Understanding the mediated moderating role of customer expectations in the customer satisfaction model: The case of casinos

Intensified competition in the casino gambling industry has compelled operators and scholars alike to focus more attention on satisfying customer needs. However, inconsistencies in the literature lead to various customer satisfaction models without a clear and definite conclusion of the role of customer expectations. In this article, the authors examine the moderating role of customer expectations on the relationship between customer satisfaction and its drivers: perceived performance and value. The results indicate that customer expectations moderate the mediating effect of perceived value while perceived value fully mediates the moderating effect of customer expectations. The results suggest both moderated mediation and mediated moderation. Overall, this study demonstrates a new way of assessing the effect of customer expectations and a better understanding of perceived value and customer satisfaction. Implications for theory and practice in gaming and marketing studies are delineated.

► This study extends the literature by re-examining customer satisfaction.
► It provides an alternative conceptualization of customer expectations in the CS model.
► It testes how mediation can be moderated and how moderation can be mediated.