Methodology for determining customer loyalty to the pharmacy based on comprehensive assessment of the service quality

Pharmaceutical companies that use the indicator of customer loyalty as a criterion of effectiveness of their activity need modern methods to assess its level, which should be carried out on a permanent basis. Aim. To develop the methodology for assessing customer loyalty to the pharmacy based on comprehensive assessment of the service quality, determining the level of customer loyalty and interpretation of the results. Materials and methods. It is proposed to determine the level of customer loyalty to the pharmacy on the basis of complex assessment – the integral indicator of customer service quality and as result of their satisfaction using the concept of Servqual. This allows us to fully consider the factors that affect loyalty, and specifics of the industry. Results. The conceptual connection between quality of service, satisfaction and customer loyalty has been substantiated. The method of customer loyalty evaluation to the pharmacy based on the concept of Servqual has been developed. Criteria for assessing the components of the quality of service at the pharmacy (5 groups of factors) which influence the satisfaction of consumers and form their loyalty have been determined. It is proposed to evaluate the quality of service in the pharmacy in two stages: 1st stage – assessment of the quality of service for individual clients; 2nd stage – evaluation quality of service of the pharmacy's clients in general. It is suggested to conduct three levels of evaluation for each client and all clients in general: individual, group, and integral assessment of the quality of service. It is substantiated that loyal customers are fully satisfied if their integral score is greater than or equal to zero (Sint j = ≥0). The percentage of fully satisfied customers from their total number shows the share of loyal consumers to the pharmacy. The integral assessment of the quality of clients' service of the pharmacy in general (Sint) describes the overall level of satisfaction that affects the formation of their loyalty. The scale for interpreting the general level of service at the pharmacy has been developed. According to the proposed methodology, an integrated assessment of the quality of the pharmacy services (Sint = -1.2567) and share of clients who are loyal to the pharmacy (15.2 %) have been determined. Conclusions. Studies have shown that determining the level of customer loyalty to the pharmacy based on an integral indicator of customer service quality using the Servqual concept allows to take into account main components of loyalty and industry specificity. The resulting integrated assessment of the quality of service at the pharmacy (Sінт. = -1.2567) indicates that the level of customer service is at a rather high level. However, given that the assessment is negative, the service in the pharmacy does not fully satisfy the consumers and needs to be improved. Studies have shown that share of clients whose perceptions of service levels equal or exceed expectations (Sint j ≥0) is 15.2 %. The level of satisfaction with the service of these customers can be interpreted as a complete satisfaction. Completely satisfied customers are loyal, that is, the share of loyal customers to the pharmacy is 15.2 %.