Journal of Service Management

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to conceptualize, construct, refine and empirically validate a multiple-item scale for measuring customers' service experience (EXQ).

Design/methodology/approach – The authors present exploratory research developing a conceptualization of service experience based on a two-stage approach: initial item generation through qualitative research, initial purification of these findings through exploratory factor analysis, and validation through the use of confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling.

Findings – The paper conceptualizes and validates the concept of customer/service experience. In total, 19 items in four dimensions of the EXQ scale were identified: product experience, outcome focus, moments-of-truth and peace-of-mind. These dimensions reflect service experience perceptions. The findings support the conclusion that the service experience has a significant impact on customer satisfaction, loyalty and word-of-mouth intentions. The scale demonstrates good psychometric properties based on the variety of reliability and validity tests utilized and builds upon extant research.

Practical implications – The research provides managers with the dimensions of service experience that influence purchase behavior and provides researchers with a sought-after conceptualization of service experience.

Originality/value – The authors believe that this is the first empirically founded conceptualization and measurement of the service/customer experience.