The Effect Of Culture And Empathy On Customer Satisfaction

The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of culture and empathy on customer satisfaction.The main objective is to discuss the impact of culture and empathy dimension on customer satisfaction in Indonesian and Chinese banking industries.The data were collected using self-administered questionnaire.The questionnaire consisted of three parts.First,culture was measured using culture scale including five aspects and total 20 items.Second,empathy was measured using empathy scale including3 aspects and total 12 items.Third,customer satisfaction was operationalized with one variable including 5 items,representing overall satisfaction measure.Questionnaires were distributed among 230 customers(210 participants completely filled)of different state bank in Indonesia and 230 customers(201 participants completely filled)in China.Descriptive analysis,factor analysis,reliability analysis,and multiple regression analysis were performed to analyse the data.Factor analysis using LISREL 8.70 identified culture dimension,empathy dimension,and customer satisfaction dimension.Multiple regression analysis using SPSS 19 showed that culture and empathy positively significant on customer satisfaction.The results shown that customer satisfaction predicted by all independent variable for Indonesian participant(R~2=.447)and Chinese participant(R~2=.566).Results of linear regression analysis shown that culture dimension,namely individualism/collectivism(sig.=.001,p<.01)and empathy dimension,namely emotional contagion(sig.=.000,p<.01)were significant predictors of customer satisfaction in Indonesia.In China,the results of linear regression analysis shown that culture dimensions,namely uncertainty avoidance(sig.=.028,p<.05),long-term orientation(sig.=.042,p<.05)and empathy dimensions,namely perspective taking(sig.=.001,p<.01),empathic concern(sig.=.021,p<.05),and emotional contagion(sig.=.000,p<.01)were significant predictors of customer satisfaction.The present study focuses on determining relative importance of culture and empathy in relation to customer satisfaction,reporting the findings from Indonesia and China.Therefore,it contributes to the existing literature on culture,empathy,and customer satisfaction relationship in banking industry.