Service quality, perceived value, satisfaction and intention to pay The case of theatrical services

Objective - The purpose of this paper is to examine the relations between the concepts of service quality, perceived value, satisfaction and intention to pay in the context of theatrical services in the city of Medellin, Colombia. Design/methodology - Quantitative research was carried out on a sample of 274 individuals who had attended the theatre at least once in the previous year. The information was gathered in October 2014 using an online survey. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to test the validity and reliability of the measurement scales, and a structural equations model was developed to test the hypotheses. Findings - Satisfaction with overall service and with the central service (i.e. with the performance itself) was the major predictors of consumer intention to pay. Limitations/implications of the research - Future research could replicate the analysis presented here for other cultural services and different geographical contexts. Practical implications - Theatres should focus their efforts on offering a basic service (a theatrical presentation) that meets the cultural and artistic expectations of the public, but should also bear in mind that audiences expect to be treated well when they go out and want to feel comfortable. Originality/value - This paper contributes to understand the factors that influence theatre clients' intention to pay by taking into account the factors that affect satisfaction and perceived value of the theatregoing experience. It also contributes to academic reflections on the cultural consumption in the field of the theatrical arts in the Latin American region, where this is a new field of research.