SERVICE QUALITY AND CUSTOMER SATISFACTION OF MANGGAHAN

FOOD PARK IN SAN PASCUAL BATANGAS

A Research Paper

Presented to

The Senior High School Faculty

Sta. Teresa College

Bauan, Batangas

In Partial Fulfillment

Of the Requirements in

Practical Research II

Leomuel Louis C. Banta

Simmone Jhade C. Celis

Ceejay M. Medrano

John Matthew G. Medrano

JANUARY 2023
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CHAPTER I

THE RESEARCH PROBLEM

Introduction

There is nothing better than eating delicious meals with company while

lounging outside on a sunny day. Food parks have stands with a range of cuisines

from several nations, including America and Korea. Some people visit food parks

because of the ambiance and reasonably priced food they provide; one can eat as

much as they want without ever going over their spending limit therefore food parks

gain more attention nowadays.

Since food parks are gaining more attention, it is to no surprise that there

are different food parks that are being developed. There are food parks that can

be seen in Bauan Batangas such as Skye’s Food Park, Three Kings and many

more. Food parks are more favorable, since they offer a variety of products in

which the customers can choose from.

A food park is a loosely arranged restaurant that offers a wide variety of

cuisines and food services and is made up of various food stands. Food parks

provide a variety of clients delectable, cost-effective meals. A food park's goal is

to cater to a diverse group of patrons, including families, with a variety of cuisine

that suits their tastes. While youngsters enjoy sweets like chocolates and

pleasures like ice cream, adults prefer food that is high in nutrition and large meals.

According to Beltran’s article, “On the Streets, a Culinary Revolution”

(2018), the food park's history started in the late 2000s. In order to serve the

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expanding workforce in the Ortigas central business district's business process

outsourcing (BPO) sector, Banchetto opened its doors in 2007. The park, which

billed itself as the first "overnight street food extravaganza," opened late on Fridays

and ran through early on Saturday.

According to Franklin (2021), customer satisfaction is a measure of how

well a company's products, services, and overall customer experience meet

customer expectations. It reflects the health of your company by demonstrating

how well your products or services are received by buyers. Customer satisfaction

is important because it shows whether your target audience likes what you're

doing. According to research, high customer satisfaction leads to higher customer

retention, higher lifetime value, and a stronger brand reputation.

The service quality is observed in order to achieve a satisfied customer. The

quality of service has a direct impact on customer satisfaction, so providing good

service results in a satisfied customer. In the study of Mattson (2009), customer

satisfaction is determined by the product's perceived performance in relation to a

buyer's expectation. The customer is dissatisfied if the product fails to meet

expectations. The customer is satisfied if the performance meets his or her

expectations. When performance exceeds expectations, the customer is extremely

happy and delighted.

Service quality is commonly noted as a critical prerequisite and determinant

of competitiveness for establishing and sustaining satisfying relationships with

customers.

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Measuring and improving service quality can boost your company's profits.

Service quality has a direct impact on your company's ability to satisfy customer

needs while remaining competitive, regardless of industry.

Service quality according to Klokkenga (2020), is how your business

measures up to your customers’ expectations. Regardless of the industry or other

conditions, customers expect to be served when they enter a business or make a

transaction.

Customers are the most vital aspect of every company. A business will fail

if it does not have clients. Businesses should demonstrate their ability to meet the

expectations of their customers. One of the most important abilities one should

have is communication. Without communication one has no mutual understanding

with the customer. Another important skill one needs to acquire is fast customer

service for a more satisfied customer. And the last important skill is problem solving

skills, having a great problem-solving skill leads to an opportunity to improve when

we make mistakes.

Customer service is a company's assistance and advice to customers who

buy or use its products or services. Most retailers regard direct interaction with

customers as an important factor in ensuring buyer satisfaction and encouraging

repeat business.

Customer service is essential for sustaining positive customer connections

and growing a profitable business. To keep ahead of the competition, customer

service is the most important aspect of running a business. Good customer service

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leads to positive feedback, which leads to more new consumers. Customer service

is a priority and should not be a second thought.

Customer service should be the goal of every business. Customer service

helps determine how satisfied a customer is. For a more satisfied customer the

company must listen to feedback and improve the service of a company.

The researchers observed that some food parks here in Batangas have

slow customer service. For example, in Three Kings Food Park, Bauan Batangas

some stalls serve food slowly, therefore making the customers wait longer for the

food to arrive. In accordance with this, the researchers seek to discover if the

service quality of a Food Park affects customer satisfaction. The study will be

conducted in San Pascual and Bauan, Batangas where a few food parks can be

seen.

This study entitled, “Service Quality and Customer Satisfaction of

Manggahan Food Park in San Pascual, Batangas” seeks to discover the customer

satisfaction that Food Park services provide. With customer satisfaction as the

dependent variable and service quality as the independent variable, this study will

look for further information to see if there is a significant relationship between the

two variables.

This study attempts to develop an effective Business Management Plan

to help food park owners improve the quality of service they provide based on data

acquired from clients of the Food Parks concerned. Service quality is a necessity

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for a business to be successful. Whether it has a substantial association with

customer satisfaction, the purpose of this study is to improve the service quality of

Food Parks, which will considerably contribute to customer satisfaction. The

results of this study can help the future businessmen and women in succeeding in

the business they choose.

Statement of the Problem

The purpose of this study is to determine the service quality and customer

satisfaction of Manggahan food park in San Pascual, Batangas

Specifically, it aims to answer the following questions:

1. How do the customers assess their satisfaction on Manggahan food park in

terms of:

1.1 price;

1.2 place;

1.3 product; and

1.4 promotion?

2. How do the respondents assess the quality of service provided by

Manggahan food park in Bauan Batangas

2.1 reliability;

2.2 tangibility;

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2.3 responsiveness;

2.4 assurance; and

2.5 empathy?

3. Is there a significant relationship between service quality and customer

satisfaction of Manggahan food park in San Pascual, Batangas?

4. Based on the findings, what plan of actions may be proposed?

Hypothesis

H0: There is no significant relationship between service quality and

customer satisfaction of Manggahan food park in San Pascual, Batangas.

Conceptual Framework

The researchers used the input-process-output framework for the study.

