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Jamy Ong & Adaviah (2022)

favourable manner within a certain time frame. However, the courier delivery services can improve their responsiveness
through advancements in information technology for example emails, websites and customer support interfaces (Kaura, et al.,
2012). Previous studies done by Al-Weshah, Alnsour, Al-Hyari, Alhammad, and Algharabat (2013) proved that responsiveness
had the highest correlation with customer satisfaction.
H3: To examine the relationship between responsiveness dimension (SERVPERF) and customer satisfaction provided by
J&T Express Malacca.

2.2.1.4 Reliability Dimension
Reliability is defined as a process of a business’s carrying out their operation with minimal mistakes. Choy, Ma & Koo
(2013) stated that it is a company's performance consistency and dependability. Reliability relies on how well the business
solve the customer’s administrations’ issues, doing administrations activities correctly on first try and maintaining a mistake-
free record. Besides, El Saghier & Nathan (2013) stated that reliability dimension plays an important role in service
management as it is link to dependability. At the same time, a business need to focus on their speed of exchange. This is
because this element is a critical element in influencing customer satisfaction (Janahi & Al Mubarak, 2017). This statement
was supported by Shahin & Chan (2006) research where they indicate that reliability is one of the important dimensions in
service quality and increases the productivity of a company which will be a favourable impact on the customer satisfaction. In
the context of courier services, reliability is to determine whether the parcel arrived at the correct location and destination.
Hennayake (2017) stated that reliability refers to the company’s capability in delivering the promised services accurately and
reliably.
H4: To investigate the relationship between reliability dimension (SERVPERF) and customer satisfaction provided by
J&T Express Malacca.

2.2.1.5 Empathy Dimension
Empathy dimension comprises the elements of supporting the customer by paying close attention to them on
individual basis (Blery et al., 2009). This also includes listening to the customer’s issues and responding to solve their concerns
and needs. As a result, this dimension is about both parties looking into the other’s point of view to have a business connection.
According to Khan and Fasih (2014), empathy dimension is about the capability of a services company addressing and solving
the customer’s problems and needs effectively. It also found the positive relationship of empathy dimension and customer
satisfaction. In Sin et al. (2002) research on personal selling literature clearly shows that the empathy dimension plays a critical
factor in increasing the sales of a salesperson in their marketing strategies. This dimension is utilized as part of service quality
model in the service marketing literature as it is the independent variables that describe the relationship between the buyer and
seller. S. Alnsour et al. (2014) mentioned that customer expressed their satisfaction with the service provider when they feel
appreciated with the concern given by the service provider as it fulfils their needs and wants. In Yavas, Benkenstien, and
Stuhldreier (2004) research proven that empathy dimension had an influence in consumer commitment towards the banking
industry and word of mouth. With higher empathy services, this increases the satisfaction level with the banking industry
which led to customer loyalty towards the specific banking institution and they will also suggest it their close families or
friends.
H5: To inspect the relationship between empathy dimension (SERVPERF) and customer satisfaction provided by J&T
Express Malacca.

2.3 Customer Satisfaction
2.3.1 Definition of Customer Satisfaction
Customer satisfaction is critical for any businesses in the twenty-first century. Satisfaction can be defined in various
ways, based on the customer's pre-service demands. It encompasses emotions such as fulfilment, contentment, pleasure,
delight, relief, and ambivalence. The definition of satisfaction is the level of the customer expectation towards the product
level (Kotler, 2013). While it is frequently assessed as a static quantity, it is dynamic and changes over time due to a variety
of factor. Service performance is one of the variables that contribute to customer satisfaction. According to Gaspersz (2005),
customer satisfaction is a state in which consumers may fulfil their requirements, wants, and expectations through the items
they consume. On the other hand, customer will be dissatisfied when the services received did not meet their expectation
(Hosany & Gilbert 2010). According to T. Ahn, S. Ryu and I. Han (2004), customer that are happy with the services received
will repurchase to the same brand if it is reached their expectations. At the same time, the variables of the customer satisfaction
could be an indicator for the business to make an improvement in the future. According to Yi (1991) and Anderson and Sulivan
(1993) stated that the rise in customer satisfaction level will lead to customer loyalty. Thus, many industries leader are aware
to be in a higher ranking if they are customer service orientated. In the courier services industry, all of the business are required
to evaluate their quality of services in order to attract and retain their customer. Brandy and Robertson (2001) mentioned that
customer satisfaction could be defined as the customer’s happiness in receiving services based on the performance of the
company.

2.3.2 Service Quality and Customer Satisfaction
Based on the previous research done by many researchers on the influence of service quality, we can easily notice
the pattern in the field. According to Cronin and Taylor (1992), it was clear that from the beginning of the marketing and
business literature the fundamental motivation for investigating service quality was to determine customer satisfaction of a
service provider. The first service quality measurement was disconfirmation model, constructed by Oliver in the year of 1980
which this model requested the customer’s perceptions of happiness with the services encountered. The most popular
instruments used to measure customer satisfaction was SERVQUAL model by Parasuraman et al. (1985) where this model

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