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Beyond boundaries: a multidisciplinary approach to understand the relationship between customer satisfaction and behavior in services
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Abstract
This article investigates the complex relationship between customer satisfaction and behavior in services, aiming to provide actionable insights for managers seeking to leverage satisfaction for improved business outcomes. The link between satisfaction and behavior is characterized by anomalies and complexities, such as satisfed customers switching brands, a disproportionate efect of low levels of dissatisfaction on behavior, non-linearity, asymmetry, and zones of low behavioral response. While these insights have signifcantly advanced scholarly discourse, they are often difcult to apply in practice, as they tend to focus narrowly on specifc aspects—such as non-linearity or the role of emotions—or prioritize satisfaction over dissatisfaction, leaving managers without a holistic framework to navigate these dynamics. This study emphasizes the need for a comprehensive understanding of how varying satisfaction levels, from extreme dissatisfaction to extreme satisfaction, infuence customer buying behavior. Using a longitudinal case study of a Fortune 500 fnancial services company, and adopting a multidisciplinary approach that integrates the above-mentioned fndings with insights from behavioral economics, neuroscience and brand equity, this article proposes a preliminary integrative model of the satisfaction-behavior curve that explains its non-linearity and asymmetry, as well as the cognitive and emotional factors that drive its infection points. Managerial implications include prioritizing actions that move customers beyond the “indiference zone”; addressing promptly and proactively even minor dissatisfaction episodes; closely monitoring defection rates and their underlying causes. As these early fndings are based on a single case study in an industry characterized by high involvement, future research should validate the proposed curve across industries and contexts, and considering moderating variables like culture, competition, and market maturity.
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2025
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Keywords
Customer satisfaction, Service marketing, Consumer behavior, Loyalty, Advocacy
Citation
Fiorentino, Anna. “Beyond Boundaries: A Multidisciplinary Approach to Understand the Relationship between Customer Satisfaction and Behavior in Services.” Italian Journal of Marketing, February, 1–19. 2025.