Cross-cultural comparability of customer satisfaction measurement – the case of mobile phone service providers

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Promporn Wangwacharakul ◽  
Silvia Márquez Medina ◽  
Bozena Bonnie Poksinska

Purpose Customers from different cultures might have different expectations and perceptions of quality, leading to different levels of satisfaction. Together with the construct and measurement equivalence issues of cross-cultural surveys, this raises the question of the comparability of customer satisfaction measurements across countries. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the survey method of anchoring vignettes as a tool for improving the comparability of customer satisfaction measurements across countries and to shed some light on cultural influences on customer satisfaction measurements. Design/methodology/approach Based on the models of American Customer Satisfaction Index and European Performance Satisfaction Index, the authors designed and conducted a survey using the method of anchoring vignettes to measure and compare customer satisfaction with mobile phone services in four countries – Costa Rica, Poland, Sweden and Thailand. The survey was carried out with young adults aged 20–30 years, who were mostly university students. Findings This study demonstrates how anchoring vignettes can be used to mitigate cultural bias in customer satisfaction surveys and to improve both construct and measurement equivalence of the questionnaire. The results show that different conclusions on cross-cultural benchmarking of customer satisfaction would be drawn when using a traditional survey compared to the anchoring vignettes method. Originality/value This paper evaluates the survey method of anchoring vignettes as a potential quantitative research method for studying customer satisfaction across countries. The results also contribute to customer satisfaction research as these shed some light onto how culture influences customer satisfaction measurements. The practical implication for firms and managers is that allocating resources among different countries based on traditional customer satisfaction surveys may be misleading.

2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 532-554 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tommy Lau ◽  
Man Lai Cheung ◽  
Guilherme D. Pires ◽  
Carol Chan

Purpose The abolishment of the wine tax in Hong Kong has led to increased wine consumption and increased demand for wine-related professionals, such as sommeliers. Yet the importance of sommeliers’ value-adding performance in the context of upscale Chinese restaurants has not been examined. To address this gap, the SERVQUAL framework is adopted to examine the influence of sommeliers’ service quality (SQ) on customer satisfaction (CS) and loyalty in the context of upscale Chinese restaurants in Hong Kong. Design/methodology/approach The survey method is used to collect data from 302 units of the population of interest, partial least square-structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) is used to test the links between constructs. Findings Four of the seven dimensions of sommeliers’ service quality, namely, empathy, tangibles, credibility and assurance, have a significant positive impact on customer satisfaction and customer loyalty, whereas the impact of perceived value and responsiveness on customer satisfaction and customer loyalty is positive but only marginally significant. Reliability has a weak and non-significant impact on customer satisfaction and customer loyalty. Research limitations/implications Examining a small number of upscale Chinese restaurants in Hong Kong limits generalisation of the findings to other contexts. Replication of the research in different contexts will enhance generalizability. In terms of implications, the discussion highlights the importance of sommeliers’ service performance on customers’ SQ perceptions SQ, CS and loyalty, all of which are important variables for restaurateurs. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study of the influence of the quality of sommelier’s SQ on CS and loyalty in upscale Chinese restaurants in Hong Kong. Given the lack of attention to this service role in the literature, the study contributes theory from which further understanding can develop.


2014 ◽  
Vol 26 (6) ◽  
pp. 639-649 ◽  
Author(s):  
Petter Stenmark ◽  
Johan Lilja

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to introduce a methodology that can support the process of understanding and designing for the satisfaction of high-level needs in practice. The satisfaction of high-level needs has seldom been in focus when it comes to customer satisfaction surveys or the process of new product or service development. However, needs do occur on various levels, and the satisfaction of high-level needs actually appears to have the greatest potential for the creation of loyalty among customers and customer satisfaction. The satisfaction of high-level needs has furthermore been pointed out as a strategy for the creation of attractive quality. Design/methodology/approach – The paper is based on literature studies and the application of the Ideation Need Mapping (INM) methodology in a specific case. Findings – The paper presents the INM methodology that could be used for guiding product and service innovation in practice. More specifically, the methodology supports the process of understanding and designing for the satisfaction of high-level needs. Originality/value – This paper aims to contribute to envisioning and demonstrating how the understanding of, and design for, satisfaction of high-level needs can be done in practice.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 693
Author(s):  
Reza Dwi Meisanto ◽  
Rabiatul Adawiyah ◽  
Eka Kasymir

