Why Did Not High Quality Products Always Satisfy Their User? A Case Study of Passenger Cars and Its Drivers

Quality improvement of a product becomes an important program at most of manufacturers and needs various resources to make the programs work properly. But if the products quality achieved at highest level of criteria, will the customers always satisfy with it? Previous research and experience proved that statement but need deeper elaboration why not all of users satisfied by genuine quality of products. A case study of multi purposes van (MPV) automobile and its user using Structural Equation Modelling with Partial Least Square (PLS- SEM) and SmartPLS software supported the analysis prepared for this work. In depth data collecting with questionnaires from 516 car drivers in Jakarta, Bogor, Depok, Tangerang and Bekasi conducted to reveal the role of users related to their post purchase satisfaction. A computer program prepared for SEM with steps of analysis designed to clarify the relationship between the quality of MPV and driving satisfaction as well as the role of driving quality. This research concluded that driving quality of MPV drivers intervened the relationship between variables. Lower quality of driving will reduce driving satisfaction whether the quality of MPV was very good. Otherwise, high quality of driving will not only enhance the satisfaction, but also leverage the effect of other variable to driving satisfaction. The intervening variable role will give new approach in developing and maintaining driving satisfaction. A new approach of customer satisfaction improvement proposed and valuable programs of MPV producers with a new paradigm will improve manufacturer competitive advantage.