ited utility to elicit trust. That factor is more likely to come from some other source, with "reciprocal interaction" tending to encourage trust between seller and buyer and the perception on the part of the buyer of the seller's asymmetry of commitment to the business relationship (Ross, Anderson, & Weitz, 1997). In other words, if a customer perceives that a seller is going the extra mile on the customer's behalf, then the customer is more likely to trust communications, such as advertising, that come from the seller.
Going the extra mile implies added value of some kind, and that is consistent with a strong service orientation. Research has established that customers attach special importance to service quality (Verma & Boyer, 2000). The popular business press also emphasizes the fact that customers are demanding the extra mile on an increasing basis:
From hotels to restaurants to airlines, consumers are looking for suppliers who go beyond the basics to meet their unique needs. They are looking for what we call a "Branded Customer Experience," a s
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