Synthesizing customer satisfaction and loyalty through contractors’ service quality and brand image

Purpose The present study developed an integrated model to evaluate the relationship between service quality, brand image, customer satisfaction and customer loyalty in the context of Myanmar’s construction industry. Design/methodology/approach Data on the study variables were gathered from a cross-sectional survey of 210 client organizations that own private buildings in Myanmar. A factor analysis-validated structural equation model was developed to assess the research hypotheses and conceptual framework. Findings The results supported an integrated model in which brand image partly mediated the effects of service quality on customer satisfaction. Besides, the brand image and customer satisfaction fully mediated the impact of service quality on customer loyalty. Brand image exerted indirect effects on customer loyalty through customer satisfaction. The study further identified the direct effects of service quality on brand image and customer satisfaction, brand image on customer satisfaction and customer satisfaction on customer loyalty. Originality/value While prior studies have explored service quality in the construction industry, no integrated model has been developed to identify the relationship between service quality, brand image, customer satisfaction and customer loyalty in construction project settings. This study filled this critical gap in the literature by offering a unique perspective on the study variables and their interrelationships.