An analysis of the relationship amongst service quality, customer's intention to repurchase, and switching costs within a business to business environment

Abstract

Antecedents of Customer's intention to repurchase from a service provider have been widely studied. Perceived service quality and switching costs are known to affect customer's intention to repurchase within a consumer market. This study investigates the relationships amongst the three constructs - perceived service quality, switching costs and repurchase intention - within a business to business environment applying INDSERV as measure of perceived service quality. Three hypotheses are put forward: (1) Perceived service quality has a positive effect on repurchase intention of business to business customers; (2) Relational switching cost has a positive effect on repurchase intention; (3) Relational switching cost has a moderating effect on the relationship between perceived service quality and repurchase intention. Data are collected among local corporate clients making use of Lift maintenance services. Regression analysis is then carried out to test the hypothesised relationships. The empirical results support the first and second hypotheses. However, the empirical results suggest that switching costs do not have a moderating effect.