TRUST AS A STRATEGIC ASSET: CONSUMER LOYALTY MANAGEMENT IN THE SERVICE SECTOR UNDER CONDITIONS OF UNCERTAINTY

This chapter examines trust as a strategic asset of service companies and its role in building durable consumer loyalty under conditions of systemic instability. The core problem addressed is the inadequacy of conventional transactional loyalty models in explaining consumer behaviour during crises – including wartime conditions, inflationary pressure, and forced population displacement. The theoretical framework is built at the intersection of service-dominant logic, commitment-trust theory, and the four-phase loyalty model. The methodology encompasses systematic and comparative analysis, content analysis of academic literature and international reports, and graphical modelling.The study develops a structural model of trust and loyalty formation integrating cognitive, affective, and conative dimensions of consumer experience, accounting for the moderating effect of external uncertainty. An original Trust-Loyalty Matrix is proposed for segmenting clients by levels of cognitive and emotional trust. A critical assessment of loyalty metrics – NPS, CES, and CLV – is conducted regarding their applicability in crisis markets. A typology of next-generation loyalty programmes is substantiated together with adaptive mechanisms for wartime implementation. The findings offer practical guidance for service companies operating under chronic uncertainty.