Abstract
This article examines the influence of temporal distance on consumer responses to different types of service guarantees. Four studies revealed that the effectiveness of service guarantees depends on whether their elements match the time frame of consumer purchase decisions. Full-satisfaction guarantees more strongly influence decisions in the distant future, while attribute-specific guarantees more strongly influence decisions in the near future. Combined guarantees are as effective as attribute-specific guarantees for temporally close consumer decisions, but less effective than full-satisfaction guarantees for temporally distant decisions. Attribute-specific guarantees that are easy to invoke are more persuasive for purchases in the near future, while full-satisfaction guarantees with high compensation are more effective for purchases in the distant future. The finding that the construal fit between guarantee elements and the purchase time frame significantly enhances a guarantee’s effectiveness contributes to the service literature by identifying the time-contingent effects of service guarantees. Service firms can improve a guarantee’s effectiveness by ensuring that its scope, compensation level, and invocation process match the consumer’s purchase time frame.
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