The Input involved investigation on service quality and customer satisfaction of

Manggahan Food Park in San Pascual Batangas. Research methodologies are

developed to proceed to the process of the study.

Marketing Mix 4 p’s of Marketing

The input involves the satisfaction of the respondents in terms of price,

place, product, and promotion, as per Kinza Yasar’s 4 p’s Marketing MIx. In the

study of Yasar (2022), It is stated that by paying attention to the following four

components of the marketing mix, a business can maximize its chances of a

product being recognized and bought by customers.

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Five Dimensions of Service Quality

On the other hand, the quality of service will be assessed by the respondents

through reliability, tangibility, responsiveness, assurance, and empathy. These are

the 5 dimensions of service quality according to Parasuraman et al. which is used

to rank the service quality of an industry. Kobiruzzaman (2020) stated that The

Servqual model or five service quality dimensions is also known as the Service

Quality Model. SERVQUAL Model is a multi-dimensional research process

intended to measure the gap scores between expected and perceptions of service

quality of the customers based on five dimensions. The Servqual model refers to

the five dimensions of service quality that measure the customer’s expectations.

The Servqual model classifies the elements or components of service quality

known as the five critical service quality dimensions.

The Process focused on data gathering. The researchers formulated

questionnaires which are answered by the chosen respondents. After performing

these data gathering procedures, the researchers analyzed, interpreted, and

presented the results from which conclusions are drawn. The hypothesis will be

tested as the researchers determine if there is a significant relationship between

the variables used.

The Output includes the formulation of the Business Management Plan

which is the target product of the researchers. The contents of the output are based

on the data gathered from the Food Park involved in this study.

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Input Process Output

Customer
satisfaction
Analysis and
• price interpretation of
• place data gathered
• product through surveys
• promotion presentation of
the data gathered
Proposed Plan of
Quality of service through surveys
Activities
provided by
Manggahan food Presentation of
park the data gathered
• reliability
• tangibility
• responsive Statistical
ness Treatment
• assurance
• empathy

Figure 1

Research Paradigm of the Study

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Scope, Limitations, and Delimitations of the Study

The study aims to gather data and collect information about the service

quality and customer satisfaction of Manggahan Food Park in San Pascual

Batangas. The participants are 150 customers of Manggahan Food Park. The

descriptive method of research was used in the study wherein a self-made

questionnaire was the main data gathering instrument to gather the necessary

information for the realization of the output. This was supported by a survey to the

sellers to get additional information that will support the study. The responses of

the participants will lead the researchers to come up with more valid and reliable

data. The output of this study will focus on providing an effective way on how to

help the food park owners that may result in service quality and customer

satisfaction.

The focus of this study is to find the problems encountered by the customers

in the food park relating to service quality and customer satisfaction. The effect on

the service quality and customer satisfaction after the integration will also be

determined.

The quantitative study focuses mainly on the assessment of service quality

and customer satisfaction of the Manggahan Food Park in the municipality of San

Pascual, Batangas only. To assess such, surveys shall be imposed for 150

participants, in total, 150 participants in one food park, who are availing foods and

services in such places. For the first parameter, it only focuses on the quality of

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the services of the crew of the said establishments. And for the last parameter, it

shall assess the satisfaction of the customer with regards to the service quality that

is being executed by the staff. Furthermore, the study only focuses on the

Manggahan food park that exists in San Pascual Batangas, hence, single-standing

food establishments are eliminated.

Significance of the Study

This section presents the individuals, organizations, and agencies that

would benefit from this study.

Customers. This study would benefit food park customers by meeting their

demands and ensuring the quality of services supplied by the foodparks in San

Pasqual and Bauan, Batangas.

Food Park Owners. This will be beneficial to food parks by informing them

of the level of satisfaction of customers and the service quality provided that can

help them in decision making in order to improve their business.

Staff. This will benefit the staff by learning how to give proper service when

it comes to serving customers giving the customers the satisfaction they need.

Future Researchers. This study will benefit the future researchers as this

would serve as a reference material who wish to conduct the same study related

to the service quality and customer satisfaction of food parks.

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Definition of Terms

Customer. Customer is an individual or business that purchases another

company's goods or services. (KENTON, 2021) In this study, a customer is an

individual or business that purchases another company's goods or services.

Customer Satisfaction. Customer satisfaction is basically the judgment a

consumer makes in relation to his/her sense of fulfillment related to his/her choices

about the purchase and use of specific products and services. (Guido, 2015) In

this study customer satisfaction is determined by the product's perceived

performance in relation to a buyer's expectation

Food Park. The food parks consist of different food stalls and semi-

structured restaurants with vast arrays of food and food services. (Ilagan-

Asibal,2012) In this study, food parks have stands with a range of cuisines from

several nations, including America and Korea.

Place. The consideration of where the product should be available in brick-

and-mortar stores and online is known as place. (Twin, 2022) In this study,

customers will evaluate the Place according to their satisfaction.

Price. Price is the amount that consumers will be willing to pay for a product.

Marketers must link the price to the product's real and perceived value, while also

considering supply costs, seasonal discounts, competitors' prices, and retail

markup. (Twin, 2022). In this study, customers will evaluate the Price according to

their satisfaction.

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Product. A product can be defined as anything that can be offered to a

market to satisfy the needs or wants of the customer. (Max, 2021) In this study,

customers will evaluate the Product according to their satisfaction.

Promotion. Promotion is a marketing tool that seeks to interfere in the

behavior and attitudes of people in favor of the product or service offered by a

company. (Routray, 2019) In this study, customers will evaluate the Promotion

according to their satisfaction.

Service Quality. Service quality is an assessment of how well a delivered

service conforms to the client's expectations (Ramya, 2019) In this study, service

quality is what affects the customer satisfaction.

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CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

This chapter presents the research literature and research studies related

to the present study.

Related Literature

Customer Satisfaction. Prasilowati et al. (2021) stated that customer

satisfaction is a feeling of pleasure or disappointment for someone, which comes

after comparing their perceptions or impressions of the results of a product from

the company. Actors in each type of business are required to be sensitive to any

ongoing changes and are oriented toward customer satisfaction as the goal.

