Antecedents of mandatory customer participation in service encounters: An empirical study

• It identified significant antecedents of mandatory customer participation (MCP).
• It proved significant relationship between MCP and its antecedents.
• Statistical analyses revealed that MCP had a significant impact on customer loyalty.
• The empirical data of this study were collected through an online survey.

The literature on service quality and customer loyalty has long focused on enhancing the work of service providers. This study examined “the other side of the coin” in service co-production or value co-creation in service encounters by investigating how service providers might take a proactive approach to building relationships based on mandatory customer participation (MCP). The research evaluated how such antecedents as role clarity, self-efficacy, purchase importance, and servicescape could influence MCP. Path analysis revealed that these four factors significantly influenced different dimensions of MCP; which in turn had a significant impact on customer loyalty. Using these insights, managers could develop a strategic approach to managing customer roles in the service delivery process. This study adds to the body of knowledge on service quality by demonstrating empirically the determinants and structure of MCP and their relationships with customer loyalty in service co-production processes in a hospitality setting.