Switching Costs in Accounting Services

Abstract

Switching cost is defined as possible costs that customers may encounter when they want to change the firm they buy service, and an important subject in terms of accounting services. Particularly, small business entrepreneurs’ not having knowledge about accounting procedures, and sharing private information with accounting firms make switching costs more important for accounting services. Thus, the aim of this study is to investigate the concept of switching costs (relational cost, procedural cost and financial cost), its determinants (perceived service quality, service importance, and service failures), and consequences (re-purchasing, and recommending to others). The research was conducted on small business entrepreneurs in down-town of Balıkesir in Turkey. Total 405 small business entrepreneur owners were interviewed. According to results of the study, perceived service quality positively affects all dimensions of switching costs, significance of service positively affects procedural and relational costs, and service failures negatively affect procedural and relational costs. The results showed that while procedural and relational costs positively affect re-purchasing and recommending to others variables, financial cost did not have any effect on these variables.