Telecommunications service quality, customer satisfaction and customer loyalty in pandemic times
ISSN: 2040-8269
Article publication date: 29 December 2022
Issue publication date: 27 July 2023
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to empirically explore telecommunications service quality (SQ) and its impact on the customer loyalty (CL) through a mediating impact of customer satisfaction (CS) during the COVID-19 pandemic crisis.
Design/methodology/approach
A survey was conducted involving 384 customers of telecommunications service providers in Egypt. The hypothesized direct relationships were tested through regression analysis, and the mediating effect was tested using structural equation modeling technique.
Findings
The results reveal a strong positive relationship of SQ dimensions, CS and CL. Reliability, privacy and security and convenience, respectively, proved to increase CS and CL more than the other SQ dimensions, particularly during COVID-19. Moreover, CS was found to significantly and fully mediate the effect of SQ on CL.
Research limitations/implications
This is an empirical research applied in the Egyptian telecommunications setting. Its relationships need further investigation in other settings and countries. Also, traditional limitations of a cross-sectional study apply with respect to the attribution of causality and the time lag effects.
Practical implications
In strategic planning of telecommunications services and the associated consumer behavior, the results of this study can be helpful for policymakers. In case of similar epidemics and natural calamities, consumers may depict similar behavior as shown during the lockdown and social distancing during COVID-19; hence, this study can help regulatory bodies in preparing their safety roadmap.
Originality/value
This study contributes to the body of knowledge in enhancing the understanding on the impact of telecommunications SQ on CS and loyalty, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic crisis.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The author gratefully acknowledges and thanks Dr Sameh Mohamed Said and Dr Mahmoud Abdelrahman Kamel, Department of Management, Faculty of Commerce, Benha University, Egypt, for their support and guidance which were very helpful in further developing the contributions in this research. The author would also like to express his appreciation and gratitude to Dr Sally Ali Hassan, Department of Business Administration, Faculty of Commerce, Ain Shams University, Egypt, for her unlimited support and advice.
The author is grateful to the Editor, Professor Jay Janney, and two anonymous reviewers for their insightful and constructive comments and suggestions.
Citation
Abd-Elrahman, A.-E.H. (2023), "Telecommunications service quality, customer satisfaction and customer loyalty in pandemic times", Management Research Review, Vol. 46 No. 8, pp. 1112-1131. https://doi.org/10.1108/MRR-08-2021-0595
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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