How Do Coping Strategies Impact the Relationship Between Dysfunctional Customer Behaviors and Revenge Intention? An Explanatory Sequential Mixed Methods Study

The study aimed to explore the impact of dysfunctional customer behaviors on revenge intention and the moderating role of coping strategies among hospitality and tourism industry employees. The study used an explanatory sequential mixed‐methods design. In the first phase, a quantitative data collection technique was used to survey 802 employees, and hypothesis testing was conducted. Quantitative data were analyzed using Model 2 of Hayes' PROCESS macro for SPSS. In the second phase, the qualitative research method was used, and 12 lower‐ and middle‐level managers were interviewed for a more in‐depth examination of the initial quantitative results. The findings show that disproportionate demands and illegitimate complaints directly affect revenge intention. Furthermore, seeking support moderates the relationship between verbal abuse and revenge intention. Implications of the findings and suggestions for future research are discussed.