Managing service recovery experience: Effects of the forgiveness for older consumers. (January 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Babin, Barry J.; Zhuang, Weiling; Borges, Adilson
• Is Part Of: Journal of retailing and consumer services. Volume 58(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-01
• Subjects: Service recovery -- Older consumers -- Forgiveness -- SEM; Retail trade -- Periodicals; Service industries -- Periodicals; Customer services -- Periodicals; Commerce de détail -- Périodiques; Service à la clientèle -- Périodiques; Customer services; Retail trade; Periodicals; 658.87
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jretconser.2020.102222
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0969-6989

Abstract

Abstract: The research studies empirically the role that fairness plays in shaping emotional and behavioral forgiveness among older U.S. consumers (55 years of age and older). A theoretical model is proposed and tested that proposes, consistent with theory on emotions, that perceptions of justice affect behavioral forgiveness through emotional forgiveness. An alternative theory questions whether the effects of justice are totally mediated by emotion. Comparative results support the latter model. The cognitive perceptions of justice display a stronger effect compared to the mediated effect through emotional forgiveness. Additionally, an examination of moderation by psychological age suggests that relatively old and young (psychologically) consumers react in the same manner. While clearly, service managers need to be sensitive to the emotions of senior customers, the results here suggest a stronger role for cognitive perceptions of justice. Thus, service providers need to provide senior consumers with clearly understandable explanations for any service failure and explain how the recovery efforts will compensate for the failure.