CUSTOMER FIRM RELATIONSHIPS, INVOLVEMENT, AND CUSTOMER SATISFACTION

Relationships among levels of involvement between customers and suppliers, customers' evaluations of core and peripheral factors in their transactions, and customers' overall satisfaction were examined. Highly involved customers who were dissatisfied with core factors expressed greater overall dissatisfaction with the relationship than those less involved who also were dissatisfied with core factors. Peripheral aspects, such as supplier responsiveness to customer inquiries, appeared to influence how customers evaluated a core product as well as their overall satisfaction.