Title: Customers' perceptions and reactions in waiting lines: lessons from a contact service environment in a developing economy

Authors: Alexander Appiah; Cosmos Benjamin Osei

Addresses: Brushwell Associates Limited, P.O. Box DC 439, Dansoman – Accra, Ghana ' Elite College, P.O. Box UP 1229, KNUST – Kumasi, Ghana

Abstract: This study took interest in evaluating customers' perceptions in waiting lines, measured by time wastage, neglect and boredom and their innate reactions, measured by service abandonment intentions towards satisfaction, loyalty and reuse behaviour during and after service experience. We collected data from bank customers in five regions of Ghana. 251 out of 309 questionnaires distributed were returned and found usable for data analysis. Our findings reflect the banking industry of Ghana characterised by little service differentiation and similar customer characteristics across service firms. This study's findings validate extant works on service firms' focus on their specific business dimensions while relegating the customer.

Keywords: perceptions; reactions; waiting lines; contact service; abandonment intent; satisfaction; loyalty; reuse behaviour; developing economy.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSOM.2019.100293

International Journal of Services and Operations Management, 2019 Vol.33 No.2, pp.208 - 238

Received: 09 Feb 2017
Accepted: 29 May 2017
Published online: 25 Jun 2019 *

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