Measuring Service Quality and its Relationship with Customer Patronage at a Car Dealership in South Africa
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17010/ijom/2018/v48/i9/131442Keywords:
Service Quality
, Servicing, SERVQUAL, Reliability, Assurance, Customer PatronagePaper Submission Date
, January 7, 2018, Paper sent back for Revision, July 8, Paper Acceptance Date, August 12, 2018Abstract
This study assessed the dimensions of service quality within a car dealership in Gauteng province in South Africa and further studied the relationship between the service quality dimensions on customer patronage. Valid responses using survey monkey were received from 74 customers out of a total of 750 who visited the dealership. Results indicated that there were negative gap scores for four out of the five service quality dimensions, these being reliability, responsiveness, assurance, and empathy. The demographic profile (age, gender, income) affected perceived and expected service quality. Regression analysis revealed that reliability and assurance were positively related with customer patronage, while the tangibles - responsiveness and empathy did not have any statistically significant relationship with customer patronage.Downloads
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
References
Ali, M., & Raza, S.A. (2015). Service quality perception and customer satisfaction in Islamic banks of Pakistan: The modified SERQUAL model. Total Quality Management & Business Excellence, 28 (5- 6), 559-577.
Ambekar, S.S. (2013). Service quality gap analysis of automobile service centers. Indian Journal of Research in Management, 1(1), 38-41.
Ažman, S. & GomiÅ¡Äek, B. (2014) Functional form of connections between service quality, customer satisfaction and customer loyalty in automotive service industry. Total Quality Management and Business Excellence, 26 (7- 8), 888-904.
Botha, J. (2002). The relationship between the leadership, internal quality and customer satisfaction levels of dealerships in a South African motor vehicle organisation (M.Com.thesis). Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa.
Brady, M.K., & Cronin Jr., J.J. (2001). Some new thoughts on conceptualizing perceived service quality: A hierarchical approach. Journal of Marketing, 65(3), 34-49.
Buttle, F. (1996). SERVQUAL: Review, critique, research agenda. European Journal of Marketing, 30 (1), 8-32.
Crick, A.P., & Spencer, A. (2011). Hospitality quality: New directions and new challenges. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 23 (4), 463-478.
Fen, Y. S., & Lian, K. M. (2007). Service quality and customer satisfaction: Antecedents of customer's re-patronage intentions. Sunway Academic Journal, 4 (1), 59-73.
Garga, E., & Bambale, A.J. (2016). The impact of service quality on customer patronage: Mediating effects of switching costs and customer satisfaction. International Journal of Global Business, 9 (1), 39-58.
Gronroos, C. (1984). A service quality model and its marketing implications. European Journal of Marketing, 18 (4), 36-44.
Juyal, S.A. (2013). Effects of demographics factors on customer buying behaviour of durable goods. Indian Journal of Marketing, 43(12), 24-33. doi:10.17010/ijom/2013/v43/i12/80511
Kang, G.D., & James, J. (2004). Service quality dimensions: An examination of Grönroos's service quality model. Managing Service Quality: An International Journal, 14 (4), 266-277.
Mukherjee, A., & Nath, P. (2005). An empirical assessment of comparative approaches to service quality measurement. Journal of Services Marketing, 19 (3), 174-184.
Nagan, H. (2017). Analysis of relationship among service quality, customer satisfaction and customer loyalty with hotel industry in Hanoi, Vietnam (Master's thesis). Iowa State University, IA, USA.
Nam, J., Ekinci, Y., & Whyatt, G. (2011). Brand equity, brand loyalty and consumer satisfaction. Annals of Tourism Research, 38 (3), 1009-1030.
Nikou, S., Selamat, H.B., Yusoff, R.M. (2016). Service quality, customer satisfaction, and customer loyalty: A comprehensive literature review (1993-2016). International Journal of Advanced Scientific and Technical Research, 6 (6), 29-46.
Parasuraman, A., Zeithaml, V.A., & Berry, L.L. (1988). SERVQUAL: A multiple-item scale for measuring consumer perceptions. Journal of Retailing, 64 (1), 12-40.
Poku, K., Zakari, M., & Soali, A. (2013). Impact of service quality on customer loyalty in the hotel industry: An empirical study from Ghana. International Review of Management and Business Research, 2 (2), 600-609.
Pollack, B.L. (2009).Linking the hierarchical service quality model to customer satisfaction and loyalty. Journal of Services Marketing, 23 (1), 42-50.
Roberts-Lombard, M., & Nyadzayo, M.W. (2012). The mediating effects of customer relationship management on customer retention. GBATA Conference, New York, USA.
Ryu, K., & Han, H. (2010). Influence of the quality of food, service, and physical environment on customer satisfaction and behavioral intention in quick-casual restaurants: Moderating role of perceived price. Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research, 34 (3), 310-329.
Saravanakumar, G., & Jayakrishnan, J. (2014). Effect of service quality on customer loyalty: Empirical evidence from co-operative bank. International Journal of Business and Administration Research Review, 2 (4), 87 -94.
Sharma, K., & Das, S. (2017). Service quality and customer satisfaction- with special focus on the online cab industry in India. International Journal of Business and Management, 12 (7), 192-200.
Slack, N., Chambers, S., & Johnston, R. (2010). Operations management (6th ed.).Edinburgh: Prentice Hall.
Suresh, A.M., & Raja, K.G. (2006). Measuring customer satisfaction for small cars : An empirical study. Indian Journal of Marketing, 36 (2), 3-8.
Yap, S.F., & Kew, M.L. (2007). Service quality and customer satisfaction: Antecedents of customer's re-patronage intentions. Sunway Academic Journal, 4, 59-73.
