The service encounter in a multi‐national context

Abstract

Purpose This study seeks to devise a research instrument designed to test the direct effects of technical and functional elements of the service encounter on behavioral intentions. Design/methodology/approach Using data collected from eight different countries, the survey instrument was tested for reliability and validity using confirmatory factor analysis. Hypotheses were then developed related to the service encounter across countries which were then tested using structural equation modeling. Findings The findings showed that, in the case of physical good quality, in some cultures the “experience” of the service encounter itself outweighs the tangible “product aspect” of the encounter. This is particularly true in cultures where a higher emphasis is placed on human interactions than the acquisition of materially‐oriented products. In the case of service quality, there was a significant relationship between levels of service quality and purchase intentions in the developed markets in the study but not in the developing markets. Servicescape was found to significantly affect purchase intentions in seven of the eight countries in the study, with India being the exception. Research limitations/implications The primary limitation of the study is that of the eight countries sampled, five were either European or English‐speaking. Practical implications The study discusses how to maximize service success in a wide range of market environments. Originality/value Although aspects of service have been heavily studied in the US market, much less research exists across markets. This paper redresses this imbalance.