CHAPTER – 1

INTRODUCTION

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1.1 Introduction

The business environment has become more dynamic and challenging and the
competition to keep the best member of the team is intense and a doubting tasks to
much management more especially in tourism and hospitality industry. In 21st century
Human Resource Management is increasing becoming more important in the business
management since people and their knowledge are the most important assert that
determine companies productivity of the and the ability to meeting its targeted goals
and objectives. One of the main tasks of Human Resource Management is to measure
employee satisfaction. Companies have to ensure that employee satisfaction is high
among the workers, which is a necessity for increasing productivity, responsiveness,
quality, and customer service and reducing labour turnover.
According to the (Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report 2015: “The rise of travel
and tourism has shown significant resilience globally. Despite slow economic growth in
advanced economies and geopolitical tensions in some regions, the T &T sector still
accounts for a large part of the global economy (estimated to be approximately 9% of
global GDP or US$ 7 trillion) and employment, while the number of international
travellers continues to increase”. With high growth rates and intense competitions
Tourism and Hospitality business had to redefine their strategy to ensure employee
satisfactions in order to foster their competitive advantage. Many researches have been
made to find out the effect the job satisfaction and motivation have in the productivity of
the company.
The aim of this thesis is to analyse the level of employee satisfaction and work
environment as a motivation factors in Corporate Solutions Redefined It will also deal
with the effect the corporate culture on employee satisfaction. The theoretical
framework of this thesis includes concepts such as leadership, job satisfaction, Job
motivation, rewards and corporate cultural. To find out the results for the research,
questionnaires were design and given to the employees in the at Corporate Solutions
Redefined Hyderabad office. The purpose of this research is to find out which factors
could be used in order to ensure employee job satisfactions in the target company and
how to make sure that employees enjoy their work on day to day bases. Furthermore
the research will explain the kind of factors that have an effect on employees’ job

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satisfaction and the level of motivation and also share the right on the factor that can
highly contribute to job dissatisfaction. The questionnaire cover subject such as
expectations of the employee, work environment and job organization irrespectively.

Based on the research it can be said that the level of employee satisfaction in Corporate
Solutions Redefined is high, although there is still a room for improvements. One of the
biggest strength of the organization is the relationship and communication between the
employees and the managers. The biggest improvement is needed in the field of the
financial rewards, because most of the employees are not showing high satisfaction
with it. The conclusions made regarding the research are only valid for Corporate
Solutions Redefined and cannot be generalised for other organizations in the field of
tourism and hospitality or accommodation management. Human resource Management
is a field of studies that received a major attention in terms of research and the below
studies results will be analysed based on various theories in the field of Human
Resource Management such as different motivation theories, leadership and cultural
theories.

1.2 Background

The current corporate business environment is becoming competitive and challenging

than before. With multidimensional challenges and demand of globalization, the
corporate companies are forced to re-engineer their services and systems to improve
the service quality and remain competitive in the market.

Customer service is considered as an integral part of any facet of industry and it defines
the future of any organization. The rapid advances in technology based systems related
to internet are leading to fundamental ways in how different organizations interact. This
applies same for relation of an organization with its customer. In different services
industries the relationship between customer satisfaction and service attributes have
been difficult to identify because services nature is intangible.

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Due to intangible nature of services it is difficult for the firms to analyze how the
customers perceive and evaluate the desired outcome of the service quality. As
customer evaluates their level of satisfaction by experimenting the service quality,
satisfaction with services is related to conformation or disconfirmation of expectations.
The issue of highest priority today involves understanding the impact of service quality
on profit and other financial outcomes of the organization.

As corporate companies are increasingly becoming customer focused, and are driven
by customer demands. It is becoming equally challenging to satisfy and retain customer
loyalty. Research by suggests that both service quality and customer satisfaction are
two distinct but related constructs. It is particularly true for the services firms where
increased level of customer satisfaction results in profit maximization.

Therefore experts say that customer satisfaction should be the fundamental principle of
all the service firms as it is the key indicator of firm’s performance. Customer loyalty and
satisfaction is proved to be the major determinant for long term survival and financial
performance of the company also customers are considered as final judges to judge the
quality level of product and services offered.

1.3 Scope of the study

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The corporate travel and accommodation management is a vast growing industry due to
the increase of people who travel day by day for business purposes. This gives
advantage for the corporate companies to increase their business by having tie-ups with
bid hotels and airlines.

While serving to the business clients, the corporate companies should be very careful
and should provide quality service because there are some leaders in the industry. This
point of view illustrates providing quality service to the customers and thereby, attaining
customer satisfaction.

The whole study is about measuring the customer satisfaction at Corporate Solutions
Redefined and the strategies on how to improve the satisfaction level of the customers
in the company view point.

1.4 Research Statement

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Customer satisfaction leads to superior economic returns. Corporate companies these
days face a big challenge in retaining their customers. Due to globalization, many
international brands are there in the market and are very powerful due to the
phenomenal service they provide. If the local brands do not beat the service provided by
international brands, then these corporate companies will have to shutdown.

Today’s customers and are more experienced and open-minded, they do not stick to
one company if it does not offer them what they need as there are many options they
can switch to. Corporate Solutions Redefined is no different to other corporate
companies. The major problems faced by the company in retaining its customers are:

 Customers are highly sensitive

 Customer complain even on minor issues
 Less loyal customers

1.5 Objective of the study

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The company has such a big amount of customers that it became an important issue to
evaluate the company’s service, as no customer satisfaction survey has been
conducted before. Therefore, the research question is: how people see the service
quality of the company from the customer’s point of view?

The sample of the study will be used to understand the customers better and to provide
the best quality services to the clients of Corporate Solutions Redefined. This research
also portraits the level of customer satisfaction on the various service offered by
Corporate Solutions Redefined.

As the company focus more on corporate clients, the study is done through the
corporate companies only. The following major points will be covered in the study:

 To understand various services offered by the company

 To study the level of customer satisfaction
 To suggest ways to improve service offered by the company.

1.6 Research Methodology

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The aim of thesis is to gather information among Corporate Solutions Redefined
customers about customer satisfaction on the services provided.

1.7 Area or Population Study

A population is defined as all elements (individuals, objects and events) that meet the
sample criteria for inclusion in a study. This research will be conducted at CSR through
observation method and field survey whereby the researcher will observe how the
service is provided at the company and also the CSR clients will be interviewed or sent
the questionnaires.

1.8 Research Approaches

The researcher will conduct the study using qualitative approach, which will help the
researcher to concentrate on the views, attitudes, opinions, feelings and experience of
the respondents. This also helps the researcher to explain and clarify to respondents
where they could not understand the questions

1.9 Research Design

The design of the study is the end result of series of decisions made by the researcher
concerning how the study will be conducted. It is a set of advanced decisions that make
up the master plan specifying the methods and procedures for collecting and analyzing
the needed information.

There are various types of research design that can be used depending on the type of
the research carried. For instance: exploratory research, descriptive research and
casual research. The researcher decided to use descriptive research, which is desirable
when one wish to project a study’s findings to a larger population, if the study’s sample
is representative.

1.10 Sampling Techniques

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Probability sampling is any form of sampling that utilizes some form of random
selection. It is when every unit in a sample has an equal chance of being selected.
Therefore the researcher will use probability sampling. Under probability sampling,
random selection will be used to interview any of the CSR clients or customers.

