Illusion of control in service failure situations: customer satisfaction/dissatisfaction, complaints, and behavioural intentions

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the influence of customers' decisional control on their responses to service failures. In particular, the study investigates whether the illusion of control emanating from decisional control mitigates the responses of customers towards service failures in terms of decreasing their tendency to make a complaint, increasing their level of satisfaction with the choice they made, and the positivity of their behavioral intentions. Based on a scenario-based survey data were collected from 408 participants. The data were analyzed by using SmartPLS 3.2.6 program. The results of the study show that decisional control did not make customers more tolerant of service failures. As customers did not have positive attitudes towards the choices they made, it was seen that decisional control did not lead to illusion of control. The study also showed that the use of scenario-based studies may be more relevant than simulation-based experiments in the study of illusion of control. The study has important theoretical and practical implications. © 2024 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.