Delight and Outrage in the Performing Arts: A Critical Incidence Analysis

Marketers are being challenged not merely to satisfy customers but to delight them. In order to accomplish (avoid) customer delight (outrage), the factors that create these emotions must first be isolated and identified. The present study uses the critical incident technique to identify the interpersonal and noninterpersonal factors associated with creating delight or outrage in a performing arts setting. Findings provide rich contextualization of important quality factors and illustrate the key role played by employees in managing the co-consumption process. In addition, the identified factors are associated with the commitment measures of word-of-mouth behavior, repatronage intentions, and donation intentions.