Title: Developing customer satisfaction index for the construction industry: a case study for Saudi Arabia

Authors: Khalid Jamal El Sakka; Laith A. Hadidi; Muhammad Saiful Islam

Addresses: Department of Construction Engineering and Management, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran, 31261, Saudi Arabia ' Department of Construction Engineering and Management, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran, 31261, Saudi Arabia ' College of Project Management, Built Environment, and Asset and Maintenance Management, Central Queensland University, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia

Abstract: While other industries focus more on developing customer satisfaction index (CSI) for better customer-focused services, the construction industry pays less attention to its customers. Thus, this study aims to develop a CSI for the construction industry. Accordingly, 48 customer satisfaction factors (CSFs) under seven groups were identified from the literature and evaluated based on their importance and satisfaction level. Afterward, 25 Saudi Arabian mega project owners evaluated the identified CSFs developing CSI for construction projects. The findings suggest some immediate corrective actions, such as adherence to schedule, adequacy of contractors' resources on the site, and providing early notifications for work delays. The developed CSI can be considered a practical tool for contractors to know their customers' expectations and monitor their performances in Saudi Arabia and other Middle Eastern countries. Besides, the CSI development approach can be applied to other construction industries in different parts of the world.

Keywords: construction industry; contractor; customer satisfaction; CS; megaproject.

DOI: 10.1504/IJPQM.2024.139158

International Journal of Productivity and Quality Management, 2024 Vol.42 No.2, pp.210 - 233

Received: 12 Mar 2022
Accepted: 28 Jun 2022
Published online: 24 Jun 2024 *

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