ABSTRACT
Customer satisfaction has therefore become the key operational goal for many organisations.
They have invested heavily in improving performance in areas that make a strong contribution
to customer satisfaction, such as quality and customer service. Loyalty schemes have
proliferated in the retail sector and are now moving into the business sector. Companies are
investing in ‘database marketing’, ‘relationship management’, and ‘customer planning’, to
get closer to their customers. Organisations in the public sector have developed customer
charters to demonstrate their commitment to customer service, and just about every ‘mission
statement’ includes a reference to satisfying or, increasingly, delighting customers.
