Measurement of the Relationship Between Service Quality and Brand Loyalty with Structural Equation Modeling: A Research on Users of Smartphone Brands

In today's rapidly changing and differentiating competitive environment, brands operating in smart phone industry must change, renew and improve service quality constantly to be able to respond immediately to changing customer expectations each passing day. Nowadays, criteria such as the quality of the manufactured product or service, customer satisfaction, trust in brand, brand loyalty and contribution to society have replaced the conventional performance indicators showing market share and profit levels of brands. Accordingly, the aim of this study is to investigate the impact of service quality to brand loyalty. In this context, a conceptual model was created in order to determine the impact of quality of service on brand loyalty through Structural Equation Model (SEM). The relationship between the variables in the model was tested by using data of the surveys applied to 353 Smartphone users and hypotheses put forward theoretically were examined. In addition, frequency analysis, and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) and Structural Equation Models applications were used in the analysis of research. In the model put forward theoretically, quality of service affects brand loyalty in a general integrity. Also, the hypotheses that service quality has a direct impact on perceived quality and customer satisfaction, perceived quality and customer satisfaction has a direct impact on trust and also trust has a direct impact on the brand loyalty are supported.