...An exploratory study on the impact of research and development on customer service and quality 1.0 Introduction Research and development simply refers to the constant improvement of product and services and which enable the business to continuously thrive in terms of its operation. Research and development also leads to innovations intended for these products and services. In generating high impact innovations, it is important that the organization should devise a systematic method of identifying opportunities that provide new value for the consumers (Johnston and Bate, 2003). The changing consumer preference was an opportunity that is exploited through innovation (Paley, 2006). As such, a company must be able to introduce new brand concepts, strengthen design capability and enrich product offering continuously. Improvement of quality is therefore critical in the aspect of innovation as this could highly impact customer satisfaction. Further, innovation also means to tolerate internal processes especially those that will contribute to the growth of the company (Johnson and Scholes, 2002). Customer service is one of these internal processes which purport external audience. For instance, listening to the voice of consumer (VOC) is one critical factor of customer servicing wherein the feedback of the customers are given its deserved value. These feedbacks from the customers are also used to inform research and development regarding their changing preferences, expectations...
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...Ulta Customer service Throughout the course of the week, I visited a Ulta beauty store. Ulta is a store that supplies beauty products including but not limited to makeup, haircare, and skincare. Ulta also includes a salon in which customers can have beauty services done such as skin treatments, hair styling, and brow shaping. During my visit, the customer service I received was great but it did not go above and beyond my expectations. To start things off I visited an Ulta located Livonia in which I had never been to before as usually I visit the Ulta by my apartment located in Roseville. Nonetheless for this trip, I decided to give this Ulta a chance because I was in the area. I'm glad I gave a different Ulta an opportunity because this one...
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...29th 2005. Market research Parkson wants to grasp the customer behavior and there are three methods suggest for doing research: * Using observational research method * Using data from primary gathering * Using 8 focus groups with different segments Focus group Focus group usually refers to a group of 10 or fewer volunteered buyers to give their opinion and share their ideas or reactions toward a new product or an idea. They can be asked a number of questions or tried new samples of new products to see how they react toward it. Benefits: Therefore, the main advantage of focus group method is that it’s easily to measure customer reactions to new products and understand customer perceptions. For example, when a new brand name enter Parkson or replace the old one, we can recognize how people react to that brand name (whether they like it or not) and how their shopping behavior will change (how often customers will shop in that brand). Another advantage of focus group is encouraging interactions among customers. They can freely discuss and debate more when they’re in a group interviewed than individual. Exchanging information and ideas can make the moderator understand more about their buyers characteristic and their behavior Disadvantages: However, focus group can have some disadvantages. The first one is that it can cost a big amount of money. To interview a respondent, it will cost around $300. Parkson hold 8 focus groups with different customer segments and each...
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...Chinese Customer Research 1. Customer Profile * Travelling Purpose 96% Chinese international travellers surveyed have been abroad for leisure reasons, while 52% have been abroad for business or educational purposes. According to the data over the past five years, Chinese international travellers tend to take leisure trips abroad more frequently than business trips, especially for those visiting relatives and friends. * Independently Travelling Preferred 70% of Chinese international travellers now travel independently and only 30% of Chinese international travellers travel as part of the arranged groups. The percentage of those travelled independently increased compared with two years ago. 2. Most Popular Activities When travelling, 51% of Chinese international travellers prefer to go shopping as they seek for luxury brands in USA. Older travellers aged 35+ are more interested in traditional sightseeing, while younger travellers aged under 35 are more interested in dining. In addition, Chinese travellers in tier 1 cities are more likely to go shopping when travelling abroad (57 per cent vs 51 per cent for the total). Activity | Sightseeing | Dining | Shopping | Beaches | Museum | Rural pursuit | Percentage | 75% | 65% | 51% | 37% | 22% | 17& | 3. Booking Methods 49% of Chinese international travellers will book their accommodation directly through the hotel, with 29% among those book on the website and 19% by telephone. 36% travellers rely on...
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...Customer Satisfaction in Banking Introduction Aiming for the customer satisfaction is the most challenging task in every organization. Through the satisfied customers, a firm an easily measure the effectiveness of the business, its potential and position in the industries, and the areas that are needed to polish and improve. Keeping the trust of a customer is not an overnight miracle but with full of patience and bountiful of effort. Background and Problem Statement The products and services that are sold in the most favorable prices can be an initial step of the firm in obtaining the trust and be included in the top list of the customers. However, because of the tight competition of various services, particularly in banks, the perception of the customers and potential customers are also divided according to the services that they want to achieve. In addition, the impact of the economic problems and financial crunches among the financial institutions creates a great challenge in the banks. With all the challenges that are ahead on the banks, how will they gather the customer satisfaction which is the same focus of the other competing banking institutions? Research Aim and Objectives The aim of the study is to determine the satisfaction on the services and products delivered by the banks towards their customers to attract other potential customer. There are three objectives that can be the guidance of the researcher/s in reaching for their goal and, in also, measuring the...
