Sources of Generalized Versus Issue-Specific Dis/Satisfaction in Service Channels of Distribution- a Review and Comparative Investigation

Abstract

Service channels represent complex behavioral settings for understanding sources of dis/satisfaction between service providers and service recipients. Because of the nature of a service offering, service evaluations are frequently subjective and judgmental, making it difficult for service providers to determine precisely the sources of customer dis/satisfaction. This article empirically evaluates sources of both general and issue-specific dis/satisfactions in a health care channel setting. The effects of a series of competency-based as well as secondary predictors of dis/satisfactions are simultaneously tested for their impact on issue-specific and generalized dis/satisfaction perceptions. A meta-analytic review process is employed to isolate potential predictors of dis/satisfaction. Implications of results are discussed for both academic and practitioner communities.