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臺大管理論叢
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27
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Relational benefits are positively related to customer loyalty, positive word-of-mouth,
repeat patronage, and customer satisfaction (Gwinner et al., 1998; Hennig-Thurau, Gwinner,
and Gremler, 2002; Yen and Gwinner, 2003). When customers perceive themselves as
benefactors of special treatment, a stronger attachment and more enduring desire to maintain
the relationship emerges (Lacey et al., 2007). In other words, special treatment helps
customers create an economic bond with their service providers, hence increasing their
loyalty (Rust, Lemon, and Zeithaml, 2004). Lacey et al. (2007) argue that special treatment
benefits can encourage customers to dedicate a larger portion of their purchases to a
particular service provider. Customers may spread their purchases evenly among different
service providers when they receive equal special treatment benefits from each provider
(Mägi, 2003). Thus:
H7: Special treatment benefits will have a positive effect on share of wallet.
Interpersonal relationship contributes to developing social benefits, leading to favorable
service evaluations (Gwinner et al., 1998). For example, customers gain social benefits from
their interpersonal relationships with a service employee, and these relationships tightly link
service providers with their customers (Gwinner et al., 1998). This condition is significantly
related to customer loyalty (Gremler and Gwinner, 2000). Similarly, Johnson, Barksdale, and
Boles (2003) find that customers who enjoy social benefits with an employee show higher
levels of service usage. Thus, customer loyalty to a particular service provider can increase
share of wallet for the same service provider over time. That is, customers who build
friendships with employees and receive social benefits from a particular service provider
tend to concentrate their purchases on that same service provider (Mägi, 2003). Thus:
H8: Social benefits will have a positive effect on share of wallet.
Confidence benefits refer to perceptions of comfort in knowing what to expect in a
service encounter (Gwinner et al., 1998). Confident customers may be able to reduce
information search and transaction cost. As a result, confidence benefits can be both the most
important and most often received benefits when customers have strong relationships with
firms (Gwinner et al., 1998). Martin-Consuegra, Molina, and Esteban (2006) argue that
confidence benefits positively affect loyalty, positive word of mouth, share of wallet, and
satisfaction with the bank. In particular, confidence benefits increase loyalty to the focal
service provider (Kinard and Capella, 2006). In other words, confidence benefits strengthen
the customer-service provider relationship, boost customer loyalty (Hennig-Thurau et al.,