1.11 Data Collection Methods

The interviews will be conducted and also questionnaires will be send to the customers.
Interview is the conversation between two or more people. It can be conducted on one
on one basis or on a group. An interview is a valuable source of information. The
researcher will also use open ended questions as flexibility to meet the level of the
respondent as people have different level of understandings. Open ended questions
have no format, are conducted in a way that sweets the respondents.

1.12 Data Analysis

The date collected will be organised and presented without tables or charts. The
research interpreted and analysed data will be based on the finding obtained, also
referring to the objectives formulated, the hypothesis tested and literature review
collected.

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 CHAPTER 2

SERVICES OFFERED IN CORPORATE SOLUTIONS REDEFINED

2.0 Company Profile

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2.1 About Corporate Solutions Redefined (CSR)

Travel is typically a company’s third largest expense after rent and salaries. Fulfillment
of Accommodation representing roughly 40 to 50% of this spend, still remains largely
fragmented

CSR was born out of a latent desire to change the way companies spend on
accommodation by providing them the right platform to manage it. The traditional
models that existed did not provide any framework for corporations to capture real time
information, analyse data, implement cost saving measures, leverage on volumes and
realise savings on every travel dollar spend. As companies grew bigger and bigger,
instead of closing in-the gaps were becoming wider and more disintegrated.

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Abdus Saleem, managing director, founded Corporate Solutions Redefined in 2007.
Under his strategic management, CSR has grown to a 200+ member team and
capitalized on the market opportunities through intelligent growth and the incorporation
of proprietary technology to surpass at servicing its clients’ diverse requirements. CSR’s
long-term allegiance to the core values of providing a highly-personalized service,
developing innovative and flexible solutions, and demonstrating a positive and
consistent ROI, has catapulted it to the forefront of corporate accommodation
management in India today.

2.2 PHILOSOPHY

At CSR our philosophy is to focus on our clients. We reinforce this with three
differentiators;

TIMELINE

• The 5 member team was responsible for annual sales of USD 4.5
million in its founding year.
2007 • CSR saves AUD 1250 for a client on a single transaction in Sydney

• CSR’s global operations have a turnover of USD 37 million. The team

now comprises 150 members.
• CSR TravelAssist, Mobile app launched on for Android, Windows and I
2012 phone.

• CSR has grown to a team of 200 and anticipates sales of USD 150
million for the company.
2015 • CSR travel ERP launched

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TECHNOLOGY

CSR Global’s innovative software offers a unique corporate travel management

experience. The user-friendly interface can be easily integrated with any Management
Information System (MIS). Travel managers can easily book accommodation, arrange
for transportation, track employees and document paper-work. This interface is an
online platform that centralises all travel related activities.

BEST PRICE

CSR takes the responsibility of providing the lowest available prices to the client. Even if
the client is unaware of a lower price, CSR will suggest a more reasonable option. CSR
captures screenshots as proof of the date and time of the booking as well as the prices
available at the time.

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2.3 LEADERSHIP

ABDUS SALEEM

Managing Director

He is the founded CSR Global in 2007 after he noticed the need for travel services for
corporate. His vision was to integrate travel information, bookings and documentation
into one seamless interface that can be easily integrated into a client’s MIS. This lead to
the creation of CSR Global’s innovative software.

SARAVANAN A.

Board Member

He has worked in leading companies such as Microsoft, and EMC Corporation where
he was the Senior Vice President and General Manager respectively. His keen business
sense and leadership abilities play a large role in CSR Global’s business decisions.

BALAMURUGAN KALIA

COO AND CTO

Prior to joining CSR, Balamurugan held senior positions at companies like Tata Elxsi
sand SAP. His technical expertise is the reason for CSR’s innovative solutions.

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NOORUDIN AHMED

Board Member

Noorudin has worked with several technology companies both in India and overseas. As
a mentor, he offers advice on the business of Information Technology.

ASHISH VOHRA

Board Member

Ashish Vohra is the founder and CEO of jüSTa, a chain of luxury hotels located in
various parts of India. Post his MBA, he worked with the Oberoi Group for nearly 14
years.

MEET THE TEAM

GUGA SARAVANAN ………………VP Sales

FATIMA WAJIHA …………………. VP, Product

AGK KUMAR ……………………… COO

VINAYAK JETTY ……………….. HEAD, SALES

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2.4 WHY CSR?

TECHNOLOGY

CSR Global’s innovative software offers a unique corporate travel management

experience. The user-friendly interface can be easily integrated with any Management
Information System (MIS). Travel managers can easily book accommodation, arrange
for transportation, track employees and document paper-work. This interface is an
online platform that centralises all travel related activities.

Features

Travel Requests

The technology allows employees to place travel requests on the system. The request
is then moved to the manager to view and approve. Once the request has been
approved, travel details such as charges, dates, duration, etc. can be entered for easy
documentation. The technology can be easily integrated into a client’s already existing
interface as well.

Bookings

Once the travel details have been captured, clients can choose to book accommodation
from their internal database or have CSR manage bookings for them. Real-time data
from the interface allows clients to make informed decisions about their bookings.

CSR’s extensive database of accommodation options is made available at competitive

prices. The prices fixed are not affected by the season, making them far lower than
other options.

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Customization

CSR has designed the platform to be easily integrated into any MIS interface. This
flexibility allows clients to use the travel management system without having to change
their MIS. The technology can be used to custom design a travel itinerary as well.

Vendor Management

The technology allows clients to list vendors and manage quotations on the interface. It
also helps assess the best options based on the quotes. The auctioning system
captures quotes and finance related data for a more transparent audit.

Documentation

Travel related documentation is a tedious task. The technology allows all documentation
to be uploaded with ease. This is integrated into the HR interface for convenience and
eliminates any redundant documentation. Employees and travel managers can access
the interface to create and upload documents.

Reporting

The technology allows travel managers to access employees’ travel related information
in real-time. This lets the company track and document employees’ activities to create a
report. This otherwise time consuming task has been made easy with the innovative
technology.

Efficiency

The technology helps identify gaps in the client’s travel management system and offer
custom solutions that negate these issues. By using the platform the entire process
becomes a more cost-effective, efficient and transparent one. Clients can easily

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document their travel and keep their expenses in-check, ensuring that the processes
meet the legal and financial guidelines.

Travel Assist

Travel Assist is the mobile application version of the technology. All of the travel related
details are automatically available on the mobile app which lets employees to access
pertinent information while they are travelling. Travel Assist offers many benefits.

 Paperless Travel: All documents related to the itinerary can be accessed on the
app.
 Directions: Integrated maps for convenient travel.
 Places: A comprehensive list of ATMs, banks, restaurants, etc., is available for
simplified travel.
 Emergency Information: Location specific information on police stations, the
Indian Embassy, hospitals, etc.
 Etiquette Tips: Country based etiquette guides.
 Expense Management: Document travel expenses on the go.

Corporate travel managers find it difficult to ensure all norms are in place at the
accommodation venue. This is where CSR steps in to provide safe, comfortable
accommodation which also fits the budget. CSR runs quality checks and ensures that
the standards are met

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BEST PRICE

CSR takes the responsibility of providing the lowest available prices to the client. Even if
the client is unaware of a lower price, CSR will suggest a more reasonable option. CSR
captures screenshots as proof of the date and time of the booking as well as the prices
available at the time.

