O efeito da qualidade de serviço na satisfação e lealdade do consumidor : um estudo nos restaurantes da Orla de Atalaia de Aracaju-SE

Abstract

This research aims to analyze the impact of service quality on consumer loyalty, when mediated by satisfaction. The investigation was carried out by means of a survey, applied to consumers of bars and restaurants on the Orla de Atalaia, in the city of Aracaju-SE. Two hypotheses were established: I) the perceived quality of service has a positive, direct and significant effect on loyalty and II) the perceived quality of service has a positive and indirect effect on loyalty, with satisfaction as a mediating factor. The survey registered 274 valid responses, later Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), based on partial least squares (PLS), was used as a statistical model for data analysis and hypothesis testing. The results found demonstrated that the quality of services has a direct influence on consumer loyalty and also confirmed satisfaction as a mediating factor that contributes to consumer loyalty. The study presents managerial contributions, since the findings can serve as a basis for strategies that aim to increase retention rates and attract new customers; as well as presenting academic contributions, since it collaborates to increase the number of researches that investigate the link between perceived quality, consumer loyalty and satisfaction in the hospitality sector, more specifically, in the food sector outside the home.