Customer relationship management and customer satisfaction: the mediating role of relationship quality
This study investigates possible associations between customer relationship management (CRM) practices, relationship quality and customer satisfaction, focusing on the possible mediation effect of relationship quality on the CRM tactics and satisfaction link. Field research was conducted by utilising a questionnaire developed by adopting relevant work reported in literature. CRM practices were conceptualised by a 14 item scale, while customer satisfaction was measured by a 4 item construct. Relationship quality was conceptualised by two dimensions, namely relationship satisfaction and trust. The questionnaire was made available over the internet and the respondents were customers of the three major mobile telephony companies in Greece. Exploratory factor analysis was conducted in order to identify latent factors among the CRM practices' items. The results revealed two CRM practices' factors, which were labelled as customer care and communication. Regression analysis was employed to examine the relationships between the emerged CRM practices' dimensions, relationship quality and customer satisfaction. Customer care was found to have a positive significant effect on customer satisfaction. Moreover, the CRM practices' dimensions were also found to have a significant positive impact on relationship quality. Finally, the full mediation role of relationship quality on the CRM practices and customer satisfaction link was also supported.