The impact of satisfaction, trust, and relationship value on commitment: theoretical considerations and empirical results

Abstract

Commitment is as an essential ingredient for successful long-term relationships. Developing a customer's commitment in business relationships does pay off in increased profits, customer retention, willingness to refer and recommend. Relationship marketing literature suggests customer satisfaction and trust as major determinants of commitment. Recently, practitioners and scholars have identified customer value as a pivotal issue in the management of business relationships. In this article the authors theorize (1) customer satisfaction, (2) customer trust, (3) customer relationship value, and (4) customer commitment as key variables for successful business relationship management. A framework for the interrelationships of these key variables is provided. Drawing upon a database of 230 customer-supplier relationships, this study shows that trust and relationship value are powerful predictors of commitment. The influence of customer satisfaction on commitment is mediated by trust and relationship value. Some theoretical and managerial implications are given. At present researchers as well as practitioners report changes in the nature of industrial customer-supplier relationships. Customers and their suppliers tend to believe that long-term