The Influence of Service Quality, Perceived Value, and Trust on Customer Satisfaction and Customer Loyalty: Evidence from Private Universities

The increasing competition among private universities has intensified the need to understand factors that influence student satisfaction and loyalty. In higher education institutions, students are often regarded as customers who evaluate the quality of educational services and decide whether to maintain a long-term relationship with the institution. Therefore, identifying key determinants of customer satisfaction and loyalty is essential for improving institutional competitiveness and sustainability. This study aims to examine the relationships among service quality, perceived value, trust, customer satisfaction, and customer loyalty in the context of private universities. This research employs a quantitative research approach using a survey method. Data were collected from students enrolled in private universities through structured questionnaires. The measurement items were developed based on established theories and previous studies related to service marketing and customer relationship management. The collected data were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to examine both direct and indirect relationships among the variables in the proposed conceptual framework. The findings indicate that service quality, perceived value, and trust significantly influence customer satisfaction. In addition, service quality, perceived value, and trust also have direct effects on customer loyalty. Customer satisfaction is found to be a significant determinant of customer loyalty, indicating that satisfied students are more likely to remain loyal to their universities and recommend the institution to others. These results highlight the important role of maintaining high service standards, delivering strong perceived value, and building trust in order to enhance student satisfaction and loyalty. The study contributes to the literature on service marketing in higher education by providing empirical evidence of the relationships among key service-related factors and student loyalty. The findings offer practical implications for university administrators and policymakers in improving service quality and strengthening long-term relationships with students. Future research may expand the model by incorporating additional variables and exploring different educational contexts.