Modeling customer perceptions of complaint handling over time: the effects of perceived justice on satisfaction and intent

This paper proposes a model of the effects of perceived justice on customer satisfaction and intent following a service or product failure and a recovery attempt. We tested the model using two field studies that captured customer perceptions over time, and the results largely support the model's path estimates and explanatory power. Study One also supports the hypothesis that procedural and interactional justice are more influential in forming overall firm satisfaction than distributive justice. As hypothesized, satisfaction with recovery was a stronger predictor of the likelihood of spreading positive word-of-mouth (WOM intent) than overall firm satisfaction, and overall firm satisfaction was a stronger predictor of purchase intent than satisfaction with recovery. The results also suggest that satisfaction partially mediates the effects of justice on WOM intent and purchase intent. Finally, we draw on the findings of this study to offer implications for service recovery researchers and managers. (C) 2002 by New York University. All rights reserved.