Re-examining encounter intensity's conceptualisation, measurement and role

Nabil Ghantous

The Service Industries Journal, 2015, vol. 35, issue 5, 237-254

Abstract: This paper contributes to previous research on encounter intensity in services in two ways. First, it offers a precise conceptualisation and measure of the construct while at the same time reflecting its complexity and multifaceted nature. Second, it sheds a new light on encounter intensity's role as an antecedent to customer satisfaction by introducing the mediation of the services brand in this relationship. The paper builds on a qualitative study, using customers' introspections, and survey data from retailing customers ( N =1188) analysed with structural equation modelling. These studies lead to a definition as well as a parsimonious and reliable measure of interaction intensity in terms of the frequency of customer-employees exchanges, their diversity, their importance for the customer and his or her interest in the interaction. The data also support that encounter intensity exerts a strong influence on cumulative satisfaction through the mediation of services brand credibility.

Date: 2015
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DOI: 10.1080/02642069.2015.1002479

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The Service Industries Journal is currently edited by Eileen Bridges, Professor Domingo Ribeiro, Ronald Goldsmith, Barry Howcroft and Youjae Yi

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