Article ID: | iaor201333 |
Volume: | 4 |
Issue: | 4 |
Start Page Number: | 365 |
End Page Number: | 381 |
Publication Date: | Dec 2012 |
Journal: | Service Science |
Authors: | Hnecke Paul, Gunkel Marjaana |
Keywords: | automobile industry, loyalty programs |
This study examines the influence of after‐sales service determinants on brand loyalty in the premium automotive sector. Reflective and formative variables were measured using partial least‐squares path modeling. The model was tested by telephone interviews among 1,500 automobile after‐sales customers in three countries: France, Italy, and Spain. The results show that after‐sales service satisfaction does not have a direct influence on brand loyalty; however, an indirect effect mediated by service loyalty can be observed. Neither service satisfaction nor service loyalty has an influence on brand loyalty in France. Brand image, followed by product satisfaction, has the strongest effect on brand loyalty. Furthermore, gender moderates the causal relationship between service quality and service satisfaction in Spain.