CSR Global takes special measures to ensure the client’s corporate travel policy is
adhered to at the time of a booking. The following rates are checked on the platform to
ensure they are within the client’s budget:

 Online travel agencies

 Last minute rates which can be extremely high or extremely low
 Corporate rates
 CSR’s rates
 Promotional rates
 Hotel rates

The process of choosing the best available price is automated thereby reducing the
chances of errors. Once the best available prices are shortlisted, the list is presented to
the client. Once the client opts for a certain accommodation, CSR tracks the prices as
prices tend to fluctuate. CSR will then book the accommodation at the lowest available
price.

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2.5 CURATED INFORMATION

Hospitality Partners

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2.6 SERVICES

CORPORATE ACCOMMODATION

CSR Global simplifies corporate travel accommodations with its comprehensive list of
services.

CSR’s technology, accommodation and MICE verticals cover all aspects of a company’s
corporate hospitality needs. The technology, accommodation and MICE services can be
custom designed to suit the company’s requests and these services can be used
independently or as a combination, depending on client specifications and needs.

Their solutions combine efficient processes and innovative technology to benefit our
clients through various engagement Models.

2.7 ENGAGEMENT MODELS

End to End

Their end –to end engagement model comprises Historical Room Data Analysis and
Mapping, Procurement and Contracting of options, Data integration and Product training
to key bookers and CSR Stay roll out and implementation.

Post roll-out, this engagement model also includes data management, vendor
management and reporting functions on a regular basis.

A La Carte

At CSR, they understand corporates have specific needs that require immediate focus
and speedy intervention. Their product offering, therefore, comes also as an unbundled,
a ‘la carte basis, wherein specific products could be implemented to match specific
corporate needs by excluding other services.

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Each of our service modules is interdependent and also independent of each other. To
ensure cost savings, corporate can pick off the shelf our accommodation module along
with the MICE platform or either of these services individually.

2.8 PRODUCTS

CSR Stay

The backbone of their operations, CSR Stay is a B2B platform loaded with close to
10,000 hotels and apartments worldwide. This exclusive content, integrated with
multiple API’s incorporates client contracts and CSR contracts with multiple rates per
hotel or apartment thereby offering corporates our Best Buy purchase model. Loaded
with innumerable features, CSR Stay is corporate policy compliant ensuring granular
data capture thereby enhancing product audits and client reports for corporates.

Travel Assist

Travel Assist is their Travel App, a travel handyman that enables Clients to view
confirmations, store confirmation vouchers, locate properties, check distances and
traffic alerts, raise queries to modify booking, request change of property etc., with pre –
check in options, thereby ensuring that a hassle free travel is guaranteed.

CSR MICE

CSR MICE is a comprehensive MICE Tool that provides both end to end and differential
offerings. For companies that require a Strategic Meetings Management program only,
the SMMP module can be used independently, while companies that only require group
rate contracting and event management options can do so independently on the same
platform.

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Seamless and scalable, the platform is compatible across desktops, tablets and mobiles
ensuring that at any level and during any meeting, the Tool is handy and ready to use!

BENEFITS

Their product offering provides the following benefits:

 Competitive prices, independent of the season

 A transparent and auditable process for easy tracking
 Adherence to corporate travel policies
 Quality checks on accommodation and services across the globe
 Efficient processes
 Reports generated to provide insights and cost-saving options
 Customisation
 Safe and comfortable travel
 Cost efficient
 Round-the-clock service

PAYMENTS

CSR offers various types of payments services that support corporate policies and also
ensure suppliers are protected.

Across all properties, service apartments and hotels, credit card payment has become a
reality with preferred corporate credit cards becoming the mode of payment for most
corporates. Credit period with suppliers too have been fixed based on corporate policies
ensuring that rate contracting advantages are supported by payment cycles.

Importantly, CSR is working with credit card companies to ensure transaction fee is
lowered thereby creating a win – win situation across all stakeholders.

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The client can custom chooses the type of accommodation as well based on their
budget. Standard and premium rooms can be booked. Special Requests can also be
carried out for VIPs, upon request.

DETAILED SERVICE ACTIVITIES

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 CHAPTER THREE

LITERATURE REVIEW

IMPORTANCES OF CUSTOMER SATISFACTION

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3.1 Defining Customer Satisfaction

Satisfaction is the consumer’s fulfillment response. It is judgment that a product or

service feature, or the product or service itself, provided a pleasurable level of
consumption-related fulfillment, including levels of under-or over fulfillment

The concept of customer satisfaction has drawn the attention of practitioners and
academics from last several years based on the fact that customers are the primary
source of profit for most of the firms operating in the market.

Customer satisfaction is an outcome of purchase and use resulting from the buyers'
comparison of the rewards and costs of the purchase in relation to the anticipated
consequences. It is also defined in terms of an emotional state that usually arises in
response of evaluating a particular service (Westbrook, 1981).

The former concept highlights the fact that satisfaction is determined through a cognitive
procedure by comparing what customers give up to get a service (cost) and what they
receive in response (reward) however the later concept takes satisfaction as a
emotional feeling that results during the process of evaluation. Consistent with this
concept, we can say that “customer satisfaction is defined as an emotional response,
which results from a cognitive process of evaluating the service received against the
costs of obtaining the service” (Woodruff et al. 1991).

The definition of customer satisfaction has been widely debated as organizations

increasingly attempt to measure it. Customer satisfaction can be experienced in a
variety of situations and connected to both goods and services. It is a highly personal
assessment that is greatly affected by customer expectations. Satisfaction also is based
on the customer’s experience of both contact with the organization (the “moment of
truth” as it is called in business literature) and personal outcomes. Some researchers

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define a satisfied customer within the private sector as “one who receives significant
added value” to his/her bottom line—a definition that may apply just as well to public
services. Customer satisfaction differs depending on the situation and the product or
service. A customer may be satisfied with a product or service, an experience, a
purchase decision, a salesperson, store, service provider, or an attribute or any of
these. Some researchers completely avoid “satisfaction” as a measurement objective
because it is “too fuzzy an idea to serve as a meaningful benchmark.”4 Instead, they
focus on the customer’s entire experience with an organization or service contact and
the detailed assessment of that experience.

Some definitions are based on the observation that customer satisfaction or

dissatisfaction results from either the confirmation or disconfirmation of individual
expectations regarding a service or product.

Customer satisfaction depends on the product’s performance relative to a buyer’s

expectation, the customer is dissatisfied. If preference matches expectations, the
customer is satisfied. If preference is exceeds expectation, the customer is highly
satisfied or delighted outstanding marketing insurance companies go out of their way to
keep their customer satisfied. Satisfied customers make repeat purchases insurance
products and tell other about their good experiences with the product. The key is to
match customer expectations with company performance.

Customer value is the difference between the values the customer gains from owning
and using a product and the costs of obtaining the products customers from
expectations about the value of various marketing offers and buy accordingly. How do
buyers from their expectations? Customer expectations are based on past buying
experiences, the opinion of friends and marketer and competitor information and
promises.

Customer satisfaction with a purchase depends on how well the service’s performance
lives up to the customers’ expectations. Customer satisfaction is a key influence on
future buying behavior.

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Satisfied customers buy again and tell others about their good experiences dies-
satisfied customer’s of ten switches to competitors and disparage the services to others.

