The influence of internal marketing on quality service delivery
Internal marketing is defined as “a planned effort using a marketing-like approach directed at motivating employees for implementing and integrating organisational strategies towards customer satisfaction” (Ahmed and Rafiq, 2002).
According to Amjad and Alshurideh (2012), internal marketing dimensions include: employee motivation and reward, effective communication, employee recruitment, employee selection, employment development, support system, and a healthy work environment. This concept emerged from the development of business structures and services marketing (Varey and Lewis, 2000). In particular, internal marketing has been perceived as a means of creating a sustainable competitive advantage in the market through the provision of high service quality (Cronin and Taylor, 1992). Although originating within the services marketing literature, internal marketing is now viewed as applicable in all industry contexts (Cahill, 1995).
Internal marketing supports a great role of service organisations in achieving quality service delivery. Owing to this, managers in organisations should employ strategic plans to enhance internal marketing if service quality is to be achieved (Sadeghloo and Tirgar, 2013). Kotler and Armstrong (2006) developed a Service Marketing Triangle which explains the relation between organisations, its employees and its customers. In this triangle, they propose three forms of marketing each of which is considered a main factor in the success of an organisation. These forms are: External Marketing, Interactive Marketing, and Internal Marketing.
Reaching customers and winning their satisfaction is achieved through reaching a level of quality required in all marketing relations between organisations and customers. Lings (2000) explains that workers’ satisfaction is a basic condition and first step to achieve
customers’ satisfaction. He further points out that customers’ feeling of quality of service provided to them by individuals working in organisations with which they become in contract is affected by the level of those workers’ performance.