The Internet acts as a source of information for customers and provides new challenges for hospitality managers in managing online complaints. The purpose of this study was to examine the role of perceived control and service failure type on propensity to complain. Drawing on previous customer complaint behavior studies, it is hypothesized that customers are more likely to file a complaint online when they have higher perceived control (vs. lower perceived control) and after a core service failure (vs. an interactional service failure). Additionally, it is hypothesized there is a joint effect of perceived control and service failure type on propensity to complain. Furthermore, it is proposed a higher level of redress propensity moderates the relationship between propensity to complain and complaint intention.

A 2 (perceived control: easy access to complaint section vs. difficult access to complaint section) x 2 (failure type: core service failure vs. interactional service failure) between-subject experimental design that manipulated written scenarios was used to examine the proposed hypotheses. A total of 300 respondents were randomly assigned to one of four written scenarios in a restaurant setting.

Results indicated perceived control and service failure did not have a significant association with customers’ propensity to complain. Thus, an alternative model was built to explain how perceived control (high vs. low) and service failure (core vs. interactional) impact customers’ trust. It was hypothesized that customers are more likely to have higher levels of trust when they have higher perceived control (vs. lower perceived control) and after a core service failure (vs. an interactional service failure). Furthermore, it was hypothesized that higher levels of trust lead to higher behavioral intention. Results indicated a significant association between perceived control and trust as well as core service failure and trust. Higher levels of perceived control results in higher levels of trust, an interactional service failure results in a higher level of trust. Lastly, a higher level of trust results in higher behavioral intentions. Theoretical and managerial implications are discussed.