The FAIRSERV Model: Consumer Reactions to Services Based on a Multidimensional Evaluation of Service Fairness

Abstract

The current dominant conceptualization of consumer reactions to services is the SERVQUAL model. This article proposes the FAIRSERV model as an alternative or additional conceptualization of consumer reactions to services. FAIRSERV involves seeing service evaluation through the lens of organizational fairness (justice) theory applied to the relationship between the service consumer and the service provider. FAIRSERV is premised on the claim that, especially in relational service contexts, consumers are interested in service fairness as well as service quality (service favorableness) as represented by SERVQUAL. Service fairness or justice is a multidimensional construct based on equity theory. In this article, the FAIRSERV model is tested with the SERVQUAL model in the context of information system services. The two models are used to predict service satisfaction and repatronage intention. The FAIRSERV model appears to add a significant new set of predictors of service satisfaction and repatronage intention that should be considered in the future by service providers.

Identification of the four-factor structure of customers’ perceived fairness

“…Further, this study expands previous fairness studies by supporting that these four factors of fairness can form a second-order factor of overall fairness . This result is in line with previous studies, 4,8,34 which identifi ed signifi cant correlations among fairness dimensions. The second-order construct refl ects the sales transactions with multiple activities, 34 which can infl uence customers ' perception of overall fairness.…”

“…For example, Skarlicki 8 found that the four dimensions of justice are correlated with one another with a minimum correlation of 0.22 in a university setting, and with a minimum correlation of 0.14 in an organizational setting. Carr 34 also found that the four types of fairness are inter-correlated with one another (minimum correlation: 0.33). These prior studies hint that the four types of fairness may share a root of overall fairness.…”

“…4,23,27,36,37 Unlike the above three sub-dimensions of fairness, the infl uence of informational fairness on informational justice has been recently investigated in a few studies. For example, Carr 34 identifi ed the signifi cant relationship of informational justice with user satisfaction. Mattilla and Cranage 10 found that informational fairness infl uences customer satisfaction during service recovery.…”

Distributor service quality in Indian SMEs: A bi-directional customer perspective

“…These five dimensions used to Carr (2007) proposed an important deficiency of SERVQUAL scale by stating that it does not include equity theory as the basis for any of its scales, even if it is clear from previous experience that equity (fairness) is often evaluated in service encounters. FAIRSERV (Carr, 2007), in conjunction with SERVQUAL (Parasuraman et al 1988), may be suitable for this study, due to its focus on satisfaction and loyalty intensions. The preliminary questionnaire is on five attributes of SERVQUAL scale and "Systematic Fairness" dimension of FAIRSERV model.…”

“…A survey instrument was developed based on an extensive review of literature on different aspects of service quality measurement with a focus on employee related issues using a combination of SERVQUAL (Parasuraman et al, 1985(Parasuraman et al, , 1988 and FAIRSERV (Carr, 2007) scales. The questionnaire was refined after focus group discussion with five managers working in different SMEs and three academicians with work published in similar area.…”