Logistic Coordination Strategy and Customer Satisfaction of Manufacturing Firms in Rivers State: The Mediating Role of Consumer Closeness

This study examines the relationship between logistic coordination strategy and customer satisfaction among manufacturing firms in Rivers State, Nigeria, with consumer closeness as a mediator. Drawing on the resource-based view, relational view, and social exchange theory, it investigates how information sharing, activity coordination, and joint planning influence service satisfaction, expectation fulfilment, and overall satisfaction. A cross-sectional survey of 198 managers from 72 firms registered with the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria yielded usable data analysed via multiple regression and Baron and Kenny mediation procedures with bootstrapping. Results show that all three dimensions of logistic coordination strategy positively and significantly predict customer satisfaction, with information sharing exerting the strongest effect. Consumer closeness partially mediates the relationship, indicating that coordination benefits are transmitted partly through enhanced communication, relationship interaction, and customer understanding. The findings highlight the dual importance of operational coordination and relational closeness for delivering superior customer experiences in infrastructure-challenged emerging-market settings and offer practical guidance for managers and policymakers seeking to strengthen manufacturing competitiveness in Rivers State.