An Investigation into the Relationship Between Service Quality and Customer Satisfaction in Cargo Companies in Azerbaijan

Abstract

This study examines the relationship between service quality and customer satisfaction in cargo companies operating in Azerbaijan. The research is based on the SERVQUAL model, which is widely used in the service management literature to evaluate service quality across diverse sectors. SERVQUAL conceptualizes service quality through five fundamental dimensions tangibles, reliability, responsiveness, assurance, and empathy and posits that these dimensions collectively shape customers’ perceptions and evaluations of service performance. Within the scope of the present study, each of these dimensions was assessed to determine its relative influence on customer satisfaction in the cargo industry, where timely delivery, transparency, and operational efficiency are of critical importance. The empirical component of the research is grounded in data gathered from 114 participants who regularly use cargo and delivery services. The dataset was analyzed to evaluate how customers perceive service quality and to identify which dimensions most strongly predict their satisfaction levels. Overall, this study contributes theoretically to the service quality literature while offering practical implications for the strategic development of cargo service providers in Azerbaijan.