Abstract

Any organization has to listen to its external customers and stakeholders. A number of studies have shown that the long-term success of a corporation is closely related to its ability to create and maintain loyal and satisfied customers, adapt to customer needs and changing preferences. In order to monitor customer satisfaction, and to take action for improving it, a number of different methods have been developed and tested.

Any organisation could definitively take advantage of a proven systematic customer satisfaction model. The challenge for organisations is to implement and secure a standardized customer satisfaction process across their playing field; class of markets and geographic markets (countries). Customer satisfaction can be addressed as a strategic business development tool and it does have a positive effect on an organization’s profitability. Satisfied customers form the foundation of any successful business as customer satisfaction leads to repeat purchase, brand loyalty, and positive word of mouth. On the bases of my research I recommend organisations to implement a customer satisfaction model to enhance their business development and improve their overall level of quality.

The objective of all customer satisfaction models is to provide results that are relevant, reliable, and valid and have predictive financial capability. Customer satisfaction research should be done with greatest care. Measuring customer satisfaction must be a continuously, consistent, timely, accurate and reliable process. This is where a new customer satisfaction approach becomes a powerful strategic business development tool for organisation.

Theory and best practices have proven that sustainable customer satisfaction models needs to be built on well-defined transparent processes and on a consistent approach. The means by which (customer) satisfaction is build may differ from time to time and from customer group/segmentation, whether this is based on geographic zone, business unit, country, product, or demographic culture is not relevant as long as accountable managers and marketers understand the relevance of each model (latent and manifest) variable in relation to the target group. As a consequence of the above, organisations could benefit from a well-defined customer satisfaction model. I recommend organisations to carry out the following strategic proposition;

1. Implement the European Customer Satisfaction Index as used by EPSI.
2. Customize EPSI survey questionnaire & implement NPS attributes
3. Secure process ownership and process managers.
4. Customer satisfaction survey on a monthly base.
5. Standardize process flow and reporting structures.