The influence of customer relationship management and service quality on customer loyalty in the medical equipment business

Abstract

The medical equipment business faces increasing competition and changing customer expectations, making customer relationship management and service quality important factors in maintaining customer loyalty. Customers increasingly expect reliable products, professional consultation, responsive communication, technical support, and effective after-sales service. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the influence of customer relationship management and service quality on customer loyalty in the medical equipment business. A quantitative research design was employed, and data were collected from 400 customers using a structured questionnaire. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, an independent-samples t-test, one-way analysis of variance, and multiple regression analysis. The results indicated that customer relationship management, service quality, and customer loyalty were perceived at high levels. Customer loyalty differed significantly according to age and educational level, whereas gender and income were not statistically significant. The regression analysis showed that customer relationship management had a statistically significant influence on customer loyalty. Service quality also had a statistically significant influence on customer loyalty. Among the service quality dimensions, tangibility, reliability, responsiveness, and assurance were significant predictors of customer loyalty, whereas empathy was not statistically significant. The findings imply that medical equipment businesses should strengthen customer relationship management through continuous communication, customer follow-up, understanding customer requirements, and value-added services. Organizations should also improve service reliability, responsiveness, assurance, technical knowledge, and professional service delivery. These practices can strengthen customer confidence, encourage repeat purchasing, develop long-term relationships, and enhance customer loyalty and sustainable competitiveness in the medical equipment business.