Customer satisfaction and service quality in UK financial services

Purpose – The paper seeks to evaluate the drivers of customer satisfaction (CS), specifically exploring the impact of business process management (BPM) on service quality and CS.Design/methodology/approach – A longitudinal case study uses quantitative and qualitative data to test six propositions derived from current literature.Findings – Analysis confirms the role of staff satisfaction and service quality as key drivers of CS, suggested in the service profit chain, but proposes a more complex set of relationships. Technical service quality (TSQ) is found to play a critical role in determining CS and a strong causal link is found between TSQ and BPM.Research limitations/implications – Findings are based on a single case, in a fast‐changing sector.Practical implications – Findings suggest that managers should focus on TSQ as a priority. End‐to‐end BPM is identified as a key enabler of TSQ.Originality/value – The research challenges the adequacy of the service profit chain and the emphasis on soft factors e...

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