Service quality, customer satisfaction and loyalty in automobile repair services sector

Purpose - The purpose of this study is to explore the dimensional structure of the SERVQUAL scale within non-western service setting as well as the impact of service quality dimensions on customer satisfaction and loyalty. Design/methodology/approach - A quantitative approach was employed, using 32-item, seven-point Likert-scaled questionnaire administered to 384 participants with 55.99 per cent usable response rate. Data were analysed using exploratory factor analysis, Cronbach's internal consistency and gamma test to, respectively, measure scale suitability, usability and strength/direction of association. Findings- The outcome from the study was the reduction of the 32 items to 26 scale items with 0.929 total alpha score. Further outcomes show that service quality dimensions are significant predictors of customer satisfaction and loyalty with the commitment dimension accounting for the highest degree of this impact. Research limitations/implications - Findings failed to corroborate past research as it was established that distinct efforts to measure customer satisfaction and loyalty within non- western service contexts proved to be less useful. However, outcomes cannot be generalized and as such, the modified scale that emerged from this research should receive more rigorous tests in other emerging services contexts. Practical implications - Automobile repair services firms within Ebonyi State will be better placed in their strategic responses to customer loyalty if they boost customers' satisfaction through excellent service quality improvement actions. Social implications - The best way to enhance the welfare of the consumers of automobile repair services in Ebonyi State is by improving the empathy, tangibles, responsiveness, reliability and commitment dimensions of service quality. Originality/value -The paper demonstrates that the commitment dimension of service quality emerged as the most significant predictor of customer satisfaction and loyalty. The research also demonstrates that satisfied customers will definitely be loyal because a distinct effort to measure customer satisfaction and loyalty was found to be less useful.