Measurement and analysis of customer satisfaction: company practices in Spain and Portugal

Purpose – The research objective is to analyze the situation and outlook for the future of the measuring and analysis practices used to determine customer satisfaction in 305 ISO 9000‐certified organizations of the Euro‐region Galicia (Spain)‐North of Portugal. Design/methodology/approach – The empirical study was conducted on a random sample of 305 ISO 9000 companies. Data were gathered by personally interviewing those responsible for quality management at the companies. Findings – Certified companies in the Euro‐region Galicia‐North Portugal have a high awareness of the need to measure and analyze the satisfaction of their customers and a predisposition towards it but, when it comes to putting said practice into action, they fall into certain methodological deficiencies that lead to their usefulness being only moderate. Research limitations/implications – This is a basically descriptive work concerning the practice of measuring and analyzing customer satisfaction in certified companies, within the Galicia (Spain)‐North Portugal Euro‐region. The results obtained are based on evaluations given by the interviewees, so that their reliability depends, to a large extent, on sincerity and good information being provided by the same. Originality/value – The work is particularly useful for practitioners. The results may act as a guideline for the companies implementing these practices and for those who will do so in the near future. It is also of interest for orientating activities involving evaluation, training and assessment by companies and official bodies related to quality management, such as consultants, certification bodies, universities, business schools, etc.