The attenuation effects of time and “sensemaking” surveys on customer revenge

The attenuation of revenge-related responses after a major service failure is not simply caused by the passage of time—as is assumed in prior work. Instead, we propose that the effect of time is enhanced by the completion of multiple surveys that allow customers to constructively make sense of their service failures. We document this sensemaking-based attenuation effect by conducting four longitudinal experiments; each of them includes a series of three to four surveys completed over four to eight weeks. Doing so, we make three key contributions. First, all studies show that customers having the opportunities to complete a series of sensemaking-inducing surveys report fewer revenge-related responses than participants completing a single survey (i.e., a control group) for the same period. Second, we document the process at play by manipulating the contents of surveys (i.e., “cognitions and emotions” vs. “only cognitions” vs. “only emotions”) and by showing the mediation roles played by sensemaking and benevolent trusting beliefs. Third, we identify quality of pre-failure relationship as a boundary condition whereby the attenuation is stronger when relationship quality is weaker. Finally, we explain how sensemaking can be prompted by marketers to appease their customers.