The importance of consistency in service interactions across multiple channels : an investigation of online and offline service channels

Abstract

This thesis investigates the importance of offering consistent services between service channels. In particular, one offline and more traditional channel, a call centre, is compared to one online and more modern channel, Facebook, for the banking industry. This thesis first conceptualizes and determines what the dimensions are of cross-channel service consistency. The dimensions are found to be process and content consistency, according to the multichannel integration quality framework by Sousa and Voss (2006). Then, I empirically test which dimension of cross-channel service consistency is most important for strengthening the dependent variables: perceived service quality, brand attitudes, and customer satisfaction. These dependent variables were identifled from prior literature. In all cases, process consistency is demonstrated to be more valuable than content consistency towards strengthening the dependent variables. This thesis also investigates whether consistency between service channels strengthens service, and therefore brand, experiences. In fact, consistency improves each of the dependent variables because it strengthens relational brand experiences in particular. Lastly, this thesis uncovers that customers do not necessarily expect services to be consistent between channels. However, when both types of consistency are apparent, perceived service quality, brand attitudes, and satisfaction are dramatically improved.