Customers are the best source of information. Whether to improve an existing product
or service or whether firms are planning to launch something new. There is no
substitution for “getting it from horse’s mouth” When you talk to your customer directly,
to increase the odds for achieving success.

Customer satisfaction facilitates the measure of how service and products provided by
company meet customer expectation. It is a key performance indicator in business
terms. Typically, service firms monitor and examine the satisfaction level of customers
on an ongoing base by using different scales like liker, to measure the level of customer
satisfaction which is mainly based on service encounter experienced on their last visit.

3.2 Importance of Customer satisfaction

Market-driven business organizations place special emphasis on customer satisfaction.

Edosomwan (1993) in (Grigoroudis & Siskos 2010) defines these organizations as
follows:

“A customer- and market-driven enterprise is one that I committed to provide excellent

quality and competitive products and services to satisfy the needs and wants of
customer in a well-defined market segment…Such an enterprise analyze its market
capabilities and provides products and services to satisfy market needs. It considers its
customers as the final judges who determine product and service satisfaction level,
delivery, price and performance”.

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There are several possible uses of information about customer satisfaction which
includes:

 Customer satisfaction results can help to present the current standing of

customer satisfaction. This utilization often goes beyond reporting statistical data
such as mean, range, and standard deviation. These descriptive data can assist
in identifying specific strengths and weaknesses in satisfaction dimensions, the
specific items under each, as well as information about overall scores. However,
different types of data analysis can be used to identify not only aggregate but
also individual information. From here emerge the distinct patterns or gaps
between different individuals, groups, or among particular items.

 Customer satisfaction results can help to identify important customer

requirements. Identification of the specific customer requirements for achieving
satisfaction is useful at a very fundamental level. An organization is able to
clearly focus efforts in those areas that are most important to the customer.
Distinguishing those requirements most valued by customers allows for
pinpointing efforts for service modifications as well as further. Comparisons of
specific items to the satisfaction dimension or overall score can assist in
determination of those items that are more closely linked with satisfaction.

 Customer satisfaction results can help to monitor customer satisfaction results

over time. Quite simply, the same information gathered at different points in time
can assist in identification of trends and patterns that develop as an organization
evolves and changes. Furthermore, this can be helpful in demonstrating the
levels of effectiveness of interventions, services and so forth at particular points
in history. What may work during a certain point in time may not at another? This
temporal collection and comparison of information allows for an organization to
adapt and modify services and products to meet the changing requirements of its
customers.

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  Customer satisfaction results can help to provide comparisons to other
organizations. Comparisons either within an organization by department or sub-
group as well as with outside agencies can provide a wealth of information. This
includes not only structural and organizational strengths and weaknesses, but
also effectiveness of product/service components and product/service delivery.
This can assist in coordination of planned changes specific to each area, as
opposed to general, “blanket” approaches. Also, this can give a perspective of
how one organization is performing in relation to others, namely one’s
competition. This gives the customer the information necessary to make informed
choices and selections.

Customer Satisfaction Measurement

A basic and effective base line customer satisfaction survey program should focus on
measuring customer perceptions of how will the company delivers on the critical
success factors and dimensions of the business as defined by the customers:

For example:

 Service Promptness
 Courtesy of Staff
 Responsiveness
 Understanding the customer problem, etc.

The findings of the company performance should be analyzed both with all customers
and by key segments of the customer population. The essential starting point for
Customer Satisfaction Measurement (CMS) is exploratory research. Since satisfaction

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is about an organization’s ability. To meet customer requirement one has to start by
clarifying with customers exactly what those requirements are. This is done through
exploratory research using focus groups or one to one depth interviews.

Two main factors determine the accuracy of CMS. The first is the asking the right
question and the second is the asking them to the right people sample of customers
which accurately reflects the customer base.

Three things decide the accuracy of a sample. They are:

 It must be representative.
 It must be randomly selected.
 It must be adequate enough.

Measuring customer satisfaction

Organizations need to retain existing customers while targeting non-customers.

Measuring customer satisfaction provides an indication of how successful the
organization is at providing products and/or services to the marketplace.

Customer satisfaction is an abstract 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 factors the customer, such as
other products against which the customer can compare the organization's products.

Different Types of Customers

Customers play the most significant part in business. In fact the customer is the actual
boss in a deal and is responsible for the actually profit for the organization. Customer is

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the one who uses the products and services and judges the quality of those products
and services. Hence it’s important for an organization to retain customers or make new
customers and flourish business. To manage customers, organizations should follow
some sort of approaches like segmentation or division of customers into groups
because each customer has to be considered valuable and profitable.

3.3 Customers can be of following types:

 Loyal Customers- These types of customers are less in numbers but promote
more sales and profit as compared to other customers as these are the ones
which are completely satisfied. These customers revisit the organization over
times hence it is crucial to interact and keep in touch with them on a regular basis
and invest much time and effort with them. Loyal customers want individual
attention and that demands polite and respectful responses from supplier.
 Discount Customers- Discount customers are also frequent visitors but they are
only a part of business when offered with discounts on regular products and
brands or they buy only low cost products. More is the discount the more they
tend towards buying. These customers are mostly related to small industries or
the industries that focus on low or marginal investments on products. Focus on
these types of customers is also important as they also promote distinguished
part of profit into business.
 Impulsive Customers- These customers are difficult to convince as they want to
do the business in urge or caprice. They don’t have any specific item into their
product list but urge to buy what they find good and productive at that point of
time. Handling these customers is a challenge as they are not particularly looking
for a product and want the supplier to display all the useful products they have in
their tally in front of them so that they can buy what they like from that display. If
impulsive customers are treated accordingly then there is high probability that
these customers could be a responsible for high percentage of selling.
 Need Based Customers- These customers are product specific and only tend to
buy items only to which they are habitual or have a specific need for them. These
are frequent customers but do not become a part of buying most of the times so

pg. 32
 it is difficult to satisfy them. These customers should be handled positively by
showing them ways and reasons to switch to other similar products and brands
and initiating them to buy these. These customers could possibly be lost if not
tackled efficiently with positive interaction.
 Wandering Customers- These are the least profitable customers as sometimes
they themselves are not sure what to buy. These customers are normally new in
industry and most of the times visit suppliers only for confirming their needs on
products. They investigate features of most prominent products in the market but
do not buy any of those or show least interest in buying. To grab such customers
they should be properly informed about the various positive features of the
products so that they develop a sense of interest.

An organization should always focus on loyal customers and should expand or multiply
the product range to leverage impulsive customers. For other types of customers
strategies should be renovated and enhanced for turning out these customers to satisfy
their needs and modify these types of customers to let them fall under loyal and
impulsive category.

3.4 Customer Loyalty - Meaning and its Important Concepts

Every supplier wants to create and retain a loyal customer who engages in continued
profitable business with him. Customer Loyalty is the measure of success of the
supplier in retaining a long term relationship with the customer. Thus customer loyalty is
when a supplier receives the ultimate reward of his efforts in interacting with its
customer. Customer loyalty tends the customer to voluntarily choose a particular
product against another for his need. The loyalty may be product specific or it may be
company specific. When a loyal customer has repetitive requirement of the same
product, such customers may be described as being ‘brand loyal’. On the other hand he
may also require different products of the same manufacturer. That is to say he makes

pg. 33
significant purchases direct from the same supplier and that counts as the company
specific loyalty.

