Restoring Consumer Trust in a Home Improvement Service Provider with Negative Reviews

Abstract

With the growth in technology, the use of digital information to learn about a product or a service has increased substantially. Generally, users tend to trust a service provider until they find negative information.

However, when their trust is violated, it becomes difficult to rebuild it. This study focused on the type of response that a service provider can provide to restore a user’s trust. We recruited 400 participants through Qualtrics Research Services for a 2*5 between subjects study. The findings suggest that irrespective of the type of accusation, i.e., morality- or competence-based, both an elaborate apology and denial restore the trust in the service provider. However, these ratings fell within the average range, suggesting that both are only an initial action and additional information is needed to regain the trust lost due to an accusation.