Title: Regression modelling analysis of the relationship between service quality and customer satisfaction: a case of tourist agricultural farm

Authors: Rozaini Muhammad Rozkee; Norehan Jaafar; Hayati Abdul Jalal

Addresses: Faculty of Business Management, Universiti Teknologi MARA, 32610 Bandar Seri Iskandar, Perak, Malaysia ' Faculty of Business Management, Universiti Teknologi MARA, 32610 Bandar Seri Iskandar, Perak, Malaysia ' Faculty of Business Management, Universiti Teknologi MARA, 32610 Bandar Seri Iskandar, Perak, Malaysia

Abstract: The study investigates the relationship between service quality and customer satisfaction of a popular tourist agricultural farm cafeteria. The five dimensions of service quality (SERVQUAL) were used to measure the customer's satisfaction level at KHM Strawberries and Jam Cafe. These include tangible, reliability, responsiveness, empathy and assurance. Multiple regression analyses were used to examine these relationships based on sample from 420 customers of the café. The results indicate that all SERVQUAL dimensions except responsiveness were important for increasing the level of customer's satisfaction. Assurance and empathy were found to be the most important dimensions for customer satisfaction, which in turn can influence the sale of the business. The findings provide evidence that service quality plays an important role for increasing the level of customer satisfaction, and helps scholars and managers to better understand the effect of service quality through which customer satisfaction benefits business sale. Finally, this study discusses managerial implications and highlights future research directions.

Keywords: customer satisfaction; service quality; SERVQUAL; tourist farms; agricultural farms; farm cafeterias; farm cafes; regression modelling; case study; rural tourism; tangible; reliability; responsiveness; empathy; assurance; strawberries; jam.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMOM.2016.081355

International Journal of Modelling in Operations Management, 2016 Vol.6 No.1/2, pp.33 - 46

Received: 14 Mar 2016
Accepted: 29 Aug 2016
Published online: 05 Jan 2017 *

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