The Determination of Digital Service Quality and Customer Satisfaction on Service User Loyalty

Abstract

Introduction/Main Objectives: This study examines user loyalty within the rapidly growing digital entertainment industry in Medan City, specifically regarding the Cinema XXI online ticket reservation service. Background Problems: Operational and technical constraints such as short payment windows and the absence of self-service rescheduling features raise the question of how customer satisfaction and digital service quality influence user loyalty for Cinema XXI Medan, both individually and simultaneously. Novelty: The study’s novelty lies in demonstrating the satisfaction-loyalty relationship paradox within the context of an Online-to-Offline (O2O) entertainment reservation platform in a developing metropolitan market an area where previous research has insufficiently examined the empirical impact of application system technicalities. Research Methods: A quantitative, causal-associative method was employed, gathering primary data via structured questionnaires from 100 users of the XXI digital application in Medan, selected using accidental sampling. Data were analyzed using multiple linear regression following successful classical assumption, validity, and reliability testing. Findings/Results: Empirical results show that customer satisfaction does not have a significant partial effect (t=1.462; p=0.147), whereas digital service quality has a positive and significant partial effect (t=4.212; p=0.000) on user loyalty; the simultaneous effect of both variables is 26.4% (F=17.414; p=0.000). Conclusion: post-viewing transactional satisfaction does not automatically guarantee consumer retention without reliable digital infrastructure performance. The study’s practical implications and key message emphasize that management must prioritize enhancing server reliability, ticket cancellation flexibility, and payment deadlines to strengthen customer loyalty.