Main Article Content
Abstract
This study examines the effects of interpersonal communication and customer experience on customer attitudinal loyalty, as well as the moderating role of switching costs in the context of business-to-business seafood processing companies. Data were collected through questionnaires distributed to 54 customers of a seafood processing company and analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling to test the relationships among the research variables. The findings indicate that interpersonal communication has a positive and significant effect on customer attitudinal loyalty (β = 0.240; p < 0.05), while customer experience also has a positive and significant effect on customer attitudinal loyalty (β = 0.657; p < 0.01). In addition, switching costs significantly strengthens the relationship between interpersonal communication and customer attitudinal loyalty (β = 0.315; p < 0.05). However, switching costs do not significantly moderate the relationship between customer experience and customer attitudinal loyalty (β = −0.288; p > 0.05). These findings confirm that interpersonal communication and customer experience are important determinants of customer attitudinal loyalty in B2B relationships, whereas switching costs function as a supporting mechanism that strengthens the influence of interpersonal communication but does not strengthen the influence of customer experience. Therefore, B2B seafood processing companies should prioritize strategies aimed at improving the quality of interpersonal communication and delivering superior customer experiences to establish and sustain long-term customer loyalty.
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References
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References
Ahmad, F., Mustafa, K., Hamid, S. A. R., Khawaja, K. F., Zada, S., Jamil, S., … Anwer, N. (2022). Online Customer Experience Leads to Loyalty via Customer Engagement: Moderating Role of Value Co-creation. Frontiers in Psychology, 13(July), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.897851
Anisa, N., & Tjhin, V. U. (2023). Factors Affecting Customer Loyalty Moderated by Switching Cost on the Customer Satisfaction of Digital Streaming Services. Journal of System and Management Sciences, 13(1), 1–20. https://doi.org/10.33168/JSMS.2023.0101
Bardauskaite, I. (2014). Loyalty in the Business-to-Business Service Context: A Literature Review and Proposed Framework. Journal of Relationship Marketing, 13(1), 28–69. https://doi.org/10.1080/15332667.2014.882628
Çelik, K., & Karakaş, A. (2021). The Effect of Electronic Customer Relationship Management On Perceived Customer Relationship Quality And Customer Loyalty. Journal of Emerging Economies and Policy, 6(2), 382–393. https://doi.org/10.17358/ijbe.7.2.139
Chen, J. (2021). Factors Affecting Customer Loyalty in the B2B Background Based Neural Network Model. Proceedings of the 7th Annual International Conference on Social Science and Contemporary Humanity Development (SSCHD 2021), 610(Sschd), 305–308. https://doi.org/10.2991/assehr.k.211215.056
Dick, A. S., & Basu, K. (1994). Customer loyalty: Toward an integrated conceptual framework. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 22(2), 99–113. https://doi.org/10.1177/0092070394222001
Dikcius, V., Kirse, S., Casas, R., & Koncanina, A. (2019). Drivers of attitudinal and behavioural loyalty in B-2-B markets. Engineering Economics, 30(1), 94–102. https://doi.org/10.5755/j01.ee.30.1.20182
Hair, J. F., Hult, G. T., Ringle, C., & Sarstedt, M. (2017). A Primer on Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). In Sage.
Henseler, J., Ringle, C. M., & Sarstedt, M. (2015). A new criterion for assessing discriminant validity in variance-based structural equation modeling. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 43(1), 115–135. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11747-014-0403-8
Iqbal, A., Hasan, M. A., Bukhari, S. F., & Ramish, M. S. (2023). Determinants of Customer Satisfaction: The Moderating Role of Switching Cost towards Customer Loyalty in B2B Packaged Food Retail Setting. Journal of Education and Social Studies, 4(1), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.52223/jess.20234101
Jayasankaraprasad, C. (2022). Impact of Determinant Attributes of Loyalty Programs on Consumer Emotional Loyalty in Emerging Retail Market in India : A Conceptual Framework. IOSR Journal of Business and Management (IOSR-JBM), 24(12), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.9790/487X-2412040112
Kang, E. M., & Lee, S. K. (2022). The Impact of Monetary Benefits in a Pandemic Situation—Navigating Changes in Customer Loyalty through Negative Switching Barriers in the Hotel Industry. Sustainability (Switzerland), 14(13). https://doi.org/10.3390/su14138079
Karim, R. Al, Sobhani, F. A., Rabiul, M. K., Lepee, N. J., Kabir, M. R., & Chowdhury, M. A. M. (2022). Linking Fintech Payment Services and Customer Loyalty Intention in the Hospitality Industry: The Mediating Role of Customer Experience and Attitude. Sustainability (Switzerland), 14(24). https://doi.org/10.3390/su142416481
Li, Y., Ndubisi, N. O., Li, G., & Xu, J. (2024). Evaluating the moderated-mediation effects of switching costs in the link between social capital and NPD performance. Journal of Management Science and Engineering, 9(2), 161–176. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmse.2023.12.001
Magatef, S., Al-Okaily, M., Ashour, L., & Abuhussein, T. (2023). The impact of electronic customer relationship management strategies on customer loyalty: A mediated model. Journal of Open Innovation: Technology, Market, and Complexity, 9(4), 100149. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joitmc.2023.100149
Manyanga, W., Makanyeza, C., & Muranda, Z. (2022). The effect of customer experience, customer satisfaction and word of mouth intention on customer loyalty: The moderating role of consumer demographics. Cogent Business and Management, 9(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/23311975.2022.2082015
Rinenggo, A., Sudiro, A., Sunaryo, & Hussein, A. S. (2024). Trustworthiness in Indonesia healthcare: fostering loyalty in B2B relationships. Cogent Business and Management, 11(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/23311975.2024.2371991
Shen, Y., & Ahmad, R. (2022). The Influence of Brand Image and Favorability Toward Citizens in a Product’s Country of Origin on Product Evaluation: Moderating Effects of Switching Costs. Frontiers in Psychology, 13(March). https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.740269
statista.com. (2025). Food - Worldwide. Retrieved September 23, 2025, from https://www.statista.com/outlook/cmo/food/worldwide?srsltid=AfmBOopo4eO_PnH0vgDo9swk_Wh9h9A0nzcODVDAB4_j4KtmJMG8DJmN
Sudiyono, K. A., Utomo, P., & Severesia, C. (2022). Effect of Customer Experience and Customer Value Towards Customer Loyalty and Satisfaction on B2B Food and Beverage Sector. Journal of Business and Management Review, 3(9), 627–640. https://doi.org/10.47153/jbmr39.4552022
Techinasia.com. (2025). Data industri makanan & minuman Indonesia: panduan lengkap. Retrieved September 23, 2025, from https://id.techinasia.com/data-industri-makanan-minuman-indonesia-panduan-lengkap
Urdea, A.-M., & Constantin, C. P. (2021). Exploring the impact of customer experience on customer loyalty in e-commerce. Proceedings of the International Conference on Business Excellence, 15(1), 672–682. https://doi.org/10.2478/picbe-2021-0063
Wiranti, F. H. T. (2023). Interpersonal Communication and Customer Loyalty: A Case Study at a Travel Agency. Asian Journal of Management, Entrepreneurship and Social Science, 3(01), 283–293. Retrieved from https://ajmesc.com/index.php/ajmesc/article/view/121