Exploring customer loyalty following service recovery: a replication study in the Ghanaian hotel industry

Abstract

PurposeThe study sought to assess the nexus between components of perceived justice and satisfaction, trust and loyalty with service recovery.Design/methodology/approachSurvey data were gathered from a sample of 300 clients from 8 midscale hotels in Ghana. Partial least squares structural equation modeling was used to test the hypothesized relationships.FindingsPerceived distributive justice has no effect on customer satisfaction with service recovery. Interactional justice had the greatest effect on customer satisfaction with service recovery. No significant relationship was found between procedural justice and trust. Also, trust had a significant effect on loyalty post-service recovery.Research limitations/implicationsEmpirical data were taken from one service industry; thus, it is reflective of only that service industry, generalizations should be mindful of our context bounded results.Practical implicationsThe study offers suggestions for managers to leverage the dimensions of perceived justice in order to build trust and loyalty post-service failure. Hotels should treat customers with fairness and respect at every point of contact during the service recovery process. Reward based compensation should be offered to customers to build trust.Originality/valueThe study is among a few to assess service recovery and its link with loyalty from a developing economy context. The study revealed that perceptions of justice with service recovery influences customer loyalty and satisfaction post-service recovery and extend the understanding of service recovery in the Ghanaian hotel sector.