The effect of service quality perception on customer satisfaction: An application in the GSM industry

That the service sector is under the influence of global competition increased the expectations on service quality and customer satisfaction. In this study investigates why the perception of the service quality is important, and whether the scale of SERVQUAL has an impact on the service quality perception and service quality perception has an impact on the customer satisfaction. Concordantly, the influence over customer satisfaction of the perception of the quality of service in GSM sector determines the aim of this study. In accordance with this purpose, the scan type which is one of the quantitative research methods was used as research method. As data gathering instrument, the questionnaire form was used. The interviews were held as face to face survey method. The SERVQUAL scale developed by Parasuraman, Zeithaml and Berry in 1985 which is the one of the most used scales in the survey of quality of service, and customer satisfaction scale developed by Oliver (1980, 1997) were used. The obtained data were analysed and tested by using SPSS, AMOS and LISREL package programs. In this regard, the Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) in AMOS and LISREL was applied. As a result of CFA, it was found that SERVQUAL scale has got 5 sub-dimensions (reliability, responsiveness, assurance, tangibles and empathy) in AMOS. In addition, ıt has been determined that perceived service quality of the operator in LISREL is sufficient to measure service quality and the customer satisfaction scale was also found as adequate for measuring the customer satisfaction. In the research, positive and significant impacts in all hypotheses were detected. It has been determined that SERVQUAL scale is effective on perceived service quality of the operator and SERVQUAL scale measure the quality of service, and customer expectations have influence over the customer perceptions and the perceived service quality of the operator. In addition, ıt has been determined that customer perception has influence over customer satisfaction, and perceived service quality of the operator has an impact on the customer satisfaction and the customer perception. Keywords: Service Quality, Service Quality Perception, SERVQUAL, Customer Satisfaction