This study aims to determine attitudes, purchasing patterns and customer satisfaction on banana bolen CV Mayang Sari. This research method uses a survey method. Samples of this study consisted of 40 consumers who had purchased and / or consumed banana bolen 3 times. The data analysis methods used were descriptive, Fishbein's Multi-attribute model, Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI) and Importance Performance Analysis (IPA). The attributes used in this study are price, taste, flavor variants, size, texture, product packaging, and accessibility). The results showed that consumers liked banana bolen or had a good attitude with an Ao value of 132.52, the pattern of buying banana bolen CV Mayang Sari by 52.50 percent consumers, namely two boxes (20 pieces) of banana bolen in one transaction with the flavor variant that consumers are most interested in is chocolate 55 percent. The frequency of consumer purchases is 90 percent made once a month, customer Satisfaction Index (CSI) in consuming banana bolen CV Mayang Sari is in the very satisfied criteria, which is equal to 83.82 percent. Based on Importance Performance Analysis (IPA), there is one attribute that falls into quadrant I (Main Priority), namely the taste attribute. In quadrant II (Maintain Achievement) there is one attribute, namely the price attribute, while in quadrant III (Low Priority) there are attributes of size and ease of obtaining products, and in quadrant IV (Excessive) there are several attributes, namely texture, flavor variants, and product packaging.Key words: attitude, banana bolen, CSI, IPA


2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (3/4) ◽  
pp. 302-316
Author(s):  
Promporn Wangwacharakul ◽  
Bozena Bonnie Poksinska

Purpose The aim of this paper is to suggest and demonstrate how anchoring vignettes, as a survey instrument, can be applied to study quality management (QM) across cultures. Cultural differences may create challenges in QM. Quantitative surveys are commonly used to study QM practices but do not consider the cultural bias in the survey results. An important question is how to study QM so that the results are comparable across cultures. Herein, the use of anchoring vignettes is suggested to reduce the problem of cross-cultural incomparability. Design/methodology/approach This paper focuses on developing and testing vignettes for studying QM. Based on previous survey studies, two vignettes for each QM dimension are developed. The vignettes are then tested with two pilot tests on the web-based survey platform. Findings The paper provides a concrete example of how a survey using anchoring vignettes could be designed and used to deal with cultural bias in QM survey Based on hypothetical examples from Swedish and Indian cultures, the results from pilot studies evaluating vignettes are promising and show the applicability of the proposed method. Anchoring vignettes may help to provide more accurate survey results and thereby contribute to understanding of cross-cultural differences in QM practices. One of the challenges is the design of vignettes, which requires high precision and several tests to make the method work. Originality/value The paper discusses the potential of using anchoring vignettes to study QM practices across cultures. This may contribute to better understanding of QM practices in an international context, and thereby help improve QM practices in multinational organisations.


2014 ◽  
Vol 31 (8) ◽  
pp. 921-937 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vahid Nabavi ◽  
Majid Azizi ◽  
Mehdi Faezipour

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to discuss the effect of the ISO 9001 quality management system on customer satisfaction and show an application of an analytic hierarchy process (AHP)-based method for measuring the customer satisfaction index (CSI). This will be useful to anyone who wants to have an ISO 9001 quality management system in his or her organization. Design/methodology/approach – This paper describes an ISO 9001 quality management implementation process based on ISO 9001 requirements, and uses the AHP method for weighting effective criteria on customer satisfaction. All data were obtained via questionnaires and assessed with EXPERT CHOICE 11 software. Findings – According to the results of the weighting, the factors influencing the satisfaction of a kitchen worktops customer, price and sales terms of this product has a significant impact on customer satisfaction and, in competitive conditions, this criterion has a determining role in the creation of utility for customers. ISO 9001 quality management system has been able to increase the CSI within an 11-month period of study. Originality/value – This paper is the first to use the AHP method with a new approach in a case study, offering a complete, comprehensive method for assessing customer implications.


2016 ◽  
Vol 34 (3) ◽  
pp. 411-430 ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammad Abid Saleem ◽  
Sadaf Zahra ◽  
Rashid Ahmad ◽  
Hina Ismail

