No abstract

This paper aims to examine the relationship between customer loyalty, service quality and brand image after sales at national automotive service centers in Malaysia. The study used a quantitative method and was completed using a SERVQUAL model. The questionnaire was answered by 311 respondents. It was discovered that brand image and customer loyalty was determined by the customers' perception of the service quality provided by the automotive service centers in terms of technical quality and customer service. The study found a strong correlation between customer loyalty, brand image, and the service quality which includes two elements such as technical quality and customer service. It was discovered that there is a significant relationship between customer loyalty, service quality and brand image. Customer loyalty was affected by service quality and brand image at the service centers by 87%. The study highlights the intangible dimensions of customer loyalty in relations between service quality and brand image.Contribution/ Originality: This study contributes to the existing literature on customer behavior in automotive industry. Technical quality and customer service were found to be important factors that influenced customer loyalty and brand image. Findings of the study enable researchers to share customer perspectives and insights after sales in term of customer behavior.

The relationship between service quality and customer loyalty has been the focus of service organizations for decades when pursuing competitiveness and profitability. Albeit being the focus of research for years, the customer's perception of the measures of service quality according to specific industry dimensions and contexts is still a major argument. As such, this study aimed to investigate service quality in the context of automotive after-sales service, specifically that provided by Malaysian national carmakers' service providers. This study also evaluated the role of the national carmakers' brand image and how it impacts the level of customer loyalty. This study found that national carmakers should focus on customer service and technical quality in order to achieve a higher quality of service, as well as strengthen their image to ensure customers return for the subsequent service and secure new vehicle sales. This study's primary data was obtained from questionnaires involving 321 respondents. Statistical analysis using the SPSS software was performed on the data. Empirical findings have provided insights for carmakers, especially after-sales service, on the importance of service quality, especially the element of customer service, technical quality and a strong image that captures customers' loyalty.

Poverty alleviation programs have been carried out in Malaysia for decades. However, poverty still exists in society and it seems to persist despite various efforts to alleviate it. The persistence of poverty among pockets of society is difficult to address. Intergenerational poverty is probably one of the reasons contributing to this scenario. Poverty is 'handed down' to the next generation and the cycle is hard to be broken. It is well documented in the literature that the incidence of poverty is more prevalent among single mother households whilst there is limited research on single father's issues. The methodology employed for this research is action research whereby an intervention will be introduced throughout the research period. The objective of this research is to develop specialized poverty alleviation programs for single parent households in Baling yet it is still in its preliminary stage. Hence, this paper provides descriptive information about the single parent respondents.

The intangible and elusive nature of service requires an industry-specific measures of service quality. This study is intended to assess the service quality in after-sales services by looking into each of the dimensions in SERVQUAL through modifying said dimensions tailored towards the needs of the industry. The findings show technical quality as the key driver of service quality in automotive after-sales service that determined customer loyalty, followed by other attributes such as customer service, tangibility and support service respectively. The data was collected from 312 respondents based on systematic sampling where every three customers were approached at the main entrance of the service branches to answer the self-administered questionnaire. Using PLSSEM as the method of data analysis, the data revealed that technical quality was the most important dimension which served as measures of service quality in automotive after-sales service industry. Even though support service was found to be an impotent element to represent service quality, the significant relationship with customer loyalty showed that it is important to capture a higher level of customer loyalty and needs equal attention. This study contributes to the Malaysian automotive industry, especially national carmakers, as it provides empirical evidence on the relative importance of service quality attributes to be prioritized in developing their marketing strategy to attract more loyal customers.