Loyalty also means that customer is sticking to the supplier on certain grounds though
he may be having other options also. It may be possible that the supplier may not have
the best product or the customer may be having some problems with the supplier in
respect of his supply of the product but the customer likes to ignore other options and
prefers to continue with the same supplier as the customer thinks the supplier provides
him more value and benefit than others. Such loyal customers tend to spend more
money buy more, buy longer and tell more people about the product or supplier. This
type of long-term customer loyalty can only be created by making the customers feel
that they are number one priority with the supplier.

Some customers are inherently predictable and loyal, irrespective of the supplier with
which they are doing business. They simply prefer long-term relationships with him.
Loyal customers are predisposed to stay with one product or supplier, resisting
competitive offers and also recommend the supplier to others.

In case the business is done directly the relationship is direct so also the loyalty. But if
the selling is through two or more intermediaries then the loyalty has to be measured at
different levels. In that case the end customer loyalty is influenced by the loyalty of the
intermediate customers. Then the supplier has to focus his loyalty retention plan
accordingly and has to judge and analyze the loyalties of the intermediaries. This
process depends on what amount of importance he gives to each of the intermediaries
and how much to the ultimate customer. But it is certain that well-managed customer
retention programs are sure to give the ultimate customer loyalty.

True, the customers who are targeted by a retention program demonstrate higher
loyalty to a business. Therefore such customer retention programs should include
regular communication with customers, and provide them opportunities to remain active
and choosing to do business with the supplier.

Loyalty is demonstrated by the actions of the customer. But it doesn’t mean that the
customer satisfaction level can measure his loyalty. Customer loyalty is not customer

pg. 34
satisfaction. Customer satisfaction is the basic entry point for a good business to start
with. A customer can be very satisfied with the deal and still not be loyal. On the other
hand a customer may not express satisfaction but wants to remain loyal to the supplier
due to some reasons which keeps him benefited from that supplier. For the same
degree of satisfaction, the loyalty level may also be different for different suppliers.

On the other hand, loyalty should not be considered as just an attitude. Customer
loyalty should have a direct connection to a company’s financial results. The supplier
should be able to plan a clear and direct economic benefit of some kind, as the result of
the strategies and tactics he employs to increase its customers’ loyalty.

Measuring customer loyalty and developing a retention strategy are of great importance
to an organization’s success.

3.5 Customer Loyalty and Satisfaction

Most of the organizations have murkiness in considering customer loyalty and

satisfaction. They feel that both are same and a satisfied customer is always loyal to
them. But this is not true as the customer can be delightfully satisfied but he may be or
may not be loyal. This is because satisfaction an emotional and slushy feeling over the
job done. But loyalty is related to the action taken by the customer future. There can be
following two combinations of aspect when satisfaction and loyalty are treated together:

 Satisfied but disloyal customers: A customer can be fully satisfied but may not
be loyal due to following reasons:
 Entrepreneur Customer: These types of customers like to
experiment a lot and hence try to create various options for them to
get more benefits. So even if they are satisfied they diverge to other
options available in the market.
 Pressure from Competitors: Due to the pressure in market the
customer tends to follow the competitors path and divert from the
existing supplier to remain sustain in the global marketplace.

pg. 35
  Outdated Suppliers: The customer may be satisfied with the
existing customers but sometimes feel that the product and
services he is using are outdated in market. Due to the changing
technology there is always a need to update the technical aspects
and product features even if the old products and services are
satisfactory. Focusing on these facets the customers normally go to
other suppliers for his new requirements.
 Unsatisfied but loyal customers: The other abnormal situation is when the
customer is loyal but is unsatisfied. The reasons for this are following:
 Lack of available options: There can lack of options available for
customers. This situation arises when the existing supplier is
having a monopoly in a particular segment of products or when all
other competitors are worse than the existing supplier. The
customer feel trapped in this type of situation and is forced to be
loyal to the supplier but at the end of the day he will be an
unsatisfied customer.
 Improved Supplier: In another situation the suppliers may take the
customers in confidence by convincing them to provide improved
products and services in the coming future. This is an important
tactic that supplier implement in their marketing strategy to become
customer centric and to have customers stick to them and be loyal.
To remain in a healthy relationship the customers also remain loyal
but have a feeling of dissatisfaction beneath. But finally if the
supplier continuously supply degraded products and services the
customer could easily divert from them in search of better
prospects.
 Customer Inertia: There are some customers who afraid to
change the supplier. Even if they have bad experience with the
supplier, they continue to have business with them. This may be
due to the emotional and business attachments or bonding of
customers with those particular suppliers. They could be many

pg. 36
 others reason for this like, the customers’ feel reluctant to face the
complexity of the process of changing their way to other suppliers
and prominently when they already have a long term relationship
with their suppliers. Under this situation the customer tries to ignore
the feelings of being unsatisfied and remain loyal to them.

For an organization to be in business and make profit it is a very important aspect for
them to gain customer loyalty. Even if high satisfaction may not guarantee loyalty but it
can be literally a prerequisite for it.

Drivers of Customer Loyalty

It is very important for an organization to identify the factors and facets which drive
customer loyalty. These factors help the organization to manage customer loyalty in a
better and efficient way. Following are the drivers of customer loyalty:

 Attitude: A customer to bear on his loyalty can have following types of attitude:

1. Product and services: Following are the important aspects of product and
services that could substantially help in retaining loyalty of customers.

a. Differentiated Products and Services- Differentiation in products and

services help the organization to reduce competition in market and have
substantial influence on customers’ mindset.

b. Multiple Products for the same customer- By manufacturing multiple

products for the same customer enhances the relationship with customer which
increases loyalty. If the customer is loyal towards any one brand then there are
good chances to retain his loyalty for whole range of brands.

c. High Service Component- The products having a high service component

captures more customer loyalty. This is because the customer does not want

pg. 37
 to experiment with other products provided by different supplier. Hence they
become loyal to the existing customer due to the provision of high service
components.

2. Technology: The technological aspects of product manufactured by the supplier

plays a vital role in customer loyalty. The more products are technologically
sound, more is the loyalty.

3. Human Resources: Organizational human resource plays a vital role in

marketing segments where customer comes in direct contact. In some consumer
sectors like household and automobiles, the customer gets a chance to evaluate
capability of organizational human assets. If the customer evaluates these
human assets as useful and is influenced by the aspects then he develops a
positive feeling against the supplier who posses these enhanced human assets.

4. Supplier’s Culture: Supplier’s culture is most important driver of customer

loyalty. In consumer sector this culture means quality and in core sector it can be
related to technology. For example, in US ‘Friedrich’ has ranked with good
quality, enhanced design and user friendly features which have created brand
loyalty. In Indian the supplier of almost all the dairy product called ‘Amul’ has
pursued customer loyalty because of their overall culture. In core sector the
image of the supplier is the biggest driver of loyalty. This image could add a
status symbol for most of the customers. ‘Mercedes’ automobiles and ‘RayBan’
sun-glasses are example of this. The customers uses these products only for
maintaining or enhancing their lifestyle and always be loyal to them.

pg. 38
3.6 STEP TO MAINTAIN CUSTOMER SATISFACTION

 Encourage Face-to-Face Dealings

This is the most daunting and downright scary part of interacting with a customer. If
you’re not used to this sort of thing it can be a pretty nerve-wracking experience. Rest
assured, though, it does get easier over time. It’s important to meet your customers face
to face at least once or even twice during the course of a project.

