Purpose This study aims to understand the effects of the SERVQUAL dimensions of facility management on commercial occupant satisfaction and commercial property reputation in the National Capital Region (NCR), India. Design/methodology/approach The data for this study were collected from 734 occupants in NCR, India. SmartPLS4.0 was employed to analyze the data using structured equation modeling. Findings The study's findings demonstrate that all SERVQUAL dimensions of facility management – tangibles, assurance, empathy, reliability and responsiveness – have a significant influence on occupant satisfaction. Occupant satisfaction has a positive impact on property reputation. Moreover, occupant satisfaction mediates the relationship between the SERVQUAL dimensions of facility management and property reputation. Research limitations/implications The study extends service industry research to demonstrate that facility management service quality positively impacts customer satisfaction in emerging economies, such as India. Future studies may use these findings to examine other dimensions for evidence-based research in real estate. Practical implications The present study findings are relevant for multiple stakeholders in the real estate sector. With a growing demand for commercial space in emerging markets like India, driven by increased economic activity, the findings will guide property management companies and commercial building operators in focusing on enhancing service quality standards to maintain long-term relationships with occupants and improve the property's reputation, thereby overcoming competitive pressures. This positive property reputation will help them attract high-paying occupants with lower customer acquisition costs, resulting in improved profitability. Originality/value To the authors' best knowledge, this is a pioneer study to empirically investigate the impact of facility management service quality standards on occupant satisfaction and property reputation for commercial properties in India. This study provides new insights into various aspects of occupant satisfaction in NCR's commercial properties in India.
Kumar et al. (Wed,) studied this question.