Service provider-Customer Relationship: To What Extent Are Customers in Terengganu Being Respected?

Today’s rapidly changing environment is demanding service companies to seek more creative and flexible means for dealing with competition. In fact, more and more retailers are investing in relationship building as a strategy for enhancing customer retention in the business-to-customer (B2C) context. From the literature, it is learnt that efforts are being concentrated in creating quality relationship with customers. This effort should include respecting customers. Respecting customers is one of the easiest ways to earn quality relationship with customers. However, the big question is to what extent does respect affect the quality of relationship between customer and service provider? The purpose of this study is to determine the dimensions of respect and to what extent it affects relationship quality. This preliminary study draws on empirical results from clients of banks and clinics in Kuala Terengganu. The hypotheses were tested using Pearson Correlation and Multiple Regression Analysis to examine the relationship between the three dimensions of respect and overall relationship quality. The results of the empirical tests give some support to the view that attention to the particularity, understanding and responsibility towards customers are crucial in shaping customers perception of respect and the quality of their relationship with service providers.