Does Supply Chain Resilience Mediate the Relationship Between CRM Dimensions and Customer Satisfaction?

Abstract

Supply chain (SC) disruptions are increasingly common in today’s dynamic business environment, and understanding the effectiveness of customer relationship management (CRM) practices in achieving customer satisfaction through supply chain resilience (SCR) can provide valuable insights for businesses. This study aims to empirically examine the impact of CRM dimensions and SCR on customer satisfaction. It also examined the mediation role of SCR between different dimensions of CRM and customer satisfaction. A total of 529 responses were collected from different customers of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the Middle Eastern region. For empirical analysis, this study employed structural equation modelling through PLS software. The results clearly show a significant direct influence of SCR, customer orientation and knowledge management on customer satisfaction, while surprisingly technology-based CRM does not influence customer satisfaction. Further, the outcomes of this study indicate that there is a significant mediation role of SCR between CRM practices (knowledge management, technology-based CRM) and customer satisfaction. The findings of this study can have important ramifications for managers, stakeholders and policymakers regarding the significance of CRM dimensions and SCR as factors that increase customer satisfaction in Middle Eastern businesses in particular and in developing nations in general.