Winning the Loyalty of International Customers: A Perspective from the International Patients in India

Abstract

This article explores on how to win satisfaction and loyalty of customers travelling beyond national borders to avail services. The study investigates the effect of customer relationship management (CRM) practices on satisfaction and loyalty of international patients travelling to Indian hospitals. Given the challenges faced by the corporate hospitals in context to international patients, this article identified and discussed the relationship between CRM, customer satisfaction and customer loyalty. The study is based on a cross-sectional analytic study design, wherein primary data was collected through a structured questionnaire on a 5-point Likert scale from 419 respondents and processed through descriptive statistics and structural equation modelling using SPSS AMOS 20*. ‘Trust’ as a driver of CRM was found to be the most important predictor of satisfaction and loyalty, thus strategies around this element shall guide the corporate hospitals in establishing India as a medical tourism hub and having a competitive edge.

Management model based on Relational Marketing to increase customer satisfaction through the implementation of the Knowledge Creation Model.

“…The article highlights the relevance of client recovery and retention programs, as well as the analysis of motivating factors of international patients in the search for health services in different cultural and linguistic environments [43]. Ultimately, it is emphasized that the effective use of CRM tools implies a synergy between technology, people and customer-oriented processes to maintain long-term relationships and strengthen loyalty [44].…”