My experience has shown that a client finds it easier to relate to and work with someone
they’ve actually met in person, rather than a voice on the phone or someone typing into
an email or messenger program. When you do meet them, be calm, confident and
above all, take time to ask them what they need. I believe that if a potential client
spends over half the meeting doing the talking, you’re well on your way to a sale.

 Respond to Messages Promptly & Keep Your Clients Informed

This goes without saying really. We all know how annoying it is to wait days for a
response to an email or phone call. It might not always be practical to deal with all
customers’ queries within the space of a few hours, but at least email or call them back
and let them know you’ve received their message and you’ll contact them about it as
soon as possible. Even if you’re not able to solve a problem right away, let the customer
know you’re working on it.

A good example of this is my web host. They’ve had some trouble with server hardware
which has caused a fair bit of downtime lately. At every step along the way I was
emailed and told exactly what was going on, why things were going wrong, and how
long it would be before they were working again. They also apologized repeatedly,
which was nice. Now if they server had just gone down with no explanation I think I’d
have been pretty annoyed and may have moved my business elsewhere. But because
they took time to keep me informed, it didn’t seem so bad, and I at least knew they were

pg. 39
doing something about the problems. That to me is a prime example of customer
service.

 Be Friendly and Approachable

A fellow Site Pointer once told me that you can hear a smile through the phone. This is
very true. It’s very important to be friendly, courteous and to make your clients feel like
you’re their friend and you’re there to help them out. There will be times when you want
to beat your clients over the head repeatedly with a blunt object – it happens to all of us.
It’s vital that you keep a clear head, respond to your clients’ wishes as best you can,
and at all times remain polite and courteous.

 Have a Clearly-Defined Customer Service Policy

This may not be too important when you’re just starting out, but a clearly defined
customer service policy is going to save you a lot of time and effort in the long run. If a
customer has a problem, what should they do? If the first option does not work, then
what? Should they contact different people for billing and technical enquiries? If they’re
not satisfied with any aspect of your customer service, who should they tell?

There’s nothing more annoying for a client than being passed from person to person, or
not knowing who to turn to. Making sure they know exactly what to do at each stage of
their enquiry should be of utmost importance. So make sure your customer service
policy is present on your site — and anywhere else it may be useful.

 Attention to Detail (also known as “The Little Niceties”)

Have you ever received a Happy Birthday email or card from a company you were a
client of? Have you ever had a personalised sign-up confirmation email for a service
that you could tell was typed from scratch? These little niceties can be time consuming
and aren’t always cost effective, but remember to do them.

Even if it’s as small as sending a Happy Holidays email to all your customers, it’s
something. It shows you care; it shows there are real people on the other end of that

pg. 40
screen or telephone; and most importantly, it makes the customer feel welcomed,
wanted and valued.

 Anticipate tour client’s needs and to out of the way to help them out

Sometimes this is easier said than done! However, achieving this supreme level of
understanding with your clients will do wonders for your working relationship.

Take this as an example: you are working on the front-end for your client’s exciting new
ecommerce end over. You have all the images, originals and files backed up on your
desktop computer and the site is going really well. During a meeting with your client
he/she happens to mention a hard-copy brochure their internal marketing people are
developing. As if by magic, a couple of weeks later a CD-ROM arrives on their doorstep
complete with high resolution versions of all the images you’ve used on the site. A note
accompanies it which reads:

The client is heartily impressed, and remarks to his colleagues and friends how very
helpful and considerate his Web designers are. Meanwhile, in your office, you lay back
in your chair drinking your 7th cup of coffee that morning, safe in the knowledge this
happy customer will send several referrals your way.

 Honor the Promises

It is possible this is the most important point in this article. The simple message: when
you promise something, deliver. The most common example here is project delivery
dates.

Clients do not like to be disappointed. Sometimes, something may not get done, or you
might miss a deadline through no fault of your own. Projects can be late, technology can
fail and sub-contractors don’t always deliver on time. In this case a quick apology and
assurance it’ll be ready ASAP wouldn’t go amiss.

pg. 41
Conclusion

Customer service, like any aspect of business, is a practiced art that takes time and
effort to master. All you need to do to achieve this is to stop and switch roles with the
customer. What would you want from your business if you were the client? How would
you want to be treated? Treat your customers like your friends and they’ll always come
back.

3.7 The Importance of Employees in Customer Satisfaction & Retention

In the world of business, keeping customers satisfied and retaining them is vital to
continued success. Often, the employees who work face-to-face with these customers
are the ones who determine their levels of satisfaction, keeping them content with the
company and preventing them from looking elsewhere for someone to meet their needs.
Instead of ignoring the impact your employees can have upon the overall satisfaction
levels of your client base, keep this power in mind and encourage employees to make
the most of the power they wield, helping your business achieve success.

Ensuring Customer Satisfaction

While those who do not deal directly with customers may be able to hypothesize what
will make customers happy, only those who interact face-to-face can ensure that they
are truly satisfied. To do this, however, employees must feel as if they are able to make
modifications to the general business practices to truly satisfy their customers. If the
employees feel compelled and empowered to meet customer needs, one can ensure
higher levels of customer satisfaction and likely improved customer retention.

Environment Creation

Customers' impressions of a business depend in large part on the environment present

in the workplace. While managers may have a preference as to how their workplace will
feel, employees are the ones who actually set the scene. Employees impact the

pg. 42
business environment through the ways in which they interact with each other as well as
how they respond to customers. If employees behave in a professional-yet-inviting
manner, they may be better able to please customers and make the business
environment an inviting one.

Relationship Building

Ideally, customers and workers create relationships, keeping customers coming back.
To craft these relationships, workers must do more than just the bare minimum and
create connections with the individuals they serve. This may entail asking customers for
details about their lives or remembering customers' common orders, allowing them to
expedite the process in a fashion quite pleasing to the repeat customers. While
management cannot enforce the building of relationships, they can select employees
who appear open and willing to build relationships.

Representing the Product

Employees often provide customers with their initial impressions of the products the
company offers. Though the workers who deal directly with customers may not be the
people who select or develop products, they are the ones who give customers
information about them, selling the products and proving to the customers that the
products in question are ones they need. To ensure that workers can represent the
products they sell effectively, managers must educate their workers on these products
and ensure that they possess the knowledge necessary to tell workers about them in an
informed and engaging manner.

pg. 43
3.8 Strategies to increase customer satisfaction

In a business world where customer acquisition costs are sky-rocketing, small and
medium businesses must focus on building a customer experience to increase
customer satisfaction.

The following are some strategies to help on the way:

1. Treat your customers like they are the boss

The customer is the pay check. With no customers, there is nobody to pay you! By
taking this approach to every customer interaction you can naturally flip the angle on
customer service.

Here are some of the approaches recommended for businesses use:

 Thank all the customers for their business

 Go out the way to help customers

 Try to impress the customers as if you want a pay raise

 Think about your paycheck every time you talk to a customer

 Keep your promises and integrity

2. Focus on measuring customer satisfaction

Did you know that 91% of your unhappy customers will never purchase services from
you again? Measuring customer satisfaction can help you reduce the number of
unhappy customers.

So how do you measure customer satisfaction?