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to develop an original framework to explore the effects of social influence (SI), market orientation (MO) and service quality (SQ) with moderating effect of emotional intelligence (EI) on customer loyalty (CL) and to discuss the mediational role of customer satisfaction. Design/methodology/approach – This study applies six original concepts – SI, MO, SQ, EI, customer satisfaction to develop an integral model to enhance CL. In addition, this research employs an empirical study by means of the questionnaire survey method to verify the hypotheses and to explore its managerial implications. Structural equation modeling has been applied to verify the research framework. Findings – The empirical results show that MO, SI and SQ significantly affect CL with presence of customer satisfaction as a mediator. Furthermore, this study demonstrates that the direct relationships between MO and SI on CL are not supported. However indirect paths present full mediation except in case of SQ where mediation was partial. Moreover, EI was found to enhance the partially mediated relationship between SQ and CL with mediational role customer satisfaction. Hence, banks should invest resources to increase MO, SI and SQ to increase customer satisfaction and CL. Originality/value – This study summarizes the literature on customer satisfaction and relationship marketing into a new managerial framework of CL. It utilizes new arrangement of four construct – SI, MO, and SQ with EI – to develop an original framework to enhance CL. Although past research has highlighted the relevant issues about CL, none explores it with MO and moderating role of EI on SQ. Therefore, this paper develops the research framework of CL to fill the research gap specifically in Pakistani context.


2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 248
Author(s):  
Dela Fitriana ◽  
Teguh Endaryanto ◽  
Rabiatul Adawiyah

This research aimed to find out consumption pattern and level of satisfaction of household consumers on “Palas” rice. The research was done in South Lampung with a survey method. The data was collected in Mei 2018. The technique used for sampling was nonprobability sampling with 40 respondents. The analysis methods used were descriptive analysis, Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI) and Importance Performance Analysis (IPA). The research showed that the household consumers of “Palas” rice consumed 9.12 kg per month. They consume “Palas” rice because the quality of “Palas” rice is quite good such as the color, the cleanliness, and the price. The CSI value obtained is 73,60 percent which is in satisfying category. According to the results of IPA attributes that should be top priorities are taste and texture of rice.Key words: Consumption, Customer Satisfaction, “Palas” rice


2018 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 73-102 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anas Abdelsatar Mohammad Salameh ◽  
Hartini Ahmad ◽  
Faisal Zulhumadi ◽  
Faruq Muhammad Abubakar

Purpose This study aims to explore the impact of system quality dimensions, namely, ease of use, accessibility, interactivity and website innovativeness on service quality (SQ) and customer satisfaction. Design/methodology/approach The study used a quantitative approach, by using a survey method. The unit of analysis was the individual. A total of 618 questionnaires were randomly distributed to university students and staff in Jordan. The partial least square path-modeling method was used in the estimation of causal relationships of the constructs examined in the study. Findings The outcomes of this study showed that ease of use, interactivity and website innovativeness have significant positive relationships with the SQ. Consequently, SQ significantly influences customer satisfaction. Research limitations/implications Limitations of this research were related to the unit of analysis, as it was conducted within the geographical region of Jordan and the university context, where the culture and level of the technological advancement may be different than other countries. Practical implications This research can assist mobile commerce (m-commerce) service policymakers to formulate significant policies that could enhance the nature of services being rendered and thus bring greater benefits to the customers. Originality/value This research has extended the body of knowledge on emerging trends in m-commerce innovation adoption, more specifically in the university context. Furthermore, it offers insight on the importance of m-commerce in the minds of customers, in such a way that it will bring about the intention to repeat patronage in the future.


2015 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 17-31 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammad Hossein Askariazad ◽  
Nazila Babakhani

Purpose – This paper aims to examine the most important antecedents of customer loyalty in business-to-business (B2B) context using European Customer Satisfaction Index (ECSI) model. Design/methodology/approach – A questionnaire is designed consisting of measures of customer loyalty gathered mainly from previous related studies. A survey of business customers in construction and mining equipment industry in Iran is conducted, and a total of 90 responses are obtained. The collected data are analyzed according to the structural equation modeling technique using partial least square path modeling software. Findings – The ECSI model shows sufficient explanatory power in explaining loyalty in the B2B context. Adding trust to the original model leads to a better explanation of loyalty in the proposed model. In this model, corporate image is the main route to predict loyalty, while satisfaction, complaint handling and trust also are important. Although there is no direct effect of perceived quality, perceived value and expectation on loyalty, their total impact is considerable which is mediated through satisfaction. Research limitations/implications – The research should be expanded to other B2B sectors to validate its findings in different industries. Future research can also assess the impact of moderating variables. Originality/value – Most previous customer loyalty models concern business-to-consumer (B2C) rather than the B2B context. Moreover, research examining the suitability of the ECSI model in B2B is scarce. This paper addresses these shortcomings by examining a holistic customer loyalty model which incorporates some overlooked constructs as corporate image, expectation and complaint handling from the ECSI model. The proposed model, also adds trust which is not incorporated in national indices despite its importance in predicting loyalty.


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