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...sectors. At this situation aiming for the customer satisfaction is the most challenging task for banks. Through the satisfied customers, a bank can easily measure the effectiveness of the business, its potential and position in the industries and the areas that are needed to polish and improve. But gathering a satisfied customer is not an overnight miracle but with the full of patience and bountiful of effort. It is a well known fact that no business can exist without customers. So they must be satisfied. More than any other, banking is a customer oriented services industry and Nepalese banks have started realizing that business depends on client service and the satisfaction of the customer. Customer satisfaction is the key factor for customer retention and thereby the banks success. So identifying and improving the factors that can limit the satisfaction of customer is the crucial step for the bank which wants to be a step forward than its competitors. Customer satisfaction is an ambiguous and applied concept and the actual manifestation of the state of satisfaction will vary from person to person and product/service to product/service. The state of satisfaction depends on a number of both psychological and physical variables which correlate with satisfaction behaviors such as return and recommend rate. The level of satisfaction can also vary depending on other options the customer may have and other products against which the customer can compare the organization's products...
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...occasion.” We are P.E.A.R.L.S: Passion for excellence Execute with positive energy and need Accountable for growth in customer and satisfaction Recognize the achievement for others and have fun doing it Listen and more importantly respond to the voice of the customer Marketing strategy: The marketing strategy for pizza hut is very simple: “We want to satisfy our customers by offering them the best”. They have used the word CHAMPS to describe their marketing strategy, which means cleanliness, hospitality, accuracy, maintenance, product quality and speed. They have gone further by using two F’s which stand for friendly and familiar. For pizza hut customer service means providing customers with uncompromising product quality, offering them with the highest value for money and giving them service that is warm friendly and personal. Pizza hut aspires to give its customers “customer mania”- the kind of service that ensures that every visit of the customer is a memorable one. Marketing mix: Since an international fast food chain like pizza hut demands both quality product and a high quality service and environment, its marketing mix comprises of all the seven P’s namely the product, price, promotion, place, people physical evidence and process. Product: Pizza hut offers a large variety of pizzas to its customers in many flavors. These would include cheesy bites, stuffed crust, hand tossed, thin and crispy, Bigfoot etc. each variety...
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...Business Research Applications Paper Individuals and companies use research on a daily basis and frequently throughout the day – with or without necessarily even realizing it. Research might be conducted simply to uncover the answer to a question or determine a possible outcome to a situation. I have a close friend who works for a bank that is focusing heavily on delivering a great customer experience. She frequently shares her professional experiences with me and I find it very interesting – the mechanisms the company puts into place to measure results. It may not seem to be research in the traditional sense however the bank is constantly conducting research. Before considering the types of research conducted at this financial institution, first it is important to understand what types of research exist. According to the text book, there are four types of research: reporting, descriptive, predictive, and explanatory (Cooper & Schindler, 2011). The reporting method entails information collection. This can be a difficult task – collecting the information necessary. An important source for information is found in the gatekeeper or an expert regarding the topic being researched. The reporting method does not require interpretation – the information is as it is presented. This method can be considered one of “fact finding” as it might be considered simply a collection of facts. The descriptive method provides answers to questions of who, what, where, and how. Generally, this...
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...Business Research Application RES/320 Foundations of Research September 9, 2013 Dr. Elizabeth Frayne Business Research Applications Research is an essential activity for businesses of all sizes. It is necessary to collect as much data as possible to make sound business decisions. The primary goal of the business research process is to generate valuable insights about a company that can produce growth in shareholder wealth. The main steps covered include research question development, research design, survey, and the final data analysis. Throughout this paper, the focus will be on the research methods of Exxon Mobile Corporation. Create a Research Question The first step in the business research process is to identify goals and outcomes that will lead to prosperity for the organization. An effective business research question should have the ability set the foundation for future data gathering activities. Research questions can be related virtually to any business area, such as customer service, competition, employee relations, etc. The question should seek an answer to a potential weakness within the company. Once the question is answered, it will allow the company to make better business decisions (Baruch, 2008). As one of the largest oil and gas producers in the world, Exxon Mobile must focus on goals that will help the company maintain dominance within its industry. Research questions will be related to competitor analysis and global market conditions...
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...Description PRODUCT DESCRIPTION RES 351 Week 1, Business research process involves the study of all aspects of the company and then that information will be used to make business decisions. This requires several steps to help the company achieve its goals, and evaluating its strengths and weaknesses to solve or to avoid problems. The research process also helps to have a clearer and updated idea of their industry (Suttle, 2014). After worked for more than seven years in the airlines industry, I decided to review an article titled “Customer Satisfaction in Airline Industry.” During my years of experience, I saw how many of the passengers left the airport frustrated with the services offered. I think this is a good topic for me to evaluate, because it help me to understand situations that are important within the airline industry. Current Event in Business Research In the summary of the article “Customer Satisfaction in Airline Industry” explain how the research followed on how the five dimensions of customer satisfaction was applied in the airline industry. Such articles can be used to design strategies specifically aimed to increase the level of customer satisfaction in the airline industry. At first I was a little confused about the method used in this article, but I have come to the conclusion that the method used in this article is applied research using an explanatory study. “The problem-solving nature of applied research means it is conducted to reveal answers to specific...
