SERVICE QUALITY, CUSTOMER SATISFACTION AND LOYALTY: THE MODERATING ROLE OF GENDER

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to investigate customer satisfaction as a mediator of the effects of service environment, interaction quality, empathy, and reliability on loyalty. The present study also aims to examine gender as a moderator in the relationship between the aforementioned service quality dimensions and customer satisfaction. Data were gathered from the customers of retail banks in Northern Cyprus. The results based on hierarchical multiple regression analysis reveal that customer satisfaction mediates the impacts of service environment, interaction quality, empathy, and reliability on loyalty. The results also indicate that gender moderates the effects of empathy and reliability on customer satisfaction. Implications of the results are discussed, and avenues for future research are offered.