Exploring Service Quality, Switching Barriers and Customer Loyalty: Mediating Role of Switching Barriers

Abstract

Customer loyalty is the outcome of a positive emotional experience which is due to the satisfaction derived from physical features and the value perceived from an experience. Service quality has been considered to be an integral factor affecting customer loyalty. Recent research has focused on service quality dimensions. On the other hand, switching barriers have a long term detrimental impact as they make it difficult for the consumers to change the suppliers. The aim of this empirical paper has been to investigate the relationship between service quality, switching barriers and customer loyalty.  Significant relationship was found among the variables and switching barriers was found to mediate the relationship among service quality and customer loyalty. Future research implications have been discussed.

Keywords: attractiveness of alternatives; cost; interpersonal relationship; service quality, switching barriers