Surprise... Surprise..., An Empirical Investigation on How Surprise is Connected to Customer Satisfaction

Abstract

This research investigates the specific influence of the emotion ofsurprise on customer transaction-specific satisfaction. Four empiricalstudies-two field studies (a diary study and a cross section survey)and two experiments-were conducted. The results show that surprisepositively [negatively] influences satisfaction directly andindirectly (via the amplification of positive [negative] emotions),even when disconfirmation is taken into account in the model. Theamplification property of surprise and the How-do-I-feel-about-it?heuristic are believed to explain this influence. Some results alsoshow that surprised customers display higher levels of satisfactionand dissatisfaction than non surprised customers.satisfaction;experiment;delight;disconfirmation;surprise