To increase revenue, a goal of continuous improvement is required. The

entire procedure begins with determining how a company's customers perceive

the company and its product or service. Measuring customer satisfaction is one

way to find out. As the term implies, customer satisfaction reveals more than just

customers' overall feelings. Customer satisfaction can reveal, for example, flaws

in a company's marketing strategies or, conversely, what procedures a company

should avoid strengths. A company can gain valuable information by measuring

customer satisfaction data from its customers and analyzing it to identify root

causes of problems and direct personnel to solutions to help improve customer

satisfaction. (Schrey, 2021)

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According to Marco Pacelli in his article “What is customer satisfaction —

really?“ In order to be proactive, businesses must gain insights into their customers

that go beyond survey data. A comprehensive view of the customer experience

from start to finish, with the ability to drill down to understand specific interactions,

becomes extremely valuable in this situation. Companies can focus on and remove

the most significant barriers to the consumer, reduce repeat calls about the same

issue, and avoid future problems by identifying repeated patterns, complaints, and

areas for improvement. Companies have the opportunity to better understand

customer behavior and increase customer satisfaction. This leads to increased

customer retention and company growth, allowing businesses to rely on the most

powerful marketing engine available: the customer.

4 p’s of Marketing

Price. According to Kamble (2022) is the value or money that customers

give up in exchange for a specific offering that will meet their needs and desires.

In simple terms, a price is the value that a customer exchanges in order to

purchase an offering. Prices function as an economic mechanism for distributing

offerings to customers in the marketplace. They also serve as indicators of how

much an offering is demanded as well as how much it is supplied or available. The

price of a product is the total value of the offering, including the cost of all raw

materials and services used to create the offering. The price of a service takes into

account all of the factors that go into making the service what it is.

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According to Odjick (2020), pricing your products is one of the most

important decisions you'll make because it affects almost every aspect of your

business. Pricing influences everything from cash flow to profit margins to which

expenses you can afford. That's why, when launching a new store or product, it's

all too easy to become bogged down in pricing strategy, but it's critical not to let

the decision derail you. The most accurate pricing data comes from launching and

testing with real customers, but you must start somewhere, with a reasonable

price.

According to Campbell (2022), pricing is a reflection of everything you do

as a business, from product development to a link to your website, because we

live in a value-driven world. Nothing defines a company or a product better.

According to Milano (2019), one of the most obvious effects of pricing on

your business is an increase or decrease in sales volume. Price elasticity, or the

response of consumer purchasing to a price change, is studied by economists.

Increasing your prices may reduce your sales volume slightly, allowing you to

compensate for lower volume with higher total profits generated by higher margins.

If your sales increase significantly, lowering your prices can increase your profits

while decreasing your overhead expense per unit. Before instituting an overall

price increase, test the market's reaction to price increases by changing prices in

specific areas.

According to Meckes (2018), pricing excellence extends far beyond the

price of a single product. It includes strategy, goals, and positioning, but also

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governance, tools (software), and finally all of a company's processes and culture,

which all add up to the price tag. To reach the right conclusions, experts with a

thorough understanding of customer segments, product value-to-customer, and

experience with relevant business data are required.

According to Carlson (2020), Pricing, as the term is used in economics and

finance, is the act of establishing a value for a product or service. In other words,

pricing occurs when a business decides how much a customer must pay for a

product or service.

According to Max (2022). The price of an item or service is the amount of

money charged for it. A piece of apparel, for example, costs a specific amount of

money. Alternatively, a computer professional may change a fee to repair your

computer. Prices obviously apply to both goods and services. However, the

definition of prices does not stop here. A price is also the amount of money that a

consumer must spend in order to get a product or service. Price may not always

imply money value. The exchange of products and services in exchange for other

products and services is called Bartering.

Place. According to Pathak (2021), Place or distribution mix stands for

physical distribution system and its matching with consumer needs and to assure

safe and timely supply of goods to the consumers wherever they are located. It

also includes the institution of middle men or channels of distribution. These two

institutions play a significant role in marketing as they create place, time and

possession utilities.

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According to Pathak (2021), the place planning which is required to develop

an effec­tive marketing-mix. The relative importance of these three elements varies

from product to product and from time to time. Place is often the key to a successful

sales and marketing policy. The objective of distribution planning is to make the

product available to the consumers at a more convenient outlet.

According to Pathak (2021), Place or physical distribution refers to all the

activities which make a product available to the target customers or in the target

market. Marketing decisions related to ‘Place’ includes deciding the intermediaries

to reach the target customers, the support to be provided to intermediaries to

initiate sales to potential customers, stock levels to be maintained by the firm and

the intermediaries, storage, warehousing and transportation of goods from

manufacturers to consumers.

According to Pathak (2021), The consumer products have a large number

of customers spread over a wide geographical area. It is not possible for a

manufacturer to directly reach out to all its existing and potential customers

effectively and efficiently. Therefore manufacturers use intermediaries to sell their

products and distribute them from the place of production to the place of

consumption.

According to Pathak (2021), Place, an element of marketing mix, deals with

the channels through which raw products are converted to finished goods and then

transported to the customers. It involves various intermediaries like distributors,

wholesalers and retailers and even the Internet. It is important to place the right

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product at the right place to generate revenues and increase profits for the

company. It also helps in learning the changes in customer thinking, styles, fashion

and needs.

According to Pathak (2021), Place refers to providing the product at a place

which is convenient for consumers to access. Place is synonymous with

distribution. Various strategies such as intensive distribution, selective distribution,

exclusive distribution, and franchising can be used by the marketer to complement

the other aspects of the marketing mix.

According to Pathak (2021) Place is concerned with all the decisions

involved in getting the “right” product to the target market Place. A product isn’t

much good to a customer if it isn’t available when and where it’s wanted. A product

reaches customers through a channel of distribution.

Product. Product. According to Prakshi (2016), a product is an item or thing

that can be sold in a market to satisfy human desires. In a broader sense, the term

'product'.

According to Jaideep (2018), one of the most important components of the

marketing mix is the product. A marketer can meet the needs and desires of

customers through product. A product is made up of both a good and a service. All

other aspects of the marketing mix are determined by the product. For example,

the product's price is set; promotional efforts are directed toward selling the

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product; and a distribution network is established for the product. The product is at

the heart of the marketing campaign. As a result, the product plays a significant

role in determining the overall success of marketing efforts.refers to tangible goods

with a physical existence.

A product, according to Bhavika (2016), is something that is manufactured

for sale in the market. The use of products meets the needs of customers. The

product is one of the most important aspects of marketing—all marketing activities

revolve around it. Products may be both tangible and intangible. Goods are

tangible products, whereas services are intangible products.

According to Bhavika (2016), a product is what a seller must sell and what

a buyer must purchase in order to meet the needs of customers. Customers

purchase products because they can provide some benefits to the buyer. A

marketer can satisfy his customers' needs and desires by 'offering something' in

exchange for money. This 'offering' is essentially a product. The product is an

important component of the marketing mix's four Ps. It is a collection of tangible

and intangible attributes that satisfy customers.

According to Jaideep (2016), a product is a collection of physical and

psychological benefits that a marketer wishes to offer, or a collection of

expectations that consumers wish to fulfill. Marketers can use products to meet the

needs and desires of their target consumers. The term "product" refers to both the

good and the service. A product is typically defined as a tangible object, such as a

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pen, television set, bread, book, vehicle, table, and so on. However, a tangible

product is a collection of services or benefits.

According to Eveleigh (2017) Products come in numerous forms.

Convenience products are popular allowing consumers to make quick purchase

decisions (most often habitual purchases). These products normally satisfy our

basic needs. An example is milk – a simple product which consumers aren’t overly

fussy about. With these kinds of products brand name and recognition can make

the difference between success and failure.

According to Edureka (2022), A product must provide value to customers.

They must be able to benefit from it. Users must get quality service from the

product. All products are made at a cost, and companies recover this from the price

charged to the consumer. These items provide profit for companies and livelihood

for a lot of people. While in the earlier days, people exchanged them for other

things, today, almost all products are sold for money. Some of them are sold to

consumers; others to companies that use them to make other products.

Promotion. According to Kareem (2015), A promotion strategy is an activity

that is designed to help boost the marketing of a product or service. It is very

important as it not only helps to boost sales but it also helps a business to draw

new customers while at the same time retaining older ones. It can be done through

an advertising campaign, public relation activities, a free sampling campaign,

through demonstrations and exhibitions, through direct marketing, personal sales

letter etc.

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According to Parhak (2021), Promotion in the marketing mix refers to the

communication that aims at promoting a product, activity, or a brand among the

target customers; in order to drive sales, and involves both buyer and seller.

However, promotion can also aim at building the reputation of the organization

rather than just increasing sales. We refer to this type of promotion as public

relations.

According to Pathak (2021), Promotion is an essential component of the

marketing mix because without communicating about a product, a company can

not attract customers. It is also used to influence customers to buy a product or

choose a particular brand

According to Shubhanwita (2018), Promotion is an essential component of

the marketing mix because without communicating about a product, a company

can not attract customers. It is also used to influence customers to buy a product

or choose a particular brand

According to Shubhanwita (2018), Promotion is the persuasive

communication about the product by the offeror to the prospect. It covers

advertising, personal selling, sales promotion, publicity, public relations, exhibition

and demonstrations used in promotion. Largely it deals with non-price competition.

According to Shubhanwita (2018), Promotion is that element of marketing

mix which helps in creating widespread awareness about a product. It

communicates the benefits of the product to the consumers providing an impetus

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to the overall marketing efforts. Promotion includes advertising, sales promotion,

publicity, personal selling etc.

According to Shubhanwita (2018), Promotion of products and services

refers to all activities that create awareness about the features, availability etc. of

the product or services amongst the target customers and persuade them to buy

the product. Marketing decision related to ‘Promotion’ include deciding the

combination of tools to be used to promote the product or service. The tools include

advertising, personal selling and various promotional techniques like free samples,

discounts, credit to customers etc.

Service Quality. Prasilowati et al. (2021) stated that service quality is a

consumer evaluation of the level of service received (perceived service) in

comparison to the level of service expected (service). The positive impact of good

service will increase customer satisfaction and loyalty, as well as the desire to

repurchase, which will increase revenue from sold products. Companies must be

able to meet the needs and desires of customers by providing the best quality

service, so that customers feel satisfied and appreciated, and are happy and willing

to become repeat customers, in order to compete, survive, and develop.

According to Johnson (2018), service quality is a considerable part of

business, which makes it important to correctly, properly measure and research its

effectiveness. An organization can gain competitive advantage for the purpose of

enhancing its service quality by gathering information on marked demand.

Conceptual models in service quality enable management to identify quality

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problems. By preventing the identified problems, there is beyond possibility of

improving the profitability, efficiency and overall performance of the business.

SERVQUAL serves as a diagnostic tool for identifying an organization’s service

quality weakness and strengths. The SERVQUAL instrument verifies and validates

the different marketing 5P’s such as place, product, price, people and promotions

of the food service establishments in Lipa City, Philippines.Today, the country

struggles to overcome the economic crisis. At this critical point, a challenge is

thrown to the public and private business enterprises to live up to their role of

providing the Filipino people with a better quality life. The tremendous power of

business carries with it a commensurate degree of customer satisfaction and social

responsibility.

5 Dimensions of Service Quality

Reliability. According to Schenk (2022), Depending on your marketing and

product mix, your customers will have certain expectations of your product,

service, or business. These expectations will differ for each individual and be

influenced by pricing, communication, messaging, location, and experience.

However, the key to a successful, positive, and ongoing customer relationship, is

to meet or exceed these expectations every time. If you’re reliable and consistent

you will meet expectations and your customers will trust you and your claims.

According to Ariella (2022) Reliability is one of the most fundamental and

crucial qualities that an employee can possess. It’s the basic tenant of getting a

job done in the first place. Employers care about a candidate’s dependability

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because it shows that they have a strong work ethic and can be trusted to complete

their responsibilities on time and up to par. In addition to aiding in the simple

functions of being a team member in any field, reliable employees often go above

and beyond the call of duty. They’re the person a supervisor can easily turn to

when they need a helping hand. They go with the flow and continue to enable their

company’s success.

According to Gao (2021), At the workplace, reliability is important. It is not

a skill set itself, but more like a value or trait. It offers a trust-based platform for

professional interactions. An example of its skill is delivering consistent quality,

regardless of where the request came from, you always deliver the same high

quality of work.

