Abstract:

The purpose of this article, then, is to help bring marketing back into the "mainstream" of the customer satisfaction movement by first describing the evolution of customer satisfaction measurement into the unique technology that it is today. Second, an attempt will be made to characterise some of the differences between customer satisfaction measurement and traditional marketing research. This includes a review of the necessary training and skill sets of company personnel (and outside consultants) who participate in running these programs. Finally, one of the newest trends in customer satisfaction measurement will be discussed, namely the efforts to globalise these programs.