Key account relationship management: the moderating effects of relationship duration and transaction volume. Issue 7 (11th June 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Yeh, Jian He; Wang, Stephen W.; Hsu, Maxwell K.; Swanson, Scott
• Is Part Of: Service industries journal. Volume 38:Issue 7/8(2018)
• Page Start: 379
• Page End: 401
• Publication Date: 2018-06-11
• Subjects: Relational benefits -- switching barriers -- satisfaction -- relationship duration -- transaction volume -- air express industry; 關係利益 -- 轉換障礙 -- 滿意度 -- 關係期間 -- 交易量 -- 航空快遞產業; Service industries -- Periodicals; Service industries -- Great Britain -- Periodicals; 338.4
• DOI: 10.1080/02642069.2017.1393524
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0264-2069

Abstract

ABSTRACT: This study investigates the impact of three relational benefits (i.e. financial benefits, human interaction benefits, preferential treatment benefits) on switching barriers, customer satisfaction, and behavioral loyalty for key accounts in the context of the air express delivery industry in Taiwan. Empirical results indicate that relational benefits impact switching barriers, switching barriers influence customer satisfaction and loyalty, and customer satisfaction effects loyalty. Findings also confirm most of the hypothesized moderating effects for relationship duration and transactional volume on the relationship between relational benefits and switching barriers. Specifically, long-term key accounts place greater emphasis on the human interaction and preferential treatment benefits. Key accounts that have less established relationships based on the length of business relationship place more importance on financial benefits. Financial benefits were found to have a positive influence on switching barriers only for low annual transactional volume clients, while both human interaction benefits and preferential treatment benefits have positive effects for both low and high transactional volume key accounts.