Formação das expectativas do consumidor sobre serviço: um estudo longitudinal à luz do conceito de zona de tolerância

Abstract

Heterogeneity is an attribute of the service sector. It is common companies offer different levels of service to their customers, and they are still satisfied. This leads the literature to explore the idea of the zone of tolerance, in which consumers use two patterns of expectations in their assessments: desired and adequate expectations. These patterns demarcate a range of acceptable performances in service interactions. In light of the concept of the zone of tolerance, this study assesses how consumer expectations evolve over time. It is assumed that four antecedents may explain possible changes in expectations, namely: negative experiences, alternative attractiveness, level of involvement and level of visitation. A theoretical model is established a priori and it is structured based on seven hypotheses. Initially, two studies with longitudinal approaches are articulated to test them using independent samples of students. Data collections are developed over three time periods, and the methods adopted are latent growth model and cluster analysis. Besides that, another essay is developed to reexamine the moderating role of corporate image and level of visitation about the effect of negative experiences on expectations. For this, the role-playing approach is applied. The main findings are presented one by one. Studies 1 and 2 reveal that patterns of expectations change from one service meeting to another, and that these fluctuations are positively influenced by the degree of consumer involvement. In addition, variations of expectations are strongest at the minimum tolerable level. Study 2 also points out other relationships. First, negative experiences produce contradictory and simultaneous movements of consumer expectations. On the one hand, negative experiences reduce desired expectations and, on the other hand, increase adequate expectations. These effects undergo changes of magnitude because of the corporate image. This confirms the moderating role of the corporate image on the relationship between negative experiences and expectations. The same does not happen with the level of visitation in which the moderating function cannot be sustained. Study 3 proves these findings that refer to the moderating roles examined. Second, as customers have alternative companies, the minimum level of expectation rises. Alternative attractiveness positively impacts only the adequate expectations. Third, the results do not support the relationship between the level of visitation and expectations. This reveals that more frequent customers do not necessarily have higher expectations.