Introduction: Is Customer Satisfaction (Ir)relevant as a Metric?

In the preceding article, Fornell, Morgeson, and Hult (2016b) find that customer satisfaction produces abnormal returns and that customer satisfaction does have a direct and tangible financial benefit for firms. Given the unconventional nature of their findings, the authors’ research will be of great interest to marketing academics. In addition, this research will be of direct relevance to marketing practitioners in demonstrating the financial impact of customer satisfaction and reemphasizing the importance of managing customers effectively.