ASSESSMENT OF CUSTOMER SERVICE AND CUSTOMERS’ REPEAT PATRONAGE IN FOOD RESTAURANTS IN LOKOJA METROPOLIS, KOGI STATE: EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE

Abstract

The study focused on assessment of Customer Service and Customer repeat patronage in food 
restaurants in Lokoja metropolis, Kogi State: Empirical evidence. The specific objectives were to 
examine the relationship between empathy, responsiveness and complaint handling on customer 
repeat patronage in food restaurants in Lokoja metropolis, Kogi State, Nigeria. Data were gathered 
from primary source; The population of the study consisted of customers of selected food restaurants. 
To facilitate data collection purposive sampling method was used to select 120 participants from the 
three purposively selected popular restaurants in Lokoja metropolis, Kogi State.  Pearson correlation 
statistical tool was used to test the hypothesis. The findings revealed that empathy, responsiveness 
and complaint handling have significant relationship with customer repeat patronage in food 
restaurants. The study recommends that: Restaurant owners should place great emphasis on empathy 
to influence customer repeat patronage; they should give assurance towards responsiveness to 
enhance customer repeat patronage and restaurant owners should be tactical in handling customers 
complaint to influence their customer repeat patronage in the competitive business environment.