the proper structuring of a service recovery process are identified for management.

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract