Column 9 · Satisfaction and Loyalty · Era 6, Engagement and Networks (2010s)
Manager-Customer Gap
Outputs: performance · Major · Cluster IV, Customer and Brand Assets
Description
They showed that managers' perceptions of their customers' satisfaction and its drivers differ systematically from customers' own assessments, identifying a gap with performance implications.
Managerial Implications
Managers systematically misjudge their customers' satisfaction, loyalty, and value perceptions, usually in the firm's favor, and the gap is larger where managers are far from customers. Correct the gap by measuring customers directly and comparing results with managers' estimates. Where the gap is large, decisions on pricing, service, and investment are being made on a view of the customer the customer does not share.