According to Davey (2020), We always want to exceed our customers’

expectations and we build strategies and perfect plans that are centered around

our customers’ needs. Reliability is a factor that clients are looking for and if your

company does n’t provide it, you will experience unhappy customers, low retention

rates, and stagnant company growth. If your client thinks that your product can

take them to the moon and back, they are going to be very disappointed when they

find out that’s not the case. Don’t be labeled unreliable just because expectations

weren’t set up right from the beginning. Train your sales team thoroughly, identify

and discuss common misconceptions with your potential customers, and offer

resources and referrals to clients who aren’t the perfect match for your product or

service.

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According to Sheahan (2018), Customer satisfaction is the ultimate goal of

providing reliable and consistent customer service. Customer service is defined by

entrepreneurs as "the degree of assistance and courtesy extended to those who

patronize a business." Consistent customer service means that customers can

expect the same level of service each time they interact with a company.

Consistency, in turn, leads to reliability. Consumers rely on a company to provide

excellent customer service after it has demonstrated that it does so on a consistent

basis. Consistent and reliable customer service will hook customers and keep

them coming back for more. Because customer retention increases a company's

profitability, providing consistent and reliable customer service is beneficial to the

bottom line.

Tangibility. According to Klokkenga (2020), Tangibility is the appearance

of physical facilities, equipment, personnel, and communication materials.

Customers tend to expect clean and professional facilities and shops, employees

who look groomed and neat, and well-written and designed materials such as

menus, websites, and signs. Attention to appearance can indicate that your

company takes customer comfort seriously. While appearance is not the most

critical aspect of service, it does make a difference in how customers perceive your

business, especially if your brand promises a premium or luxury experience.

According to Arlen (2022), even though tangibility is the least important

dimension, appearance matters. Just not as much as the other dimensions.

Service providers will still want to make certain their employees' appearance,

uniforms, equipment and work areas on-site (closets, service offices, etc.) look

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good. The danger is for providers to make everything look sharp, and then fall short

on reliability and responsiveness.

According to Nyabundi et. al, (2021), Tangibility proved to be highly relevant

and useful in the MFBs. Customers are visual beings and what they see, touch,

feel or smell has an impression on their satisfaction of a product or service.

Tangibility is associated with 63.1% of the variation in customer satisfaction as

evident by the respondents’ data. This shows there is a strong relationship

between tangibility and customer satisfaction. An increase in tangibility affects

customer satisfaction by .341.

According to Yator (2019), facilities like a well-furnished reception desk or

trained personnel can influence customer perceptions about tangible service

qualities. Meanwhile, Alsaqre (2016) in his study recommended that great attention

must be given to all tangible factors of service quality because such factors have

their influence on customers’ loyalty and can bring more profits to the organization.

This is also highlighted by Abdullah, Razak, Marzuki et al. (2018), measuring five

satisfaction assessments such as comfort, safety, cleanliness, sufficiency and

functionality towards the facilities provided at Langkawi Island jetty terminals. They

find that the operators of tourism products and services should have precise plan

and using a specific approach to conduct the maintenance activities of their

facilities so that the tourist activities may be carried out without unnecessary

hindrances and to maintain satisfaction level.

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The tangible aspects of service have a significant influence on perception

of service quality. These comprise the external aspects of a service that influence

external customer satisfaction. The key aspects of tangibility include price, ranking

relative to competitors, marketing communication and actualization and word-of-

mouth effects (Ismagilova et. al., 2019) which enhance the perception of service

quality customers. These aspects extend beyond SERVQUAL’s definition of

quality within the care care industry settings.

Responsiveness. According to Klokkenga (2020), responsiveness is the

willingness to help customers and provide prompt service. Responding quickly to

customer questions and concerns is vital, especially in today’s fast-paced world.

Responsiveness even applies when customers are slow in responding to you.

Answer swiftly to, at the very least, let customers know that you’re working on their

request. Responsiveness lets your customers know that you’re listening to them

and working actively to solve their problems.

Arlen (2022) defined responsiveness as respond quickly, promptly, rapidly,

immediately and instantly. He added that waiting a day to return a call or email

doesn’t make it. Even if customers are chronically slow in getting back to providers,

responsiveness is more that ⅕ th of their service quality assessment. Service

providers benefit by establishing internal SLAs for thins like returning phone calls,

emails and responding on-site. Whether it’s 30 minutes, 4 hours or 24 hours, it’s

important customers feel providers are responsive to their requests. Not just

emergencies, but everyday responses too. Call center typically track caller wait

times. Service providers can track response times. And their attainment of SLAs

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or other Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) of responsiveness. This is great

performance data to present to customers in Department Performance Reviews.

As defined in Simplesat (2020), Responsiveness governs how quickly, how

well, and where you respond to your customers. Good responsiveness involves

being available for customers during the times and channels that they prefer.

Imagine you signed up for a free trial and decided to cancel the day before the

company would have charged you for full membership. If the company failed to

respond to your cancellation request and charged your credit card anyway, you’d

be upset. You might even warn your friends that such-and-such company is a

scam, even if they fixed the situation a few days later. If that company had

responded right away, they would have avoided the negative word of mouth and

might have even salvaged the membership through a one-on-one conversation.

Responsiveness refers to the institution’s ability to provide fast and good

quality service in the period. It requires minimizing the waiting duration for all

interactions between the customer and the service provider (Nambisan et al.,

2016). They explained that responsiveness is crucial for enhancing the customer’s

perception of service quality. Rather, the institution should provide a fast and

professional response as to the failure and recommend alternative actions to

address the customer’s needs. In this light, Nambisan summarizes

responsiveness to mean four key actions, i.e., giving individual attention to

customers, providing prompt service, willingness to help guests and employee

availability when required. These aspects help companies to enhance the

customers’ perception of service quality.

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Past research studies on customer responsiveness have conceptualized it

as a dimension of service performance or market orientation where market

intelligence is collected and used to meet the wants and needs of customers or

value addition to the service by enhancing relationships. In the contrary, Kenya

(2018) introduces the concept of customer responsiveness, which entails how a

customer behaves towards oneself and the service provider. This investigation

was carried out in an airline setting with 426 respondents. It was found that

customers perceived greater satisfaction when they are more responsive towards

service performance. It was shown that perceived service performance mediates

the relationship between customer responsiveness and their overall satisfaction

Assurance. According to Klokkenga (2020), Assurance is the knowledge

and courtesy of employees and their ability to convey trust and confidence.