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...CUSTOMERS’ PERCEPTION OF VENDING MACHINE: A SOLBRIDGE SURVEY PRESENTED BY FENG LING YANAN LI QIAN HUI SUN UWALAKA TEMPLE PROF: JENS GRAFF JUNE, 2012 ABSTRACT The research was set to determine, “Customers’ Perception of Vending Machine: A Solbridge Survey”. The main objective was to ascertain customers’ perception of the vending machines and to determine the level of varieties in the machines. A fifteen questions questionnaire was used as instrument for data gathering, which comprised of Solbrigers and visitors. A quantitative (survey) research with a non probability sampling method. A convenient sampling method was used. Some of the findings revealed that varieties in the vending machines were poor; the locations of the vending machines are good. Furthermore, it was found that the vending machines break down during use. It was therefore recommended that the vending machine management should increase the varieties in the machine as well as adding snacks to the machine. It was finally recommended that the management of the vending machine should increase maintenance of the vending machines to increase efficiency and reduce the break down level during use. Background to the Study The act of providing an easy located snack area in a school environment is very salient in a school and is also very profitable in the sense that it allows students to eat some snacks when they are famished as well as allowing the marketer to sell more of...
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...Ben & Jerry’s Market Research Table of Contents TABLE OF CONTENTS Opening Page ................................................................................................................................................... i Table of Contents............................................................................................................................................ 1 Introduction .................................................................................................................................................... 2 Background..................................................................................................................................................... 3 4.1 Market and Brand of Choice.................................................................................................................... 3 4.2 Ice Cream Market Issues ......................................................................................................................... 3 4.3 Important Issues about the Brand ............................................................................................................ 4 4.4 Pricing in Ben & Jerry's........................................................................................................................... 5 4.5 Market Segmentation............................................................................................................................... 6 4.6 Market Demand .....
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...Business Research-Ramada Case 1. Build the management research question hierarchy for RAMADA RFS were eager to learn how to employ the right people and how to motivate those individuals. In planning, RFS wanted to include the “face-to-face employee input†with regard to hiring, training, and motivation. RFS must properly identify their dilemma and develop the management, research, investigative, and measurement questions. Based on the D. K. Shifflet survey of customer satisfaction, RFS could accurately state their management dilemma as increasing customer satisfaction at their many properties. Management Question: With the dilemma stated, the management question would be how do we increase customer satisfaction? Research questions, which are the objective of the research study, would include – what can management do to improve customer satisfaction, how is employee attitude and motivation connected to customer satisfaction, should we add employee incentives to reward increased customer service ratings, and should we modify hiring and training procedures? Investigative questions: The next step is determining the information decision makers need to know and answer to arrive at a conclusion – the investigative questions. Investigative questions would include how can we include employees in the decision making, how often should employees be awarded for their part in increasing customer service satisfaction, how should training be presented, and how involved...
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...Research Idea: The use of Digital Marketing instruments to carry out the marketing of the Al Alameih Worldwide. Introduction With the planning of the expansion of the company, the major thing that comes into the mind is developing various marketing strategies. It is only through proper marketing the company can gain proper response and also it will be able to spread its popularity to the other parts of the world. Al Alemiah adopted various kinds to marketing strategy to influence different segments of the market. But with the rise in the technology, it is very much important to keep a pace with the recent technology and follow the latest trends. The earlier marketing strategies used by the Al Alemiah even though helped the company in rising in a profitable manner but if consider to today’s world those methods have become outdated. Thus one have to develop new marketing strategies to sell the product and make the products of the Al Alemiah one of the most widely used products in the world. One of the most widely used marketing technology that is gaining popularity in today’s generation is the Digital Marketing and so this particular research paper throws light on how the digital marketing strategy can become useful in the expansion and profits of the Al Alemiah Kitchen Woods. Background Al Alameih is one of the most popular companies in Jordan that is involved in manufacturing of the kitchen woods. The woods are not only sold and used in Jordan but are also...
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...Businesses of every kind must to do research in order to continue to satisfy their customers and to draw in new customers. I have worked in a variety of fields and with each business there were always different types of research going on in order to grow the business. In the jewelry business the research is always a little more subtle. Each month reports are pulled and scrubbed in order to determine what lines are selling and which ones have been in the case too long. That is the first step to determining the issue. The issue is what is not selling. Also many new designers are willing to put their items in a store on consignment. This gives the store the opportunity to test the line in order to see if it is something that their customers are interested in without having to put up a large investment. This is a great way to test a product and research the likability before taking a risk and buying the product. In a retail setting it is important to always have fresh merchandise to keep your customers coming back for more, however it is also important to keep your best sellers as staples so your customers know what to expect when entering your store. While working for a college our research process was very different than that of a retail store. Our research was based on drawing new students into the school and retention of our current students. We determine the problem in this situation as we are not drawing in enough new students and what can we do in order to keep the ones...
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