Examining user-generated content, service failure recovery and customer–brand relationships: an exploration through commitment-trust theory

Ozuem, Willis, Willis, Michelle, Howell, Kerry, Ranfagni, Silvia and Rovai, Serena (2023) Examining user-generated content, service failure recovery and customer–brand relationships: an exploration through commitment-trust theory. Internet Research. ISSN 1066-2243

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Abstract / Description

Purpose
User-generated content (UGC) and service failure have attracted considerable marketing inquiry over the last two decades. Previous studies primarily focused on the outcome of service failure and the impact of UGC on perceived failure severity. This article departs from previous studies as it examines the moderating role of UGC on the relationship between service failure recovery (SFR) and customer–brand relationship.

Design/methodology/approach
Building on commitment-trust theory and from a phenomenological hermeneutical perspective, this article explores this phenomenon through the interpretation of 60 in-depth interviews with millennials from three European countries: Italy, France and the UK. An analysis of the data was conducted using a qualitative approach to understand the main constructs and relationships derived from the data.

Findings
This study conceptualises four distinct moderating characteristics of UGC in the SFR process: satisfaction with experience and brand, dissatisfaction with experience and brand, satisfaction with brand and dissatisfaction with brand. The insights from the responsiveness, empathetic response, counterfactual thinking and brand salience (RECB) framework contribute to research on UGC and shed light on the relationship between SFR and consumer–brand relationships in the fashion industry.

Originality/value
Overall, this study demonstrates that customer interactions with UGC significantly affect their responses to, and relationships with, a brand. The proposed framework opens up interesting avenues for future research on the moderating role of UGC on the relationship between SFR and customer–brand relationships.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	User-generated content, Millennials, Electronic word of mouth (eWOM), Qualitative research, Failure recovery strategy, Customer–brand relationships
Subjects:	300 Social sciences 600 Technology
Department:	Guildhall School of Business and Law
Depositing User:	Michelle Willis
Date Deposited:	20 Apr 2023 08:27
Last Modified:	20 Apr 2023 08:27
URI:	https://repository.londonmet.ac.uk/id/eprint/8452

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