Customers expect businesses to be the experts in the service they deliver.

Communicating that expertise to customers helps reassure them that they can

trust you, whether you accomplish this by displaying credentials and industry

certifications or customer testimonials.

According to Kagan (2021), Assurance refers to financial coverage that

provides remuneration for an event that is certain to happen. Assurance is similar

to insurance, with the terms often used interchangeably. However, insurance

refers to coverage over a limited time, whereas assurance applies to persistent

coverage for extended periods or until death. Assurance may also apply to

validation services provided by accountants and other professionals.

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According to Scott (2021), assurance can be defined as helping clients

make sure that their financial statements are accurate from start to finish by

verifying records and accounting entries. Assurance services are commonly

provided by Certified Public Accountants (CPAs), many of whom work at Big 4

firms.

According to Gardner (2018), Quality assurance is a process used to learn

if your product or service is up to standards, and whether you are giving customers

the kind of product or service that will keep them returning. The idea is to deliver a

product or service that consistently keeps up a high quality. It’s a proactive

approach where defects are detected before a product or service goes public. This

is vital to customer satisfaction. When customers are happy, your company is in a

much better position to do well.

According to Hero (2022), Quality assurance is the collection of processes

a company uses to make sure they deliver products or services that consistently

meet their standards. In manufacturing, that might mean testing products as they

come off the assembly line. In software development, it means double-checking a

computer program for bugs. And in customer service, it involves reviewing

customer interactions, such as phone calls, email tickets, or chat logs, to ensure

customer satisfaction.

According to Berbet (2022), Quality assurance (QA) is a process by which

products or services are inspected to determine whether they meet specified

requirements. This includes verifying that the product or service meets customer

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expectations and ensuring that any errors in the product are corrected. QA can

help improve productivity by ensuring that products and services are of high

quality, and by reducing the time it takes to correct errors. It can also ensure that

products meet customer expectations, and reduce the risk of customer

dissatisfaction.

According to Gillis (2019) Quality assurance helps a company create

products and services that meet the needs, expectations and requirements of

customers. It yields high-quality product offerings that build trust and loyalty with

customers. The standards and procedures defined by a quality assurance program

help prevent product defects before they arise.

Related Studies

The study of Zygiaris et. al (2022) entitled “Service Quality and Customer

Satisfaction in the Post Pandemic World: A Study of Saudi Auto Care Industry”

stated that service quality perceptions are positively linked with customer

satisfaction. Customers perceive service quality as a basic service expectation and

will not bear the extra cost for this criterion. This suggests that service

organizations should enhance the satisfaction of their customer through improving

service quality.

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According to the findings of Javed et al. (2021), restaurant stimuli such as

food quality, service quality, restaurant atmosphere, restaurant location, price, and

food variety have a strong significant effect on customer satisfaction, and customer

satisfaction leads to brand loyalty. Social trust has a significant positive influence

on the relationship between customer satisfaction and brand loyalty. Customers

with high social trust have a stronger positive bond with restaurants than those

with low social trust.

In the study of Fakhrul et al. (2020), they sought to determine the impact of

service quality on customer satisfaction and loyalty. Barbershop Hunky Dory. The

study was explanatory in nature. The sampling technique used was giving random

customers at Hunky Dory Barbershop were given questionnaires. Structural

Equation Modeling-Partial Least Squares (SEM-PLS) was used in the analysis to

determine the relationship between variables such as service quality, price

perception, trust, customer satisfaction, and loyalty. Except for price perception,

the results show that all variables influence customer satisfaction and loyalty. It

has no effect on customer satisfaction because customers who are satisfied with

the service do not consider price. There is a significant positive relationship

between service quality and loyalty, indicating that the better the service, the

greater the loyalty.

In the study of Prasilowati et al. (2021) ,they discovered how to satisfy

customers. The goal is to empirically analyze and test the effect of price and sales

promotion on customer satisfaction as mediated by service quality. This study

relies on primary data, with questionnaires distributed to 100 Jingga Project

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boutique customers. Simple random sampling is used in the sampling technique.

The data was collected using a questionnaire with a Likert scale and analyzed

using Warp PLS 7.0. According to the findings, the variables price and sales

promotion have a positive impact on customer satisfaction. Furthermore, service

quality has been shown to be able to indirectly mediate the effect of price and sales

promotion on customer satisfaction. According to marketing theory, customer

satisfaction is the feeling of pleasure or disappointment that someone experiences

after comparing the product's performance (results) to the expected performance.

According to the findings of this study, the variables price and sales promotion

have a significant impact on customer satisfaction, as well as service quality, which

is the mediating variable in this study. Customer satisfaction is indirectly or partially

mediated by service quality.

In the study of Uslu et al. (2020), they provided a critical examination of the

instruments developed to assess service quality in restaurants. However, this

study examined the research on the relationships between service and Restaurant

quality, customer satisfaction (CS), and customer loyalty (CL). It was revealed that

there have been numerous attempts to develop instruments to assess restaurant

service quality. Many tourism-related studies have made use of an instrument that

measures service quality (SQ). industry. The SERVQUAL, on the other hand, is

directly used as the basis of the SERVPERF and DINESERV Instruments.

Furthermore, because the GRSERV and CFFRSERV scales are based on

DINESERV, the SERVQUAL is crucial in the development of such scales. Aside

from the instruments There are attempts to create different ones by modifying

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SERVQUAL. In developing research a new SQ scale, the reasons for which are

as follows: 1) Some service quality components specific to restaurants and the

tourism sector that are not covered by the current scales 2) Measuring

expectations and performance are not required at the same time 3) Current scales

are insufficient for the unique types of Fast Food, Upscale, and Green Restaurants

are examples of restaurant types. The most common variables are CS and CL. in

studies on the SQ in restaurants. The literature is divided on whether service is

necessary. Quality leads to satisfaction, or satisfaction leads to quality service.

