Customer involvement in the selection of service specifications

Abstract

Many types of services involve a sequence in which customers choose a service provider followed by selection of service specifications, that is selecting when and how the service will be performed. Specifications selection can be dominated by the provider, the customer or the customer and provider can jointly select specifications. Customer satisfaction results if specifications selection meets customer expectations of the provider‐customer role. Specifications selection unfolds as a process where information is exchanged between the customer and provider and the provider can be more or less customer oriented. Effective information exchange and a strong customer orientation by the provider contribute to customer satisfaction. Customers make attributions of provider or customer responsibility for specifications selection depending on the type of specifications selection that occurs and provider provision of specifications information. Customers who attribute specification selection to their decisions assume responsibility for the specifications selected.

Citation

Swan, J.E., Bowers, M.R. and Grover, R. (2002), "Customer involvement in the selection of service specifications", Journal of Services Marketing, Vol. 16 No. 1, pp. 88-103. https://doi.org/10.1108/08876040210419433