Why switch? The role of customer variety-seeking and engagement in driving service switching intention

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to examine the role of service customers’ variety-seeking and engagement in driving their service switching intention. The authors also explore the moderating role of customer relationship proneness in this association.

Design/methodology/approach

To test the hypotheses, the authors deployed a sample of 227 service customers, whose data was analyzed by using partial least squares structural equation modeling.

Findings

The findings show that customer engagement mediates the relationship of customer variety-seeking and their service switching intention, as hypothesized. Moreover, customer relationship proneness weakens the negative effect of engagement on customers’ service switching intention.

Originality/value

Though scholarly acumen of customer engagement is rapidly developing, little remains known regarding its theoretical interface with customer variety-seeking and switching intention. Addressing this gap, the authors test a model exploring the mediating role of customer engagement in the association of customer variety-seeking and switching intention, and the potentially moderating role of customer relationship proneness in the association of customer engagement and service switching intention.

Citation

Menidjel, C., Hollebeek, L.D., Urbonavicius, S. and Sigurdsson, V. (2023), "Why switch? The role of customer variety-seeking and engagement in driving service switching intention", Journal of Services Marketing, Vol. 37 No. 5, pp. 592-605. https://doi.org/10.1108/JSM-04-2022-0122