 Use one of these four Online Survey Tools

 Focus on these Customer Satisfaction Metrics

pg. 44
  Use customer support tools with ticket systems

3. Build customer loyalty to increase customer satisfaction

Customer satisfaction is worthless. Customer loyalty is priceless.

Strongly about customer loyalty and it is relationship with customer satisfaction in his
book, Customer Satisfaction is Worthless, and Customer Loyalty is Priceless. He
believes that businesses should be focuses their efforts on creating loyal customers,
that sticky and not easily influenced by competitors.

Five favorite ways to build customer loyalty to increase customer satisfaction:

 Remember special occasions like birthdays

 Strive to empower and educate customers

 Invest in a self-service support channel

 Top level managers must lead from the front with customer service

 Talk to your customers, tap into what they want and deliver

4. Avoid making these customer retention mistakes

No business is immune to unhappy customers. In fact, even companies with the best
customer service in the world will still lose up to 9% of their customers to competitors.

The good news is you can do something to stop customers defecting. Here are three
common customer retention mistakes that are killing your customer satisfaction:

 You are ignoring customer feedback

 You are taking customer feedback to personally

 You are using long, boring customer feedback surveys.

5. Set customer expectations early

pg. 45
Setting expectations too high is a common mistake a lot of businesses (and
salespeople) make when bringing on new business. How many times has your sales
guy made ridiculous promises to push a deal over the line?

If you’re like most businesses, you’ve probably had the odd wild over promising
salesperson.

For those who still have these wild ones, my advice – get them in line! They are killing
your customer satisfaction by setting expectations too high!

There’s no better feeling than as a customer to have your expectations exceeded.

6. Learn how to survey your customers the right way

A customer feedback survey is the best way to find out how satisfied your customers
are, find ways to improve your product or service, and identify customer advocates who
really love your product.

pg. 46
3.9 Handling different types of customers

Different customers can have similar characteristics, such as interests, appearance,

shopping behavior etc. So we can divide them prototypically into customer segments, or
“types of customers”. Of course each customer is unique, but classifying the different
personality types can help understanding the various types you may encounter.

The Negotiator

Negotiators always want to bargain. If one is dealing with them, know that a common
objection is to bargain your price based on a cheaper competitors offer. But most of the
time they want to bargain as a matter of principle.

How to Deal with a Negotiator: If one has room for negotiation, go on as long as you
do not harm the selling principles. Sometimes negotiators will get unpleasant and keep
asking for more until they are certain they will not get more. The negotiator seeks to
beat you down, no matter how good the deal is. Do not get lured into any discussion
and argue calmly and professionally. Stay confident and point out the good quality and
performance of the product. Make it clear if you do not want to bargain and move to a
close.

The Well-Informed

The well-informed are confident. They will walk directly towards the company, giving
one a firm handshake. Although they already seem to know everything, they expect
professional advice from you. Often their decision to purchase is based on how the
product reflects their social status.

How to Deal with the Well-Informed: It can get quite exhausting dealing with a know-
it-all. But, power comes from inner peace. Even if they already seem to have formed an
opinion, provide them with precise information. Acknowledging their competence will
comfort them. If their idea is false try not to lecture them as this will make them
uncomfortable and perhaps even angry. Small talk might not be appropriate in this

pg. 47
context. Instead suggest products without trying to persuade them in their final
purchasing decision.

The Annoyed One

Every once in awhile one has to deal with customers who complain about almost
everything. Whether it’s the high price, the bad quality or the unfriendly seller- there is
nothing really one can do to please the customer. They are just always irritated.

How to Deal with the Annoyed Ones: A way to handle these types of customers is to
impress them with expertise. Also you are able to ease the customer’s mind with the
right balance between problem solution, approval, politeness and courteous treatment.
When getting the feeling of being listened and responded to, you’re eventually able to
convince them. They might even flash a smile!

The Suspicious One

Suspicious customers will not hide their mistrust of products and advertising. They are
one thing above all: critical. They will gladly let one explain everything and surprise you
with a strong opinion and knowledge.

How to Deal with the Suspicious One: Do not interrupt them; make them feel that
they are taken seriously. One need to seek confidence and show them that they are in
best hands. Assure to provide reliable information and convince them with great
expertise. Everything else will make them even more skeptical. By finding the source of
mistrust in a particular product (e.g. supposedly high electricity consumption), you can
invalidate the presumption with facts and give proof to clear his misunderstanding.
Giving out product datasheets is a good way to convince the suspicious type.

The Questioner

This type of customer can be very pushy as he wants to know everything.

How to Deal with the Questioner: Firstly try to find out if they really intend to buy.
Perhaps they already ordered the product somewhere else and just want a free

pg. 48
consultation. If one do not think so, stay friendly and patient as always. Even if
questioners are not buying right away, your patience will be remembered.

The Ones who Agree on Everything

These customers are reserved and act shy. They will say “yes” quickly. At the same
time they are overwhelmed and feel that they have been taken by surprise. The sales
conversation is a stressful moment for them. Sensitivity is required here.

How to Deal with the Ones who agree on everything: Keep talking calmly and in a
non-binding way. Otherwise they will feel pushed into a corner quickly and obliged to
buy. One will probably would not sell to him a second time when he gets the feeling he
needs to buy, simply to get out of the situation. So try not to turn this customer off by
letting him feel like he is being sold to.

The Indecisive

These are the customers who are not really sure about what they want. They will give
one short, indecisive answers, saying things like “maybe” or the dreaded “I don’t know.”
There is a lot going on in their head. Numerous questions show that they are
considering whether to buy or not to buy.

How to Deal with the Indecisive: To convince them, they are going to need a little, or
a lot handholding. Learn more about them; they will probably give one enough to help
you lead them down the right path. Educate this type of customer on why your product
is the best one for them. Support their final decision a few more times by approving the
purchase.

pg. 49
3.10 Handling Angry Customers

Customers get angry for a variety of reasons, some justified, some not. But since one is
in business to serve the customers, they likely encounter rude or angry individuals at
one time or another. How one respond can make the difference between a customer
who feels satisfied with the resolution and one who vows never to patronize one
business again?

Here are tips for coping with a tense situation and hopefully resolving it to everyone’s
satisfaction:

 Remain calm. When a customer starts yelling or being otherwise rude, there is
nothing to be gained by responding in a similar manner. In fact, that will probably
escalate hostilities. Maintain control of yourself, even if the customer’s tirade
makes you feeling like yelling yourself.
 Do not take it personally. Remember, the customer is not angry with you, they
are displeased with the performance of the product or the quality of the service
you provide. Your personal feelings are beside the point.
 Use your best listening skills. The first thing an angry customer wants is to
vent. To do so, they need someone to listen and, for better or worse, employee is
that person. Listening patiently can defuse a situation, as long as the customer
feels acknowledged in his or her complaint. Hear them out. When they are done
talking, summarize what one heard and ask any questions to further clarify their
complaint. Body language can be critically important here. Keep eye contact.
Stand or sit up straight.
 Actively sympathize. After the customer vents, he wants to know whether one
understands where he is coming from and how he or she feels. Express
sympathy for their unpleasant customer experience. Respect and understanding
go a long way toward smoothing things over.
 Apologize gracefully. Whether the customer’s complaint is legitimate or not is
really irrelevant. If one wants her to stay a customer, one need to express an
apology for the problem they are having (or perceive to be having). A simple,

pg. 50
 straightforward statement is often all that is needed: “I’m sorry you’re not happy
with our product. Let’s see what we can do to make things right.”
 Find a solution. Once one understands why the customer is unhappy, it is time
to offer a solution. Ask him what he feels should be done or put forward their own
fair and realistic answer to the problem. In most cases, that is all the customer is
looking for; and may result in providing some degree of satisfaction.
 Take a few minutes on your own. After the situation has been resolved and the
customer is on her way, it is helpful for one to take their own time-out. Even if
they have handled the situation in the most professional way possible, it is still a
stressful experience. Rather than let that stress lingers inside you, take a short
walk, treat yourself to a snack or find someone to talk to who makes you laugh.
Then you will be ready to once again engage with your customers.

pg. 51
 CHAPTER 4

DATA PRESENTATION, INTERPRETATION AND ANALYSIS

pg. 52
4.1 Data presentation and Analysis

This chapter presents the collection, presentation, interpretation and an analysis of the
data which was found through the research which was conducted at CSR where four 30
respondents we interviewed from the different corporate companies working with CSR.

