Get 20M+ Full-Text Papers For Less Than $1.50/day. Start a 14-Day Trial for You or Your Team.

Learn More →

Influence of service-entry waiting on customer’s first impression and satisfaction

Influence of service-entry waiting on customer’s first impression and satisfaction The purpose of this paper is to examine the influence mechanism of waiting time on customer satisfaction based on first impression bias, which explains how customers’ perceived service-entry waiting time (PSWT) influences their first impression of service staff and satisfaction in the context of online service. Furthermore, the moderating effect of three information formats (formal, informal and hybrid) of opening remark on the relationship between PSWT and first impression, and the moderating effect of perceived in-service waiting time (PIWT) on the relationship between first impression and customer satisfaction are investigated.Design/methodology/approachTwo studies were used to verify the research model. First, an experiment on prepurchase consulting services for cruise tourism products was designed, and 810 Chinese individuals have participated. Second, 20 interviews with e-commerce practitioners in China were conducted.FindingsThe results show that, first, PSWT negatively influences customers’ first impression of service staff. Second, customers prefer the hybrid format to present opening remarks, which not only conveys the respect of the staff but also fosters a relationship. Third, in-service waits are equally as important as service-entry waits in online service. When PIWT is longer, the positive influence of first impression on customer satisfaction is weakening, resulting in lower customer satisfaction.Practical implicationsThis study provides suggestions for online service enterprises to minimize the negative impact of waiting time and improve customer satisfaction through waiting time management.Originality/valueThis study provides a new perspective for exploring the mechanism of waiting time on customer satisfaction in online service context, and extends previous research related to waiting time by exploring the influence of waiting time in multiple service stages and expression modes of service staff. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Journal of Service Theory and Practice Emerald Publishing

Influence of service-entry waiting on customer’s first impression and satisfaction

Zhang, Yu; Shao, Bing-Jia
Journal of Service Theory and Practice , Volume 29 (5/6): 27 – Nov 29, 2019
Download PDF
27 pages

Loading next page...
 
/lp/emerald-publishing/influence-of-service-entry-waiting-on-customer-s-first-impression-and-yseYkqREwo
Publisher
Emerald Publishing
Copyright
© Emerald Publishing Limited
ISSN
2055-6225
DOI
10.1108/jstp-12-2018-0271
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to examine the influence mechanism of waiting time on customer satisfaction based on first impression bias, which explains how customers’ perceived service-entry waiting time (PSWT) influences their first impression of service staff and satisfaction in the context of online service. Furthermore, the moderating effect of three information formats (formal, informal and hybrid) of opening remark on the relationship between PSWT and first impression, and the moderating effect of perceived in-service waiting time (PIWT) on the relationship between first impression and customer satisfaction are investigated.Design/methodology/approachTwo studies were used to verify the research model. First, an experiment on prepurchase consulting services for cruise tourism products was designed, and 810 Chinese individuals have participated. Second, 20 interviews with e-commerce practitioners in China were conducted.FindingsThe results show that, first, PSWT negatively influences customers’ first impression of service staff. Second, customers prefer the hybrid format to present opening remarks, which not only conveys the respect of the staff but also fosters a relationship. Third, in-service waits are equally as important as service-entry waits in online service. When PIWT is longer, the positive influence of first impression on customer satisfaction is weakening, resulting in lower customer satisfaction.Practical implicationsThis study provides suggestions for online service enterprises to minimize the negative impact of waiting time and improve customer satisfaction through waiting time management.Originality/valueThis study provides a new perspective for exploring the mechanism of waiting time on customer satisfaction in online service context, and extends previous research related to waiting time by exploring the influence of waiting time in multiple service stages and expression modes of service staff.

Journal

Journal of Service Theory and Practice – Emerald Publishing

Published: Nov 29, 2019

Keywords: Customer satisfaction; First impression; Multiple stages; Opening remarks; Waiting time

