From Maintenance Maturity to Customer Value: A Fuzzy-Based Model Linking Operational Resilience with Consumer Satisfaction in the Digital Economy

The increasing digitalization of manufacturing systems and emphasis on sustainable development are transforming maintenance from a purely operational function into a strategic driver of customer value in the digital economy. However, the relationship between maintenance maturity and consumer-perceived sustainability remains largely unexplored. This study addresses the following research questions: (RQ1) How does maintenance maturity influence consumer-perceived sustainability and trust? (RQ2) How can operational resilience be linked to customer perception through a structured modeling approach? (RQ3) Which maintenance strategy provides the highest combined operational and sustainability value? To address these questions, the Integrated Maintenance Maturity Model with a Customer-Centric Sustainability Layer (IMMM–CCSL) is proposed. The framework links maintenance maturity with consumer sustainability perception using a structured fuzzy-based aggregation approach. Five consumer-oriented dimensions are considered: product lifecycle extension, service continuity and trust, consumer maintenance experience, perceived ecological performance, and post-sale engagement. A composite Customer Sustainability Index (CCSI) is introduced to quantify the relationship between maintenance maturity and consumer perception. The model is applied in an illustrative case study comparing reactive, preventive, predictive, and AI-enhanced maintenance strategies. The results indicate that CCSL values range from 0.709 to 0.749, while the overall CCSI equals 0.729, suggesting a consistently high level of consumer-perceived sustainability associated with higher maintenance maturity. Predictive maintenance demonstrates the highest contribution to both operational reliability and perceived sustainability outcomes within the analyzed case. Overall, the IMMM–CCSL framework offers a structured, interpretable tool for aligning maintenance strategy with sustainable production and consumption objectives, supporting managers and policymakers in translating technical capabilities into measurable consumer sustainability outcomes. The findings should be interpreted as exploratory and case-specific, given the illustrative nature of the study.