However, it is possible to assert that there is a general agreement that these two

structures are inextricably linked. Another point of agreement in According to the

literature, CS and SQ are the determinants of CL. On the other hand, a significant

amount of research has been conducted on service quality, customer satisfaction,

and customer loyalty, and this will be the case for future research. However,

changes in business environments highlight the importance of changes to the

instruments that will pave the way for measuring these concepts. A pandemic has

recently occurred and impacted the lives of businesses and individuals, and this

new situation may necessitate the addition of new Indicators of service quality,

such as outbreak measures, have a dimension.

Yarhands et al., (2016) conducted a research on the impact of service

quality on customer satisfaction in Obuasi Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG)

from the customers’ perspective. The questionnaires’ used were analyzed using

SPSS and Microsoft Excel. Simple regression was applied. Findings indicated that

all five dimensions performed poorly P >0.05. Tangibility was at -0.63. Service

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quality conclusively had a negative impact on customer satisfaction and concludes

that the service quality deserves improvement.

Muhamud, A. (2017) examined the relationship between service quality and

customer satisfaction In Islamic banks. The findings showed that reliability and

responsiveness had a significant impact on customer satisfaction. The study

concluded a positive relationship between service quality and customer

satisfaction; the correlation between reliability and customer satisfaction was a

low positive significant correlation (r=0.145, p<.05). Muhamud suggests that there

is a positive relationship between service quality and customer satisfaction and of

the servqual dimensions, reliability was the key driver of service quality. This

indicated that all five dimensions performed poorly P >0.05. Tangibility was at -0.8.

Service quality in conclusively had a negative impact on customer satisfaction and

concludes that the service quality deserves improvement.

Suharto, (2015) results suggest that four service quality dimensions

(tangible, responsibility, responsiveness and assurance) are antecedents of

consumer satisfaction in this industry, while empathy has no effect on customer

satisfaction. This revealed that Servqual was a good model to measure bank

service quality delivery in Tanzania context even though the study revealed that

there is no significant positive relationship between empathy and customer

satisfaction. The gap analysis carried out found pervasive evidence of negative

disconfirmation. The study also confirmed linkages between service quality service

quality and customer satisfaction.

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In the study conducted by Buaphiban et. al., (2022), they found that among

the factors, responsiveness, reliability, and assurance dimensions yielded to be

statistically insignificant to the service quality. Due to the normal attributes the staff

and restaurant have, the different factors were deemed insignificant. At the same

time, the service quality was observed to have the largest significant direct

relationship with customer satisfaction, followed by the cultural influence, food

quality, COVID-19 protocols, and pricing. It was also seen that cleanliness and

appearance, empathetic staff, food quality, price, and proper implementation of

COVID-19 protocol prevention would lead to high levels of satisfaction among

customers in Jollibee fast-food restaurant. Moreover, cultural/social influence has

played a big role seeing that the indicators represent the feeling of belongingness

since childhood.

In the study conducted by Adriatico et. al., (2022) they evaluate the levels

of service quality and clients’ satisfaction on the services offered by two leading

fast-casual dining restaurants in the Province of Nueva Vizcaya, Philippines. As a

correlation research, this study was conducted using a modified SERVQUAL

instrument among the 395 randomly selected customers. Weighted mean was

used to describe the levels of service quality and customer satisfaction. The

multiple regression was used to determine the predictors of customer satisfaction.

The fast-casual dining restaurants had lived up to the expectation of their

customers as they were thought to provide respectable service quality. The fast-

casual dining restaurants had satisfied their customers in terms of their dining

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experience. The physical design and appearance of the restaurants, the price of

the product, and the responsiveness of the workforce are the strong determinants

of the gratification of the customers.

Empathy. According to Bove (2019), Empathy is a core characteristic of

helping and caring interactions and thus is fundamental to service. Yet, to date,

service marketing literature has focused on a restricted view of the value of

empathy as it leads to improved service quality perceptions and successful sales

outcomes. The aim of this paper is to provide a review of the empathy literature

and the dispositional and situational factors affecting it, so as to further explore its

potential benefits and limitations for service.

According to Bove (2019), Empathy can reduce anti-social, revenge,

discrimination and unethical behaviors in service settings. It can also improve

value-in-context experiences for users of service innovations. Notwithstanding its

potential benefits, empathy can diminish the objectivity and performance of service

providers when experienced at extreme levels. Empathy can also serve as an

ingratiation influence tactic and can be detrimental to the target in embarrassing

service contexts

According to Singaraj (2019) Empathy dimension is defined as the caring,

individualized attention provided to the customers by their banks or service firms.

This dimension tries to convey the meaning through personalized or individualized

services that customers are unique and special to the firm. The focus of this

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dimension is on a variety of services that satisfies different needs of customers,

individualized or personalized services etc.

According to Sparks (2021), Empathy is a skill and cannot be faked. It’s a

mindset, a culture, and the core of a healthy organization. Empathy should be a

driving force that envelops all activities inside an organization, whether or not it’s

customer-facing. Empathy starts with listening, understanding, and anticipating the

needs of another. In customer service, this means putting yourself in the shoes of

the customer and seeing the issue from their point of view.

According to Sparks (2021), Empathy is anticipating what the wants and

needs are of the customer at a specific moment within their journey. Then, it is all

about delivering on these wants and needs by creating a positive and friction-free

experience.

According to Sparks (2021), Empathy helps agents personalize the

interaction, predict customer follow-up questions, and proactively answer them.

Empathetic agents can also predict the customer’s response by understanding the

customer’s point of view.

According to Sparks (2021), Empathy has a direct effect on customer

satisfaction and loyalty as customer satisfaction and loyalty translate to increased

sales. Telling a customer “no” or that what they want will cost more or that the

warranty has expired, for example, can be hard enough, but when conveyed with

empathy, the agent can build trust and strengthen the relationship despite not

being able to resolve the issue to the customer’s liking.

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According to Hossain (2019), empathy embraces the inevitability of

providing customized devotion to particular customers by focusing on superior

dietary necessities or being concerned as well as compassionate to their

difficulties. A customer being considered as special and unique, empathy ensures

individual caring and providing personalized services.

Synthesis

The study of Zygiaris et. al (2022) entitled “Service Quality and Customer

Satisfaction in the Post Pandemic World: A Study of Saudi Auto Care Industry”

discussed service quality and customer satisfaction, just like the current study.

However, while their study is focused on the auto care industry, the current study

is focused on the customer satisfaction and service quality when it comes to food

parks.

