E-service quality and Web 2.0: expanding quality models to include customer participation and inter-customer support

Abstract

Web 2.0 empowers online customers and social networks to engage in e-service processes such as service design, production and marketing. Although the impact of customer participation and inter-customer support on service quality is recognised, e-service quality conceptualisations and measurement models have failed to incorporate the impact of Web 2.0 on e-service delivery. After examining the role of Web 2.0 on customer participation and the gaps of previously developed e-service quality models, an extended e-service quality model is proposed that considers customer participation and inter-customer support in e-service settings. The theoretical and practical implications of the proposed model for website design and management are discussed.

Keywords:

• Web 2.0
• e-service quality models
• (inter)customer support and participation
• travel sector