Role of service quality factors in word of mouth through student satisfaction

Purpose Service quality in academics is imperatively crucial. Therefore, the purpose of the current research is to examine the effect of academic service quality factors in higher education institutions which mainly focuses on students' satisfaction and the extent of recommending the same institution to other students. Design/methodology/approach This research evaluated the effect of service quality on student satisfaction and word of mouth (WOM). Data were collected from 200 respondents from various business schools, and hypotheses were tested through a quantitative method using partial least square-structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) with the help of SmartPLS to validate the measurement model. Findings The findings of the current research revealed that all three components of service quality including information quality, teaching quality and service efficiency have a significant impact on student satisfaction. Results also indicated that student satisfaction is significantly linked with WOM which means satisfied students spread positive WOM and recommend the same institution to other students. Originality/value This research provides an extension towards the body of knowledge on the issue, which will be used in future detailed and critical examinations. The focus of the research was on SERVQUAL and how, when and why business schools may spot possible applications that can have an influence on their admissions by WOM.