MACHINE LEARNING APPROACHES FOR DEMAND FORECASTING: THE IMPACT OF CUSTOMER SATISFACTION ON PREDICTION ACCURACY

This study investigates the effectiveness of various machine learning models in predicting product demand based on customer satisfaction data. Four models—Linear Regression, Random Forest, Gradient Boosting, and Support Vector Machine (SVM)—were evaluated using performance metrics, including Mean Absolute Error (MAE), Mean Squared Error (MSE), Root Mean Squared Error (RMSE), and R² score. The results indicate that Gradient Boosting achieved the highest accuracy, with an MAE of 2.56, MSE of 12.75, RMSE of 3.57, and R² score of 0.82, effectively capturing the complex, non-linear relationships inherent in customer satisfaction factors. Random Forest also demonstrated strong performance, while Linear Regression and SVM showed limitations in handling intricate datasets. These findings underscore the importance of utilizing advanced machine learning techniques for accurate demand forecasting, highlighting the critical role of customer satisfaction data in enhancing predictive capabilities. The insights gained from this research can guide organizations in optimizing inventory management and improving customer satisfaction in a rapidly evolving market.