▁such ▁as / ▁account ing ▁measures ▁of ▁the ▁volume ▁( amount ▁and ▁financial ▁value ) ▁and ▁frequency ▁with ▁which ▁a ▁customer ▁purch ases ▁the ▁firm ' s ▁goods ▁or ▁services . ▁This ▁requires ▁that ▁the ▁firm ▁should ▁have ▁a ▁strong ▁customer ▁information ▁management ▁department ▁that ▁can ▁capture ▁all ▁the ▁relevant ▁metrics ▁that ▁may ▁be ▁needed ▁for ▁analysis . ▁In ▁a ▁typical ▁firm , ▁these ▁may ▁come ▁from ▁a ▁diverse ▁set ▁of ▁depart ments ▁such ▁as ▁account ing , ▁sales , ▁market ing , ▁fin ance , ▁log istics , ▁and ▁other ▁customer ▁research . ▁ ▁An te ced ents ▁and ▁drivers ▁ ▁Customer ▁ret ention ▁is ▁an ▁outcome ▁that ▁is ▁the ▁result ▁of ▁several ▁different ▁ante ced ents ▁as ▁described ▁below . ▁ ▁Customer ▁satisfaction : ▁Research ▁shows ▁that ▁customer ▁satisfaction ▁is ▁a ▁direct ▁driver ▁of ▁customer ▁ret ention ▁in ▁a ▁wide ▁variety ▁of ▁indust ries . ▁Despite ▁the ▁claims ▁made ▁by ▁some ▁one - off ▁studies , ▁the ▁bulk ▁of ▁the ▁evidence ▁is ▁un ambigu ously ▁clear : ▁there ▁is ▁a ▁positive ▁association ▁between ▁customer ▁satisfaction ▁and ▁customer ▁ret ention / ▁though ▁the ▁magnitude ▁of ▁the ▁association ▁can ▁vary ▁based ▁on ▁a ▁whole ▁host ▁of ▁factors ▁such ▁as ▁customer , ▁product , ▁and ▁industry ▁characteristics . ▁Some ▁companies ▁and ▁individuals ▁have ▁created ▁mathematical ▁models ▁to ▁evaluate ▁customer ▁satisfaction . ▁ ▁Customer ▁delight : ▁Some ▁sch ol ars ▁argue ▁that ▁in ▁today ' s ▁compet itive ▁world , ▁merely ▁satisfying ▁customers ▁is ▁not ▁enough ; ▁fir ms ▁need ▁to ▁delight ▁customers ▁by ▁providing