Service encounter experience antecedents and outcomes in the Zimbabwean restaurant industry

• Published in: Journal of Contemporary Management 2019-07, Vol.16 (2), p.513-537
• Main Authors: Mukucha, P, Rootman, C, Mazibuko, N.E
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Ambience factors; Patronage loyalty; Patronage retention; Re-patronage intention; Service contact levels; Service delivery quality; Service encounter experiences; Social Issues; Typology of patrons
• ISSN: 1815-7440
• DOI: 10.35683/jcm19037.46

Despite the worldwide importance of the restaurant industry, there is a lack of research, specifically within the emerging market context, regarding the antecedents and patronage outcomes of service encounter experiences in the restaurant industry. Especially in the services marketing domain, service encounter experience is an emerging concept. It is important for businesses such as restaurants, and their management, to identify the factors influencing their patrons’ service encounters and the effect of the delivered service encounters on business success. The primary objective of this study is to determine the antecedents and patronage outcomes of service encounter experiences of patrons in the Zimbabwean restaurant industry. A convenience sample of 400 respondents completed a self-administered questionnaire focusing on how four selected antecedents influence service encounter experiences, and how service encounter experiences relate to three selected patronage outcomes. From a quantitative analysis, three of the antecedents proved to significantly influence service encounter experiences, namely ambience factors, service quality delivery and typology of patrons. In addition, the empirical results showed statistically significant relationships between service encounter experiences and both re-patronage intention and patronage loyalty. The study contributes by providing practical recommendations to restaurant managers, based on the results, to improve the success rate of restaurants operating in emerging markets.