Learning Unit 2 : Definition of Customer Satisfaction

Customer satisfaction is a function of performance relative to the customer’s expectations. When a lot has been promised and more is being delivered, this will always create satisfied customers. For sales people, this mean that they only should promise what they know you are able to deliver. For people on the inside, this means delivering everything that has been promised. For management, this means that when performing a customer satisfaction survey, they should measure their performance relative to the customers’ expectations. It should be remembered that is it the customers’ perception that ultimately counts. The managements’ view on its service is interesting but irrelevant to serving customers. It is how customers feel that really counts.

Customer service is a philosophy in which all employees feel and act accountable for creating satisfied customers. Everyone in the organisation is responsible for and works to exceed the customer’s expectations. Serving customers is a unique opportunity for employees. Few jobs in any organisation carry such an impact as an employee does who is creating satisfied customers. The treatment of the customers is more powerful than all of the advertising dollars in a budget. Advertising only draws customers to an organisation. It is the organization’s performance that brings them back or chases them away.

Total customer satisfaction service is a value-added service in which the service contents exceed the customer’s expectation and add more value to the customer’s benefit.

The definition of customer satisfaction can be divided into two points: preference and match.

From the View of Preference
Oliver (1981) thinks that satisfaction is a transaction-specific and emotional reaction. It also means that customer satisfaction is an instant emotional response by using products in a certain condition. Fornell (1992) states that satisfaction is a consumptive formation and the level of satisfaction is indicated by the purchase of the products. Customer satisfaction is an experience-based attitude.

From the View of Match
Westbrook (1980) points out that satisfaction is a cognitive evaluation that compares the expectation of the products and the practical requirement. Expectation has a direct relationship with products. As products meet or exceed customer requirements, satisfaction appears. On the other hand, customer satisfaction is the repetition of purchase; loyalty is caused by the customer’s requirement desire and exceeded expectation.