Title: The relationship between non-queue, pre-process waiting time and service satisfaction

Authors: R. Susan Ellis, Lester W. Johnson, Siegfried P. Gudergan

Addresses: Melbourne Business School, The University of Melbourne, PO Box Q126, QVB Post Office, Sydney, NSW 1230, Australia. ' Melbourne Business School, The University of Melbourne, 200 Leicester Street, Carlton, VIC 3053, Australia. ' Faculty of Business, University of Technology, Sydney, PO Box 123, Broadway, NSW 2007, Australia

Abstract: Pre-process, non-queue waiting in service situations is examined to determine its relationship with service satisfaction, using a double disconfirmation model. Three distinct time-related constructs of waiting are utilised: actual, expected and perceived pre-process waiting time. Results of two technology-based experiments that varied actual pre-process waiting time and managed expected pre-process waiting time confirmed the waiting time disconfirmation process and demonstrated a causal effect of that process on overall service perception. Implications for technology environments such as the web are explored.

Keywords: service satisfaction; non-queue waiting time; pre-process waiting time; double disconfirmation; experiment; internet; world wide web; customer satisfaction.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSTM.2005.006547

International Journal of Services Technology and Management, 2005 Vol.6 No.1, pp.91 - 100

Published online: 21 Mar 2005 *

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