## 3 Methodology  
### Research Design  
This research was conducted under a non-experimental, cross-sectional, and correlational design aligned with best practices in applied service research in real-world environments [40]. The main objective was to examine the relationship between the implementation of omnichannel service strategies and customer satisfaction, understood as a perceptual construct related to Quality of Experience (QoE). The non-experimental nature of the study means that no variables were manipulated or externally controlled. Instead, the investigation relied on the natural behaviors, perceptions, and interactions of customers within an already established service system. This methodological decision was appropriate given the ethical and practical limitations of modifying operational procedures within a commercial business, and it allowed for ecologically valid observations of user experience in a real-world environment.  
A cross-sectional design was selected to gather data from participants at a single point in time, providing a snapshot of current customer perceptions and omnichannel system performance. This approach enabled the study to capture insights into service usage, satisfaction levels, and omnichannel feature evaluation without the resource demands of a longitudinal framework. Although this limits the ability to infer causality, cross-sectional designs remain highly effective for identifying associative relationships and generating actionable insights for system improvement [41]. The correlational focus of the study is rooted in the theoretical premise that perceived satisfaction is influenced by the alignment or misalignment between service expectations and delivered performance, particularly when mediated by digital tools and multichannel interfaces [7, 27]. By identifying statistically significant associations between specific dimensions of omnichannel design--namely, data integration, payment systems, and logistical support--and satisfaction levels, the study seeks to understand how these service components impact users' subjective experience. This design was particularly suitable for the study's setting: a regional fuel service provider operating in an emerging digital environment, where customer interactions occur through both physical and digital touchpoints. In such contexts, omnichannel strategies are often partial or developing, which makes them ideal for evaluating how incomplete integration or inconsistent delivery affects customer perceptions.  
Furthermore, the design allowed the research to integrate multiple theoretical frameworks--customer journey theory, the expectancy-disconfirmation paradigm, and the concept of Net-Living--without requiring experimental manipulation. This provided a rich context for analyzing customer satisfaction as a construct not only of performance outcomes but also of the perceived value, autonomy, and control across a hybrid service experience [17]. In summary, the non-experimental, cross-sectional design employed in this study provided a robust and context-sensitive framework for exploring how omnichannel strategies influence customer satisfaction in a service environment characterized by emerging digital practices. It allowed for the systematic observation of real user behavior while maintaining methodological rigor and alignment with the objectives of interdisciplinary research in smart service systems and user-centered ICT development.