Trust as a key factor in successful relationships between consumers and retail service providers

Abstract

Previous research has shown that trust plays a key role in the development of stable relationships between a service provider and its customers, and many authors have devoted considerable attention to identifying its antecedents and consequences. The aim of this study is to investigate these issues in the context of retail travel agencies, a service setting where new information technologies are questioning personal relationships and where the concepts of service quality and customer loyalty have become critical for differentiating from competitors.