Abstract:
While previous studies have acknowledged the importance of understanding customer reaction
after purchase disappointments, the combined insights of gender and relationship strength on
consumer switching intentions after a service failure has not been fully examined.To address
such gap, this study investigates the joint effect of relationship strength and gender on customer
switching intentions after a service failure among international students in North East India
universities. Two way ANOVA was used to determine the existence of an interaction between
relationship strength and gender on intentions to switch. Results from quasi-experiment research
among 104 international students suggest that male customers in both relationship strength were
more likely to switch than female customers after a service failure. This suggests that male
customers are supporting ``love become hate`` effect, whereas female customers support the
``love is blind effect``.Practitioners might want to consider each gender characteristics in
relation to customer relationship when handling customers complains after service failure and
therefore providing relevant service recovery solutions basing on the relationship strength and
gender. Based on the study’s key findings, valuable theoretical and managerial implications are
given for academics and practitioners on the subject.
