The influence of perceived service fairness on brand trust, brand experience and brand citizenship behavior

Abstract

Purpose

Service fairness has been conceptualized as a major part of the foodservice industry due to the intangibility of foodservice, which is difficult to be evaluated by customers. Considering this challenge, this study investigates the impacts of perceived service fairness dimensions in encouraging brand citizenship behaviors (i.e. brand enthusiasm and brand endorsement) along with the mediating roles of brand trust and brand experience in the foodservice industry.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on an established framework of perceived service fairness, brand trust, brand experience and brand citizenship behavior, an exploratory conceptual model was formulated and empirically assessed. Survey data were collected from customers of casual dining franchise restaurants in Korea. Data analysis consisted of frequency analysis, reliability analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, correlation analysis and structural equation modeling.

Findings

The empirical results indicated that brand trust was significantly influenced by price, procedural, outcome and interactional fairness, while brand experience was significantly affected by price, outcome and interactional fairness. Additionally, brand trust and brand experience had positive influences on brand enthusiasm and brand endorsement, respectively.

Practical implications

A foodservice enterprise’s violation of customers’ fundamental need for fairness leads to negative outcomes, such as customers voicing the undesirable situation and/or leaving the restaurant. Thus, this study provides a strategy for maintaining service fairness to better develop brand relationships with customers in the restaurant industry.

Originality/value

There is a paucity of research on the effect of perceived service fairness on brand development in the restaurant industry. The findings provide greater insights into the impacts of perceived service fairness, brand trust and brand experience on customers’ brand citizenship behaviors.

Citation

Kim, M.-S., Shin, D.-J. and Koo, D.-W. (2018), "The influence of perceived service fairness on brand trust, brand experience and brand citizenship behavior", International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, Vol. 30 No. 7, pp. 2603-2621. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJCHM-06-2017-0355