Perceived service quality and patronage behaviour in the auto-repair industry

This research investigated the dealer patronage behaviour relationship to perceived quality dimensions. A total of 831 questionnaires were personally administered to customers of nine auto-repair companies in Greece. Factor analysis revealed three dimensions, namely, holistic customer consideration, infrastructure, and personalised support as the most important drivers to customers' service quality. Analysis of variance, examining the relationship between perceptions of service quality and patronage behaviour (a loyalty indicator), showed that there is significant relationship only with personalised support. The implications of these findings for managers are also discussed.