IMAGE, MARKETING MIX SERVICE USE INNOVATION, TRUST, SERVICE DECISION AFFECTING LOYALTY OF TUTORING INSTITUTES IN PHUKET PROVINCE

Abstract The competitive entrance examinations for state universities and popular fields of study, especially in science and social sciences, have resulted in intense competition, stress, and many disappointed students. Thus, tutoring schools or institutions need to understand additional lessons to learn techniques and methods to solve problems more easily and quickly to help students enter their desired educational institutions. This research aims to: 1) Study the levels of image, marketing mix, service innovation, trust, and decision-making in service usage affecting customer loyalty towards tutoring institutions in Phuket Province. 2) Examine the influence of variables such as image, marketing mix, service innovation, trust, and decision-making in service usage on customer loyalty towards tutoring institutions in Phuket Province. 3) Develop a model for customer loyalty towards tutoring institutions in the future in Phuket Province. This research employs a mixed-method approach, combining quantitative and qualitative research. For the quantitative part, the sample consists of 500 students and parents from secondary schools under the Ministry of Education who use tutoring services in Phuket Province. The sample size was determined using a criterion of 20 times the observed variables and was selected using a multi-stage sampling method. The study used questionnaires for data collection and analyzed the data using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). In-depth interviews were conducted with 20 participants, including 10 tutoring institution operators and 10 experts in the tutoring business in Phuket Province. The research findings revealed that: 1) The levels of image, marketing mix, service innovation, trust, and decision-making in service usage had a high impact on customer loyalty towards tutoring institutions in Phuket. 2) These factors significantly affected customer loyalty at a statistically significant level of 0.05. 3) The customer loyalty model developed by the researcher for tutoring institutions in Phuket is called the ISMTD-CLTP Model (I = Image, D = Decision-making, S = Service Innovation, T = Trust, M = Marketing Mix, CLTP = Customer Loyalty of Tutoring Institutions in Phuket Province). Additionally, the qualitative findings suggest that operators should adopt new digital technologies and innovations, enhance modern communication channels, offer tutoring services through social networks, and provide online learning to improve customer satisfaction and foster loyalty in the future.