M-SERVICE QUALITY OF TELECOMMUNICATION COMPANIES IN QATAR

Abstract

Today, although mobile applications make our lives easier, the service quality provided by such applications has become a vital element in increasing customer satisfaction. This research paper aims to identify the significant mobile service quality factors (Application Design, Ease of Use, Information Content, Reliability, Responsiveness, Empathy, Security and Prices and offers) that influence customer satisfaction and loyalty in Qatar's telecommunications sector. To answer the research question and test the hypotheses that form the study model, data were collected through an online questionnaire of 195 random customers who use Ooredoo or Vodafone mobile applications in Qatar. The proposed model was evaluated using partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). The results show that Ease of Use, Information Content, Responsiveness and Security are the most significant factors that affect M-Customer Satisfaction. Also, there is a strong relationship between M-customer Satisfaction and M-loyalty. On the contrary, Application Design, Reliability, Empathy, and Prices and offers did not affect M-customer satisfaction. Thus, the managers in telecommunication companies should adopt a strategy that focuses on the M-service quality factors that most influence M-customer satisfaction to increase customer satisfaction rates and loyalty to their products and services. It will also help reduce overall costs by delivering those products and services to a higher proportion of customers through the mobile application rather than physical branches. This paper also helps the researchers use the proposed model in future research to understand these relationships in other countries better.