Absorptive capacity as enabler for service improvements − the role of customer satisfaction information usage

Customer satisfaction information (CSI) is of great relevance for customer-oriented and service-led organisations, where customer experience is highly associated with the in-use phase of products and services. This paper explores how firms turn customer satisfaction information into knowledge and actions in a manner that enables service improvements. Based on a study of 24 organisations in six different service sectors, this study investigates CSI usage with respect to absorptive capacity. The paper concludes that efficient CSI usage requires multiple sources of customer satisfaction data that need to be used broadly in the organisation by creating accountability of employees across the organisation, rather than CSI being an issue for the communication function. To release this potential, CSI usage requires mechanisms that reside within the organisation, including ensuring actionability of initiatives, assignment of responsibility for actions and follow up, and providing incentives to mobilise change support. Further, the paper shows that in order to fully understand CSI, research must move beyond focusing on processes and activities to study the underlying capacities needed to release the potential of CSI to serve as a basis for service improvements.