Re-examining encounter intensity's conceptualisation, measurement and role

This paper contributes to previous research on encounter intensity in services in two ways. First, it offers a precise conceptualisation and measure of the construct while at the same time reflecting its complexity and multifaceted nature. Second, it sheds a new light on encounter intensity's role as an antecedent to customer satisfaction by introducing the mediation of the services brand in this relationship. The paper builds on a qualitative study, using customers' introspections, and survey data from retailing customers (N = 1188) analysed with structural equation modelling. These studies lead to a definition as well as a parsimonious and reliable measure of interaction intensity in terms of the frequency of customer-employees exchanges, their diversity, their importance for the customer and his or her interest in the interaction. The data also support that encounter intensity exerts a strong influence on cumulative satisfaction through the mediation of services brand credibility.