The relationship between service quality, brand image, customer satisfaction and customer loyalty in fast foods industry in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Abstract

Customer loyalty presents a paradox. Many see it as primarily an attitudebased phenomenon that can be influenced significantly by Customer Relationship Management initiatives such as the increasingly popular loyalty and affinity programs. However, empirical research shows that loyalty in competitive repeat-purchase markets is shaped more by the passive acceptance of brands than by strongly-held attitudes about them. From this perspective, the demand- enhancing potential of loyalty programs is more limited than might be hoped. We review three different perspectives on loyalty, and relate these to a framework for understanding customer loyalty that encompasses Service quality, Brand image and Customer Satisfaction. This framework is used to analyze the demand-side potential of loyalty programs. We discuss where these programs might work and where they are unlikely to succeed on any large scale. A checklist for marketers is provided. Keywords: Customer relationship management; Customer loyalty; Service quality, Brand image; Customer Satisfaction; Buyer behavior