TY - JOUR
T1 - Reality or Perception?
T2 - The Effect of Actual and Perceived Performance on Satisfaction and Behavioral Intention
AU - Burton, Suzan
AU - Sheather, Simon
AU - Roberts, John
PY - 2003
Y1 - 2003
N2 - The extent to which actual (rather than perceived) performance influences customer satisfaction has received limited attention by researchers, yet it is important for managers to understand the extent to which customer perceptions and behavioral intentions are associated with actual service performance. This study investigates the links between actual and perceived performance, customer standards, attributions, satisfaction, and behavioral intention. The results suggest that actual performance is a significant predictor of customer satisfaction, separate from its indirect association via perceived performance. Customers’ comparison standards are also suggested to affect satisfaction both directly and indirectly. Customer attributions, in contrast, do not appear to influence performance judgments but are significantly associated with satisfaction levels. Customer experience is shown to be associated with satisfaction via an interaction effect and also to be significantly associated with behavioral intentions. The implications for research and management are discussed.
AB - The extent to which actual (rather than perceived) performance influences customer satisfaction has received limited attention by researchers, yet it is important for managers to understand the extent to which customer perceptions and behavioral intentions are associated with actual service performance. This study investigates the links between actual and perceived performance, customer standards, attributions, satisfaction, and behavioral intention. The results suggest that actual performance is a significant predictor of customer satisfaction, separate from its indirect association via perceived performance. Customers’ comparison standards are also suggested to affect satisfaction both directly and indirectly. Customer attributions, in contrast, do not appear to influence performance judgments but are significantly associated with satisfaction levels. Customer experience is shown to be associated with satisfaction via an interaction effect and also to be significantly associated with behavioral intentions. The implications for research and management are discussed.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84992885812&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1177/1094670503005004002
DO - 10.1177/1094670503005004002
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84992885812
VL - 5
SP - 292
EP - 302
JO - Journal of Service Research
JF - Journal of Service Research
SN - 1094-6705
IS - 4
ER -