Exploring the impact of communication effectiveness on service quality, trust and relationship commitment in IT services

► Communication enhances trust, leading to stronger level of relationship commitment from the clients' perspective in IT services. ► Sound technical service quality is necessary but not sufficiently satisfactory condition in IT services. ► Functional, as well as technical, service quality matters even in IT services. ► Training of consultants on communication skills may warrant retention of clients in IT services. ► Knowledge exchange occurs continuously in IT services, before, during and after the delivery of services.