Interaction effect of health service quality and brand image on customer loyalty

Abstract

Customer loyalty is a concept received more attention, since it affect the competitive advantage of the time. However little attention have been considered it. The purpose of this research is to examine the interaction between service quality and brand image and its impact on customer satisfaction and customer loyalty, When seeking treatment in private healthcare sector in the Sudan. A survey was conducted among 450 patients in the Makah eye hospitals to measure service quality in the private healthcare sector in Sudan using SERVQUAL 5 dimensions model by Parasuraman et al (1985). The results showed that perceived service Quality in Sudanese Health sector consists of three dimensions , In addition the results show that Customer Satisfaction is full mediate the relationship between the interaction of Service Quality variables and Brand Image on Customer loyalty . This study can help health care providers and managers to have deep understanding about how patients’ both perceived service quality and expectation service quality are affected by patient’s characters and the need to improve the quality of services provided by the hospitals so that it could meet or exceed customers’ expectations in order to retain current v customers and win their loyalty as well as attract new customers by adopting quality service as a strategy for competition and distinction, which would help improve the hospitals competitive status as well as increase its market share and profit . It would be recommended to future researchers that this type of survey be conducted on a larger scale to assist all private healthcare providers to render better service to their customers.