The survey also evaluated the most preferred service by the customers at CSR Global.
The study illustrated the methods to improve customer satisfaction against the services
offered in the company.

pg. 53
 4.2 Evaluation of customer satisfaction

Question:

1. How do you rate CSR

30 respondents we interviewed.

Poor Average Good Very Excellent

Good
1. Quality of service 
2. Staff courteousness & helpfulness 
3. Staff support 
4. Was the staff interested in serving 
you?
5. Staff knowledge of the product and 
service?
6. Overall customer service & 
relationship
7. In meeting our commitments, how do 
you rate us?
8. How do rate our product and service 
with competitors in the market?

pg. 54
Question:

How do you rate CSR?

How do you rate CSR Despondences

Poor 0%
Average 20%
Good 43.33%
Very Good 30%
Excellent 6.67%

How do you rate CSR

Poor
Average
Good
Very Good
Excellent

The above data shows that customers rate CSR as good 43.33% and very good 30%. This means
that they are satisfied with it. It means that while it still performs well, there is still the room for
the improvement.

pg. 55
Question:

The service provided by CSR

Better Good Worse

1. Reliability  
2. Location & 
Timing
3. Rating & 
charges
4. Products  

Service provided by CSR

Better
Good
Worse
Best

From the above that, the most of the customers describes the CSR as good. Even though they
might be good, some people still do not like them so the company has to improve on its products
and service provide to satisfy all the clients.

pg. 56
Question:

Why do you prefer CSR?

A. Reliability B. Location & Timing C. Customer service

D. Rate & charges E. Other

Why do you prefer CSR?

Reliability
Customer service
Rate & charges
Location & Timing

From the above information, most of the people prefer CSR because of the reliability and
customer service it provides.

This means most of the customers are satisfied by the CSR products. Some people prefer it
because of the rates and charges which seem to be very low compared to other competitors in the
market.

pg. 57
Question:

Is the waiting acceptable to you?

A. Yes

A. No

Is the waiting acceptable to you?

yes
no

From the above data, most of the CSR clients are ok with the waiting period the encounter at the
company. This means are satisfied.

pg. 58
 Question:

Are you satisfied with the neatness, health and safety standard of the branch?

A. Yes

A. No

Are you satisfied with the neatness, health

and safety standard of the branch?

yes
no

From the above chart, statistics show that 70% of the clients are happy with the standard and
safety of the work place even though it does not matter that much since only calls and emails are
used.

pg. 59
Question:

Do you think our products & services given to you value for money?

A. Too much

B. Yes

C. Somewhat

D. No

Do you think our products & services given to

you value for money?

Too much 25%

Yes 45%
Somewhat 20%
No 10%

From the above chart, 45% says the service and products at CSR value their money. 25% of the
sample is very much satisfied while 20% is just ok. Only 10% people are not ok.

pg. 60
Question:

How often you avail the Services?

A. Monthly Once

B. Once in two Months

C. Once in 6 Months

D. More than twice in 1 month

How often you avail the Services?

Monthly Once
Once in two Months
Once in 6 Months
More than twice in 1 month

From the above chart, the large fraction uses CSR service more than once in a month, this means
they are loyal customers and are happy with the services there. Some other corporate use it once
a month, while other very few times in 2 months.

pg. 61
Question:

How long have you been using CSR services?

A. Less than Six Months

B. Six Months to 1 year

C. 1-2 Years

D. 2-5 Years

E. More than 5 years

How long have you been using CSR services?

Less than Six Months

Six Months to 1 year
1-2 Years
2-5 Years
More than 5 years

From the above chart, the bigger fraction is for people who have been availing CSR service for
more than five years, this means they are the loyal customers to the company and they are happy
with it. Few fractions is for new clients

pg. 62
Question:

To serve you better in future, what factors you think we should focus more on?

A. Rates

B. Number of employees

C. Customer service

D. New product development

E. Other

To serve you better in future, what factors

you think we should focus more on?

Rates
Number of employees
Customer service
New product development
Other

From the above chart, people suggested that CSR should search and provide lesser rates as to
serve them better. They also added that shortage of staff is also another factor which must be
looked into to improve the customer service at the company.

pg. 63
 CHAPTER 5

CONCLUSIONS

pg. 64
5.1 FINDINGS AND SUGGESTIONS

This chapter presents the conclusion derived from the study. The answers of the
research questions are discussed followed by the contribution of the study and
suggestions for Managers. Further, it also provides reflection of the study along with
recommendations for future research in the area of customer satisfaction.

A winning strategy these days is to deliver excellent services. Quality service is

essential to gain competitive advantage in the market place also it helps to sustain
customer’s confidence. Companies develop different strategies in order to meet
expectations of its customers and to ensure the smooth service delivery they
continuously engage themselves in improving the customer satisfaction standards. To
develop effective strategies that lead to increased level of satisfaction and customer
loyalty, companies need to know how quality affects the satisfaction level, its role and
cost to assess the customer value and its relationship with customer satisfaction.

Other than this, there is a need to focus on technological based services for customer
support. The most important issue to win customer’s trust is to focus on developing
customer complaint resolution system. As the main focus is on satisfying the customer
who demands to put an extra effort to understand their concerns. Sometimes a little
node or a smile can make a customer feel valuable. There are small things like
gestures, way of dealing even dressing can be used as inspirational technique. Also it’s
important to deal the customer in a way he/she understands. If we consider banks
particularly, people who visit the bank belong to different age groups so bank should
deal them in their way according to their comfort level.

pg. 65
5.2 Contribution of the Study

The study contributes for service firms aiming to improve the quality standards to satisfy
their existing and future customers. Some improvement methods are discussed in this
study which can be implemented in different sectors of service industry.

5.3 Suggestions

Customer satisfaction is proved to be the important determinant to maintain the overall

performance system of the firm. There are some suggestions for service managers
derived from the findings of this research.

Managers should consistently monitor and improve all channels through which product/
service pass regularly. For this purpose capacity planning of employees is necessary to
avoid stressful situations. It can be done by setting employees targets to be achieved
daily to measure over and under capacity of their work. Capacity planning help in setting
targets and measuring the performance by evaluating the amount of work employee can
deliver each day.

pg. 66
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Websites and weblinks:

www.csrglobal.in

www.researchgate.net/publications

pg. 69