References

  • The 30sec sale: using thin-slice judgments to evaluate sales effectiveness
    Ambady, N.; Krabbenhoft, M.A.; Hogan, D.
  • Structural equation modeling in practice: a review and recommended two-step approach
    Anderson, J.C.; Gerbing, D.W.
  • Forming impressions of personality
    Asch, S.E.
  • Shopping under the influence: nonverbal appearance-based communicator cues affect consumer judgments
    Bashir, N.Y.; Rule, N.O.
  • The effect of cultural orientation on the service timing preferences of customers in casual dining operations: an exploratory study
    Becker, C.; Murrmann, S.K.
  • Waiting time influence on the satisfaction-loyalty relationship in services
    Bielen, F.; Demoulin, N.
  • The humanization of service: respect at the moment of truth
    Bitran, G.R.; Hoech, J.
  • First impressions and the reference encounter: the influence of affect and clothing on librarian approachability
    Bonnet, J.L.; Mcalexander, B.
  • Effects of information format and similarity among alternatives on consumer choice processes
    Cooper-Martin, E.
  • Grounded theory research: procedures, canons, and evaluative criteria
    Corbin, J.; Strauss, A.
  • Respect and cooperation in social dilemmas: the importance of feeling included
    Cremer, D.D.
  • 2018 state of chatbots report
  • Evaluating structural equation models with unobservable variables and measurement error
    Fornell, C.; Larcker, D.F.
  • Shoes as a source of first impressions
    Gillath, O.; Bahns, A.J.; Ge, F.; Crandall, C.S.
  • Don’t pretend to be my friend! when an informal brand communication style backfires on social media
    Gretry, A.; Horváth, C.; Belei, N.; Riel, A.C.R.V.
  • Does the first impression count? Examining the effect of the welcome screen design on the response rate
    Haer, R.; Meidert, N.
  • Zero acquaintance benchmarking at travel destination websites: what is the first impression that national tourism organizations try to make
    Han, J.H.; Mills, J.E.
  • How (fast) can I help you? Tone of voice and telephone operator efficiency in interactions
    Hecht, M.A.; LaFrance, M.
  • Customer satisfaction with waits in multi-stage services
    Hensley, R.L.; Sulek, J.
  • From first impression to fairness perception: investigating the impact of initial trustworthiness beliefs
    Holtz, B.C.
  • When filling the wait makes it feel longer: a paradigm shift perspective for managing online delay
    Hong, W.; Hess, T.J.; Hardin, A.
  • Customer’s identification of acceptable waiting times in a multi-stage restaurant system
    Hwang, J.; Lambert, C.U.
  • The role of multimedia in changing first impression bias
    Kai, H.L.; Benbasat, I.; Ward, L.M.
  • Online chronemics convey social information
    Kalman, Y.M.; Scissors, L.E.; Gill, A.J.; Gergle, D.
  • Product development practices and performance: a structural equation modeling-based multi-group analysis
    Koufteros, X.; Marcoulides, G.A.
  • Can online wait be managed? the effect of filler interfaces and presentation modes on perceived waiting time online
    Lee, Y.; Chen, A.N.K.; Ilie, V.
  • Interactivity in online chat: conversational contingency and response latency in computer-mediated communication
    Lew, Z.; Walther, J.B.; Pang, A.; Shin, W.
  • Frontline employees’ nonverbal cues in service encounters: a double-edged sword
    Lim, E.A.C.; Lee, Y.H.; Foo, M.D.
  • An analysis of web-chat in an outsourced customer service account in the philippines
    Lockwood, J.
  • Frontline problem -solving interactions: a dynamic analysis of verbal and nonverbal cues
    Marinova, D.; Singh, S.; Singh, J.
  • Information technology and front office employees performance
    Melián-González, S.; Bulchand-Gidumal, J.
  • Corrigendum: what is seen is who you are: are cues in selfie pictures related to personality characteristics
    Musil, B.; Preglej, A.; Ropert, T.; Klasinc, L.; Babič, N.C.
  • Confirmation bias in a simulated research environment: an experimental study of scientific inference
    Mynatt, C.R.; Doherty, M.E.; Tweney, R.D.
  • Nonverbal cues-based first impressions: impression formation through exposure to static images
    Naylor, R.W.
  • A cross-cultural investigation of time management practices and job outcomes
    Nonis, S.A.; Teng, J.K.; Ford, C.W.
  • Building relationships through dialogic communication: organizations, stakeholders, and computer-mediated communication
    Pang, A.; Shin, W.; Lew, Z.; Walther, J.B.
  • Can synchronicity and visual modality enhance social presence in mobile messaging?
    Park, E.K.; Sundar, S.S.
  • Asymptotic and resampling strategies for assessing and comparing indirect effects in multiple mediator models
    Preacher, K.J.; Hayes, A.F.
  • Service with a smile: emotional contagion in the service encounter
    Pugh, S.D.
  • The price of information: increased inspection costs reduce the confirmation bias in visual search
    Rajsic, J.; Wilson, D.E.; Pratt, J.
  • Reducing confirmation bias and evaluation bias: when are preference-inconsistent recommendations effective – and when not?
    Schwind, C.; JüRgen, B.
  • How initial confirmatory experience potentiates the detrimental influence of bad advice
    Staudinger, M.R.; Büchel, C.
  • Metaphorical communication, self-presentation, and consumer inference in service encounters
    Sundar, A.; Dinsmore, J.B.; Paik, S.W.; Kardes, F.R.
  • Customer satisfaction: a meta-analysis of the empirical evidence
    Szymanski, D.M.; Henard, D.H.
  • Differences in intention to use educational rss feeds between Lebanese and British students: a multi-group analysis based on the technology acceptance model
    Tarhini, A.; Scott, M.J.; Sharma, S.K.; Abbasi, M.S.
  • Waiting for service: the relationship between delays and evaluations of service
    Taylor, S.
  • It depends: moderating the relationships among perceived waiting time, anger, and regret
    Voorhees, C.M.; Baker, J.; Bourdeau, B.L.; Brocato, E.D.; Cronin, J.J.
  • Nonverbal cues in computer-mediated communication, and the effect of chronemics on relational communication
    Walther, J.B.; Tidwell, L.C.
  • Research report on the operational situation and investment strategy of china’s internet market from 2016 to 2022