African Journal of
Business Management

  • Abbreviation: Afr. J. Bus. Manage.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 1993-8233
  • DOI: 10.5897/AJBM
  • Start Year: 2007
  • Published Articles: 4193

Full Length Research Paper

Empirical research on impact of industrial services brand on customers’ relationship quality perception

Xu Yueheng
  • Xu Yueheng
  • School of Economics and Management, Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, P.O. Box 100191 Beijing, China.
  • Google Scholar
Zhang Mingli
  • Zhang Mingli
  • School of Economics and Management, Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, P.O. Box 100191 Beijing, China.
  • Google Scholar


  •  Accepted: 28 December 2011
  •  Published: 14 November 2013

Abstract

Industrial services brand will play a critical role in establishing high-quality customer relationships. Based on this, this study aims to empirically explore the influence of industrial services brand on customers’ perceptions toward the two parties’ relationships. The study develops a conceptual framework firstly for industrial services brand which includes expertise, corporate reputation, corporate promise and communication as construct elements. Data was collected using questionnaire survey of buyers in industrial logistics and analyzed using structural equation modeling. The results show that corporate reputation has significant impact on quality perception while expertise and corporate promise has positive and significant impact on customer trust. The results also show that communication has significant and positive impact on both quality perception and customer trust. The study has implications for industrial services companies to guide customers’ psychological behaviors toward the two parties’ relationships.

Key words: Industrial services, industrial services brand, relationship quality, relationship satisfaction.