THE JOINT EFFECTS OF SERVICE FAILURE MODE, RECOVERY EFFORT, AND GENDER ON CUSTOMERS' POST‐RECOVERY SATISFACTION

Abstract

An ever increasing number of customers choose to interact with service firms via technology (e.g., online or using self‐service technologies). Despite this growing trend, research on technology‐based service failures is scarce. To bridge that gap, the present investigation examined the role of failure mode (SST versus face‐to‐face encounter), recovery effort, and gender on customers' service recovery perceptions. Results from an experimental study suggest that offering compensation to male customers is more effective in enhancing post‐recovery satisfaction with human rather than SST failures. For female customers, failure type failed to influence their post‐recovery satisfaction. Moreover, offering compensation alone was not as effective among female participants; an apology was necessary to boost satisfaction above neutral levels. Managerial implications of these findings are discussed.

Keywords:

• Service failure
• self‐service technology
• recovery satisfaction
• gender