Consumer Goals and the Service Encounter: Evaluating Goal Importance and the Moderating Effect of Goal Progress on Satisfaction Formation

Abstract

This study examines the stability of consumer goal importance across consumption episodes within the service encounter and the role of goal progress in the attribute— consumer satisfaction relationship in the context of restaurant experiences. Results indicate that consumers pursue multiple goals within the consumption experience, and the importance of those goals differs across consumption episodes within the experience. Using pace as a service attribute, it was found that goal progress moderates the impact of service attributes on consumer satisfaction. Satisfaction was high regardless of pace when goal progress was high. At low levels of goal progress, a moderate pace resulted in higher satisfaction than a slow or a fast pace. Implications for hospitality managers are discussed.