Factors of Service Quality of Employees Affecting Customer Satisfaction: A Case Study of a Convenience Store in La-Ngu District, Satun Province

Abstract

This research aimed to (1) examine the effects of personal factors on consumer satisfaction and (2) investigate the effects of employees' service quality on consumer satisfaction at convenience stores in La-ngu District, Satun Province. This study employed a quantitative research design based on the SERVQUAL framework, which consists of five dimensions: tangibles, reliability, responsiveness, assurance, and empathy. The population comprised consumers who used convenience stores in La-ngu District, Satun Province, with an unknown population size. The sample consisted of 405 respondents. The sample size was determined using Cochran's formula, and the respondents were selected through non-probability convenience sampling. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, including frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation, as well as inferential statistics, including One-way Analysis of Variance (One-way ANOVA), Pearson's Product Moment Correlation Coefficient, and Multiple Regression Analysis. The results revealed that gender, education level, occupation, and service usage frequency significantly affected consumer satisfaction at the .05 level, whereas age and monthly income showed no significant effect. In addition, all five dimensions of service quality were positively correlated with consumer satisfaction at the .05 level. Among these dimensions, responsiveness exhibited the strongest relationship with consumer satisfaction (r = .624, p < .001). Multiple regression analysis indicated that the five dimensions of service quality jointly explained 52.20% of the variance in consumer satisfaction (R² = .522). Responsiveness had the greatest influence on consumer satisfaction, followed by assurance, reliability, empathy, and tangibles. These findings suggest that enhancing employees’ service quality, particularly responsiveness to customer needs, can improve consumer satisfaction and strengthen the competitiveness of convenience store businesses.