Alternative indexes for monitoring customer perceptions of service quality: a comparative evaluation in a retail context

Article Abstract:

Customer satisfaction and service quality measures obtained through consumer surveys invariably have skewed distributions. As such, researchers have questioned the appropriateness of the popular approach of using the mean rating to summarize such data. However, no detailed study on this topic has yet been conducted. In two independent studies, the relative validity of the various indexes that can be used to summarize consumers' service quality ratings (e.g., mean, median, mode, kurtosis, skewness, top/bottom-tail percentiles) are examined. In Study 1, using typical commercial survey data from a fast-food/convenience retail chain, both the mean and top-box percentiles are found to be the best indicators of service quality, based on their correlation with customer-driven business performance measures. In Study 2, the results are further confirmed by an extensive simulation that varies factors such as the shape of the underlying distribution of customer ratings and the strength of the relationship between customer ratings and business performance measures. The article concludes with a discussion of the findings and implications for future research. (Reprinted by permission of the publisher.)

Author: Hurley, Robert F., Estelami, Hooman
Methods, Evaluation, Measurement, Customer service, Market surveys

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An exploratory study of employee turnover indicators as predictors of customer satisfaction

Article Abstract:

The effects of employee satisfaction and employee turnover on customer satisfaction, using data from convenience stores studies, are presented.

Author: Hurley, Robert F., Estelami, Hooman
Convenience Stores, Management dynamics, Grocery stores, Personnel administration, Management, Human resource management, Company business management, Company personnel management, Job satisfaction, Employee turnover, Labour turnover

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The impact of market price volatility on consumer satisfaction with lowest-price refunds

Article Abstract:

The article examines the effects of retailers' pricing policies on customer satisfaction.

Author: Estelami, Hooman, Bergstein, Heather
United States, Forecasts, trends, outlooks, Marketing procedures, Pricing Policy, Forecasts and trends, Marketing, Influence, Pricing, Market trend/market analysis, Company marketing practices, Product price, Retailers (Persons)

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Subjects list: Customer satisfaction, Analysis
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