The Long Good-Bye: The Dissolution of Customer-Service Provider Relationships

Our research examines customer-service provider relationship dissolution. We conducted in-depth interviews with five women who recently took at least several months to terminate a service relationship. The data provide a holistic perspective on why consumers take a long time to exit, how they exit, and their expectations about rekindling their relationships. Based on our data, we conceptualize a model of the long exit, a process that includes a dissolution stage, an exit stage, and a post-dissolution stage. Our model offers a theoretical framework of service dissolution, as well as practical implications for service providers.