The effects of eWom triggered service recovery on customer citizenship behavior in the hospitality industry: The moderating role of failure severity

Abstract This study examines service failures in the hospitality industry, amplified by the shift to online platforms, and highlights the need for effective online recovery methods. These methods are crucial for retaining existing customers and preventing potential customer loss. Despite its importance, customer citizenship behavior resulting from service recovery must be noticed. This study examines the impact of service failure severity and online recovery methods on customer citizenship behavior, employing six scenarios varying in severity and recovery strategies. Multi‐group scanning electron microscope analysis reveals that justice types positively influence recovery satisfaction, enhancing customer citizenship behaviors. Failure severity moderates the relationship between recovery satisfaction and customer citizenship behavior, with recovery satisfaction being more effective in promoting advocacy and tolerance behaviors during low‐severity failures. However, this effect diminishes in high‐severity failures. Effective recovery strategies can transform negative service failures into positive outcomes for hospitality organizations.