Aug'20
Focus
The literature emphasizes the importance of understanding what shapes customer satisfaction and how this can then lead to customer loyalty. Quantitative method was utilized for this study. Regression analysis is employed with two simple approaches, namely, correlation and linear regression. The study looked at convenience, service, promotion, store atmosphere and expectation and how they impact customer satisfaction. Only one factor, that is, 'expectation' had an impact on customer satisfaction. Furthermore, the study also shows that customer satisfaction had an impact on customer loyalty, which was in line with the literature and answered the overall research question. The study focuses on how quality contributes to the satisfaction equation, understanding how online pre-shopping or price comparison is affecting the grocery in the physical channel, and the impact of the loyalty programs for each of the retailers. For future research, the use of larger samples is recommended in order to increase the credibility of the results of the study, given that the topic at hand is multifaceted in nature. Future studies can also be longitudinal to track the behavior of respondents over time, and be carried out on a larger scale, perhaps regional, provincial, and national, in order to improve accuracy and enhance generalizability. Triangulation can be used so that diverse facts, views, opinions, attitudes, motivations, likes and dislikes can be generated across different research methods. Also, future studies need to explore the impact of quality on customer satisfaction, as this is a key measurement that the expectation factor is tested against. An analysis of how technology impacts the process also needs to be done, as a large number of sales in the physical channel start online and there is an advent of price comparison mechanisms.
The second paper by Saugat Ghosh, "The Impact of Product Quality Dimension on Consumer Satisfaction Derived from Brands: A Study on e-Rickshaw Battery Brands in India", is conducted on e-rickshaw battery brands. The purpose of the study is primarily to identify the product quality attributes of the battery brands and then finding out their impact on consumer satisfaction. This study was conducted in West Bengal, India with a large sample size, and the findings show that the study has been successful in the identification of product quality dimensions of the battery brands and also in finding their impact on consumer satisfaction. For identification of product quality dimensions of the battery brands used in e-rickshaw, a pool of product quality attributes of the batteries, which the buyers consider as important before purchasing a battery, was required to be constructed. In this study, a pilot survey was conducted with 100 respondents where the respondents were e-rickshaw and Toto drivers of different regions of West Bengal. The findings from this study primarily prove that the objective of the study, to find out the interrelationship between consumer satisfaction and product quality dimensions, has been achieved and empirically significant relationship between these two is observed. Six independent variables are found to have a positively significant impact on consumer satisfaction at 1% level of significance. The durability of battery is found to have highest positive and significant relationship with consumer satisfaction.
Customer Expectation, Satisfaction and Loyalty: A Study of Grocery Retail Sector in South Africa
This study investigates the grocery retail sector in South Africa and what factors drive consumer behavior. The literature emphasizes the importance of understanding what shapes customer satisfaction and how this can then lead to customer loyalty. A quantitative approach was used for this study, and the data was collected using a questionnaire. The study looked at convenience, service, promotion, store atmosphere and expectation and how they impact customer satisfaction. Only expectation factor had an impact on customer satisfaction. Furthermore, the study also showed that customer satisfaction had an impact on customer loyalty which was in line with the literature and answered the overall research question. Future studies need to explore the impact of quality on customer satisfaction, as this is a key measurement that the expectation factor is tested against. An analysis of how technology impacts the process also needs to be done, as a large number of sales in the physical channel start online and there is an advent of price comparison mechanisms.
The Impact of Product Quality Dimension on Consumer Satisfaction Derived from Brands: A Study on e-Rickshaw Battery Brands in India
Building a strong brand is essential for every business to gain higher market share and higher return on investment. But a strong brand is required to create satisfied consumers, and one of the most important and basic ways of creating a satisfied consumer is by providing quality products and/or services to the consumers. A brand's pursuit to attain higher level of consumer satisfaction and creating a loyal customer base largely depends upon the quality of the product offered under the brand name. Although theoretical studies have provided constructs of product quality dimensions, very few empirical researches are found to validate them. Studies related to the impact of different product quality attributes on consumer satisfaction are also not largely found in management research. The present study aims to bridge this gap. The study is conducted on e-rickshaw battery brands. The purpose of the study is primarily to identify the product quality attributes of the battery brands and then finding out their impact on consumer satisfaction. The study was conducted in West Bengal, India with a large sample size, and the findings show that the study has been successful in the identification of product quality dimensions of the battery brands and also in finding their impact on consumer satisfaction.