Managing customer happiness through service trust and service commitment: the mediating role of customer experience

This study examines the effects of service trust and service commitment on customer happiness and the mediating influence of customer experience. The theoretical foundation for this study was based on the experience economy theory and the servicescapes concept. Using a quantitative research approach, the study develops an integrated model to examine the proposed relationship. The study employs survey research design, and a simple random sampling technique to collect data from senior managers, employees and customers of the selected hotels. Data was analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM 4). The study found that service trust and service commitment had a positive significant effect on customer happiness and the influence is partially mediated by customer experience. In addition compared to service trust, services commitment has significant influence on customer experience leading to customer happiness. The paper's key practical contribution is that hotels should design strategies in line with good service trust and service commitment to drive customer experience. This paper contributes to scholarly and managerial discourse on customer experience and customer happiness.