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viewed as a customer's confidence in the reli-
ability and integrity of a seller. Previous works
have proposed that an expectation of trustworthi-
ness is created by ability (expertise), reliability,
and intentionality (Crosby et al., 1990; Busch &
Wilson, 1976; Swan et al., 1985). Furthermore,
several scholars consider perceived trustworthi-
ness and trusting behavior as two distinct but
related aspects of trust (Crosby et al., 1990; Dwyer,
Schurr, & Oh, 1987; Swan et al., 1985). Whereas
trustworthiness describes a belief or confidence,
trusting behavior is related to a willingness to
engage in risk-taking and reflects reliance on a
partner (Smith & Barclay, 1997).
H1: Relationship quality positively influences
loyalty.
expertise
Expertise is a subjective term based on customer
perceptions that service providers have valuable
knowledge, experience, skills, or qualifications
in a specific service domain (Shamdasani &
Balakrishnan, 2000). Additionally, expertise
frequently has been noted as attempts to influ-
ence a given target customer (Busch & Wilson,
1976). Customer perceptions of staff expertise
reflect the identification of relevant competencies
related to goods or service transactions, such as
product knowledge, and generally are displayed
in the form of staff-provided information. The
role of staff expertise in IT service contexts has
received limited attention in the MIS and mar-
keting literature, but some evidence suggests
that staff expertise enhances relationship quality
(trust in and satisfaction with staff). Busch and
Wilson (1976) found that staffs with high levels
of perceived expertise and referent power are
considered more trustworthy by customers, with
expert power influencing perceptions of trust-
worthiness more than referent power. Similarly,
Swan et al. (1985) noted that sales agent profes-
sionalism significantly influences perceived trust
of customers in that sales agent. Therefore, staff
expertise is hypothesized to positively influence
relationship quality.
loyalty
In this study, loyalty to a service provider is
conceptualized in terms of repeat patronage,
switching behavior, and word-of-mouth recom-
mendations. Empirical evidence has been found
for a positive relationship between relationship
quality (comprising satisfaction and trust) and
customer loyalty. On the one hand, positive paths
from relationship satisfaction to both relationship
duration and purchase intentions are indicators of
customer loyalty (Wulf, Oderkerken-Schroder, &
Lacobucci, 2001). That is, customers who have
experienced recent service problems and have
received a satisfactory recovery and services had
significantly more positive behavioral intentions
than those with unresolved problems (Zeithaml,
Berry, & Parasuraman, 1996), leading to increased
loyalty. On the other hand, trust positively affects
forbearance from opportunism (Smith & Barclay,
1997). It has been suggested that customers who
trust a relationship might be more likely to act,
owing to their need to maintain that trust, con-
sequently leading to stronger customer loyalty.
In summary, given that relationship quality is
viewed as a construct comprising satisfaction
and trust, the following hypothesis based on the
above findings can be derived:
H2: Expertise positively influences relationship
quality.
relational selling behaviors
The difference between content and style in com-
munication has been discussed before by Sheth
(1975), who also recognizes the importance of ritu-
alistic behavior patterns in shaping the outcomes
of buyer/seller interactions. Therefore, relational
selling behavior can be described as a behavioral
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