B2B services: linking service loyalty and brand equity

Purpose - A significant way of achieving high profitability is to retain existing customers who contribute to the service provider's revenue by continuously purchasing and paying more for products and services and building brand equity to the provider. The main objective of this study is to empirically examine and extend the knowledge underlying the linkage between service loyalty and brand equity performance outcomes in the context of business-to-business markets. It aims to develop and empirically test a theoretical model examining the antecedents and the outcomes of service loyalty in a business-to-business context. The model also aims to examine the relationship between service loyalty and customer share of wallet and price premium, as well as the links between the proposed antecedents (habitual buying, trust in the service provider, and perceived service quality) and service loyalty. Design/methodology/approach - The theoretical model was empirically tested with a sample of 294 Australian small- to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), using online and paper-and-pencil surveys. Respondents were owners of SMEs, financial controllers, and managers who are decision-makers in the selection and use of courier service providers for their businesses. Findings - Findings provide support for the theoretical model in linking drivers of service loyalty with two types of loyalty, purchase intentions (i.e. behavioural loyalty) and attitudinal loyalty. Furthermore, the two types of loyalty are differential predictors of brand equity outcomes in that customer share of wallet is mainly driven by purchase intentions, whereas willingness to pay a price premium is mainly driven by attitudinal loyalty. Originality/value - The paper examines the relationship between service loyalty and willingness to pay a price premium as one key indicator of brand equity.