<![CDATA[The rapid growth of the café industry in Jember has created intense competition, making customer satisfaction a critical factor for business sustainability. This study evaluates the practical needs of Café Puspa Rasa, a local MSME, to enhance satisfaction and competitiveness. Using a mixed-method approach with a causal associative design, the research investigates the direct and indirect relationships between key variables. The objectives are to: (1) test the influence of service quality and business management on customer satisfaction; (2) analyze brand image as a mediator for service; (3) assess operational efficiency as a mediator for business management; and (4) develop a model for enhancing MSME competitiveness. The results reveal several significant direct effects: Brand Image (M1) significantly impacts Customer Satisfaction (Y) by 0.283, and Operational Efficiency (M2) contributes positively at 0.307. Furthermore, Service Quality (X1) and Business Management (X2) show significant positive effects on satisfaction, with coefficients of 0.151 and 0.121, respectively. These findings indicate that improvements in brand perception, operational flow, service, and management directly elevate customer satisfaction levels. However, the mediation analysis (X1-M1-Y and X2-M2-Y) yielded non-significant results. Brand Image and Operational Efficiency do not act as mediators in the relationship between Service Quality or Business Management and Customer Satisfaction. The interaction for X1-M1-Y showed an insignificant effect of -0.051, while X2-M2-Y produced a negligible effect of 0.010. In conclusion, while direct factors are vital for Café Puspa Rasa’s success, the hypothesized mediation paths do not play a significant role in this specific context.]]>
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