Evaluating Uni-Dimensional versus Multi-Dimensional Approaches to Customer Engagement–Satisfaction Relationships

Abstract

The dimensionality of customer engagement and satisfaction remains contested in marketing research, with debate centering on whether these constructs are best conceptualized as uni-dimensional or multi-dimensional. The uni-dimensional view offers parsimony and ease of measurement, whereas the multi-dimensional perspective emphasizes depth and diagnostic clarity. This study compares both frameworks in India’s rapidly evolving telecommunications sector, where customer experience is a key source of competitive advantage.

Survey data from 1,600 mobile subscribers across four regions were analyzed using Exploratory Factor Analysis, Confirmatory Factor Analysis, and Structural Equation Modelling. Two rival models were tested: a uni-dimensional representation and a multi-dimensional specification encompassing distinct engagement and satisfaction factors.

Findings indicate that while both models confirm significant engagement–satisfaction linkages, the multi-dimensional model demonstrates superior explanatory power, stronger goodness-of-fit indices, and richer insights. Human-assisted interactions were most strongly associated with value and service care, whereas technology-enabled channels exerted greater influence on experiential and emotional satisfaction.

The study contributes to the dimensionality debate by clarifying when simplified models suffice and when disaggregated approaches offer superior strategic guidance for managers.