ABSTRACT
Markets are emerging into co-production entities whereby services rendered by the firm are matched by services consumers provide to the firm. This chapter explores the behavioral dynamics underlying this symbiosis. This requires that the notion of mutual satisfaction be described; in other words, the now generally accepted consumer satisfaction construct must be paired with firm satisfaction as if the firm had a persona of its own. The chapter reviews that mutually beneficial loyalty, as loyalty is now thought to be a superordinate goal of the firm. It stimulates others to begin consideration of this 'radical' paradigm shift of mutual satisfaction in consumption. The earliest of relationship marketing writings were largely unidirectional. The firm was instructed to build relationships with its customers, thereby creating satisfaction and engendering loyalty. The James G. Maxham III and Richard G. Netemeyer show that consumer expectations of the out-comes of complaining result from shared values of complaint management.
