SERVICE QUALITY AND SUSTAINABLE CLIENT RELATIONSHIPS IN FREELANCING: AN EMPIRICAL STUDY USING THE SERVQUAL MODEL

Abstract

Background: Online freelancing increasingly relies on digitally mediated interactions in which the quality of services, communication, credibility, and personalized attention may affect the sustainability of freelancer-client relationship. The five SERVQUAL dimensions Tangibles, Reliability, Responsiveness, Assurance, and Empathy, were studied to investigate the relationship between them and the Sustainable Client Relationship (SCR) indicators Client Loyalty, Client Trust, and Client Reviews and Ratings. Methods: The research used a quantitative cross-sectional design. Data was gathered from 250 active freelancers in digital labor platforms and professional services markets using a structured online questionnaire. The data were analyzed in SPSS using descriptive statistics, Cronbach’s alpha reliability analysis, Pearson correlation, exploratory factor analysis, and multiple regression. Results: All five SERVQUAL dimensions were positively and significantly correlated with SCR. Responsiveness showed the strongest correlation with SCR (r = .629, p < .01), followed by Assurance (r = .619, p < .01) and Empathy (r = .592, p < .01). The regression models explained 42.7% of the variance in Client Loyalty, 40.8% in Client Trust, and 39.7% in Reviews and Ratings. Responsiveness was the only dimension that significantly predicted all three outcomes. Assurance significantly predicted Client Loyalty and Client Trust, Empathy significantly predicted Reviews and Ratings, and Tangibles significantly predicted Client Loyalty only. Reliability did not significantly predict any of the three outcomes. Conclusions: The findings show that communication- and relationship-oriented dimensions of service quality are especially important in online freelancing. Effective communication, credibility, and client touches seem to play a pivotal role in maintaining trust, loyalty, and positive client reviews. The research justifies SERVQUAL's adaptation requirements to digital labor markets and exposes that dimensions make different contributions to outcomes of long-term freelancer–client relationships. The findings offer practical tips for freelancers aiming to build better, more sustained client relationships.