Strengthening a company– customer relationship from sustainable practices: A case study of petrotrade in Laos

Abstract

Currently, most companies are increasingly interested in implementing CSR activities in developing countries. Therefore, the purpose of this research was to examine how CSR or sustainable practices can improve a customer relationship through influencing customer experiences, trust, engagement, and satisfaction based on customers’ perceptions. This study used quantitative analysis. A survey was conducted with 300 customers using fleet cards in PLUS gas stations that operate by Petrotrade in Laos using stratified sampling. The structural equation modelling (SEM) was employed using the IBM SPSS and AMOS software. The empirical result indicated that CSR positively influences Customer Engagement. In addition, Customer Trust has a positive effect on Customer Engagement. Moreover, Customer Engagement positively impacts Customer Satisfaction with Customer Experience as a mediator. The findings of this study can be used in customer relationship management via CSR practices in business sectors to gain, keep, and grow customers while also allowing customers to engage with the company through activities and feedback. As a result, customers will have an emotional attachment to the company and be satisfied.