Javed et al.’s (2021) study focused primarily on the impact of a restaurant

in its totality (which includes food quality and restaurant’s atmosphere, which are

not discussed in the current study) and its effect on customer satisfaction and

brand loyalty. Unlike the current study, it also takes into account the social trust of

and bonds with the customer.

Furthermore, Fakhrul et al.’s (2020) study also takes into consideration the

service quality of a place and the customer satisfaction. Specifically, it aimed to

determine the impact of service quality on customer satisfaction and loyalty,

particularly for customers of a barber shop. On the other hand, the current study

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focuses on the relationship between service quality and customer satisfaction

among people who dine at food parks in San Pascual and Bauan Batangas.

Uslu et al.’s (2020) study provided an examination of the instruments made

to assess service quality in restaurants. It focuses mainly on customer satisfaction,

customer loyalty, and service quality regarding restaurants, and it takes into

consideration the effects of the pandemic, whereas the current study only takes a

look at customer satisfaction and customer loyalty, and is targeted towards

customers of food parks rather than restaurants.

In the study of Prasilowati et al. (2021), the purpose was to discover how to

satisfy customers. The goal was to empirically analyze and test the effect of price

and sales promotion on customer satisfaction as mediated by service quality.

While their study focused on Jingga Project boutique customers, the current study

focuses on customers of food parks in San Pascual and Bauan Batangas.

In the study conducted by Adriatico et. al., (2022) they evaluate the levels

of service quality and clients' satisfaction on the services offered by two fast-casual

dining restaurants in the Province of Nueva Vizcaya, Philippines. The physical

design and appearance of the restaurants, the price of the product, and the

responsiveness of the workforce are the strong determinants of the gratification of

the customers.

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CHAPTER III

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

This chapter presents the research design, respondents of the study,

data gathering instrument, data gathering procedure and the statistical

treatment of the present study.

Research Design

This section contains the research design that is utilized by the

researchers in conducting the study.

The descriptive research design is utilized by the researchers in

conducting the study. The researchers believed that this research design is the

most appropriate method to use as they focus on the relationship between the

service quality of Manggahan food park in San Pascual, Batangas and the

respective customer satisfaction as evaluated by the respondents. A descriptive

method of research is one that describes the characteristics of a phenomenon,

situation or population. It uses quantitative and qualitative approaches to

describe problems with little relevant information. Descriptive research

accurately describes a research problem without asking why a particular event

happened. By researching market patterns, the descriptive method answers

how patterns change, what caused the change and when the change occurred,

instead of dwelling on why the change happened (Harappa, 2021).

McCombes (2019) further added descriptive research aims to accurately

and systematically describe a population, situation or phenomenon. It can

answer what, where, when and how questions, but not why questions. This type

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of research design is well suited for the study because it is concerned with

existing conditions, practices, structures, differences or relationships, opinions,

processes, or trends. Only after a thorough examination of the descriptive

research design did the researchers decide to utilize this to achieve the

objectives of the present study.

Respondents of the Study

This section contains the individuals that have great impact in the

present study by imparting the necessary information as the respondents. It

also provided the type of sampling method the researchers utilized to select the

appropriate respondents of the study.

The researchers select 150 customers from Manggahan food park in

San Pascual, Batangas as the respondents for this research study. The

researchers chose these customers since they are accessible to the

researchers. In totality, this study involved 150 respondents.

In relation to this, the sampling technique that the researchers used in

the study was the convenience sampling. According to Convenience sampling

is a non-probability sampling method where units are selected for inclusion in

the sample because they are the easiest for the researcher to access. This can

be due to geographical proximity, availability at a given time, or willingness to

participate in the research. Sometimes called accidental sampling,

convenience sampling is a type of non-random sampling. This refers to the

available customers of each food park that are asked to fill out the

questionnaires.

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Data Gathering Instrument

The researchers' primary data gathering instrument was a survey

questionnaire due to its suitability and speed in gathering the necessary data

for the student's research. The requirements in the design of good data

collection were considered in the preparation of the instrument, and the

researchers used various resources and related materials to this study.

The questionnaire contains the following items: a letter of request to the

respondent, instructions on how to properly answer the given question, and

questions about the topic. It is divided into two sections: the first contains

questions about the respondents' customer satisfaction, and the second

contains questions about the food park's service quality.

The draft of the research instrument was drawn out to answer the

questions presented in the statement of the problem. The first draft of the

questionnaire was submitted to the research adviser for suggestions and

constructive criticism. It was also answered by the classmates for further

improvement of the questionnaire. The set of questions that the researchers

formulated was validated and verified by the experts before our survey. These

persons are recognized as experts not only in the field of research but as well

as in the field of Mathematics and english.

A letter of request written by the researchers is given to the principal of

the school for their approval and the owner of Manggahan for distribution. The

researchers administered the distribution of the questionnaires.

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Scale Scale Range Verbal Interpretation

4 3.25-4.00 Very Satisfactory

3 2.50-3.24 Satisfactory

2 1.75-2.49 Fairly Satisfactory

1 1.00-.1.74 Needs Improvement

Data Gathering Procedure

The researchers used questionnaires designed for respondents from

various food parks in this study. These were created by the researchers using

a relevant and limited set of possible answers to be used in gathering the

information needed for this study. The researchers believed that surveys would

yield valid and credible responses from respondents, thereby achieving the

study's objectives.

The researchers conducted a survey to random customers in food parks

in San Pascual, Batangas. The researchers approached the customers gently

with respect in asking permission. The decisions of the customers are

respected whether they will be approving or not. Immediately, if the requests

are granted, the researchers distribute the questionnaires.

The researchers had a personal interaction with the respondent to

distribute the questionnaires. Every respondent is given time to answer the

questionnaire at their convenience. Direction and instruction are given

emphasis. Guidelines and explanations are given to the respondents to achieve

better and reliable answers. The result of the survey was subjected for

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tabulation, analysis and interpretation. Conclusions and recommendations are

drawn after.

Statistical Treatment

Weighted Mean. This statistical treatment was utilized by the

researchers for part 1 and 2 that determined the customer satisfaction of the

respondents and the service quality of the food parks provided, respectively.

Pearson Moment of Correlation (Pearson-r). This was used to

determine the significant relationship between the assessment of the service

quality and the customer satisfaction.

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