reseach method

8/17/2019 Reseach Method

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CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

Customer satisfaction has been a subject of great interest to organizations. The

principal objective of organizations is to maximize profits and to minimize cost. Profit

maximization can be achieved through increase in sales with lesser costs. One of the

factors that can help to increase sales is customer satisfaction, because satisfaction

leads to customer loyalty, recommendation and repeat purchase. s mentioned by

!iew"Phai# $o#e, %&'' that customer satisfaction is a personal feeling of either pleasure

or disappointment resulting from the evaluation of services provided by an organization

to an individual in relation to expectation.

(n the competitive mar#ets, differentiation between organizations in terms of

price, product and service characteristics and the value of the delivery system. !ervice

)uality is a comparison of expectations with performance *+anisah at !alim, %&''-.

business with high service uality will meet customer needs whilst remainingeconomically competitive. (mprove service uality may increase economic

competitiveness. (n every organization and same goes to T/T, one of the main focused

is customer. 0ithout customer, an organization would not have a purpose to exist.

Customer to an organization can be categorized into two categories that are account

customer and new customer. +owever the problem arises shows that there is a poor

service uality to the customer at the organization *1. 2owne, %&''-.

The discussion about the issues revealed what as mentioned by *Caruana, %&&&-

*Taiwo,%&''- and *!ureshchandar, %&&%-. +owever there is a lac# of discussion about

the influence of service uality toward customer satisfaction. Therefore the main

purpose of this study is to identify the influence of service uality towards customer

satisfaction as nature business of T/T is logistic and it depends on customer.

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Customers became very vital in business during the mar#eting era of the '34&s when

companies could produce what they can sell and not just selling what they can produce

as it was during the production era. !ince the beginning of the consumption era in

mar#eting, *business.business"#ey.com- the focus on customers5consumers has

increased more as the consumption era also shifts to post"consumption6 where

organizations are obliged to render more services in addition to what they provide as

offers to their customers. *rmano, %&&3-.

Statement of the Pro!em

!ervice uality is being a vital component for both initial and ongoing

development of customer satisfaction. s a logistic company T/T strives to satisfy its

customers. The priority of T/T services is national or international delivery and to ma#e

sure it arrive same day or next day delivery, 0arehousing or fulfillment. ll document,

parcel and freight are delivered safely through our door"to"door integrated air and road

networ#s. Customer Complaint in T/T are about delivery, non"delivery, loss, damage

and delay of delivery.( www.tnt.com.my – customer feedback )

T/T advises their entire customer to beware of such reuests for advance onmost of the complaint is fraudsters use T/T7s identity on websites and email messages

to mislead (nternet shoppers. The fraudulent communication typically concern a

reuest for advance wire transfer of money to pay for the goods ordered on the internet,

before the goods will be allegedly shipped by T/T.

On"line payments, and that the existence of a consignment number *or trac#ing

number- is not necessarily proof that a consignment is in the custody or control of T/T.

8esearch Objectives

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http://www.tnt.com.my/http://www.tnt.com.my/http://www.tnt.com.my/


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The o"ect#$e% of th#% %tudy !! e to 9"

'. To determine the factors that influence uality service towards customer

satisfaction among customer at T/T :xpress 0orldwide *- ;hd

%. To identify level of customer satisfaction among customer in T/T :xpress

0orldwide *- ;hd


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(#m#tat#on% of the Study

The limitation of the study will be only in house and !hah lam customer only.

s the areas of study are very broad nature, not all can be access the literature

concerning customer satisfaction and service uality as it been very voluminous. Thus

its a limited aspect within literature, thereby around the relationship between customer

satisfaction and service uality dimension of the !:8?)@$ model. The !:8?)@$

model is a common diagnostic tool used to measure customer service and perceived

satisfaction. :ven though the research concerns about the employees and customers,

the focus are more on customer as it is very interesting to find out customer perspective

and customers who consume services from T/T :xpress 0orldwide *- ;hd.

Def#n#t#on of Term%

Cu%tomer Ser$#ce%

Customer service can be defined as providing information or it can be as complex as

trac#ing customer habits and anticipating their needs *Aeithaml, Parasuraman B ;erry,

'33&-.

Ser$#ce 'ua!#ty

!ervice uality can be described as a rationale of differences between expectation and

competence along the important uality dimensions *Aeithaml, Parasuraman B ;erry,

'33&-.

Cu%tomer Sat#%fact#on

Customer satisfaction is a personal feeling of either pleasure or disappointment

resulting from the evaluation of services provided by an organization to an individual in

relation to expectations *$ehtinen B 1ronroos , '33-.

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CHAPTER )

(#terature Re$#e&

The aim of this section is to present literatures relevant to this research and to

provide a theoretical framewor#. (t begins with a review of definitions and some

measurements of customer satisfaction and service uality, and then follows by the

relationship between customer satisfaction and service uality, which leads to the

conceptual frame wor# of the study and identification of (ndependent ?ariable *(?- and

2ependant ?ariable *2?-.

Def#n#t#on of Ser$#ce 'ua!#ty *I+,

0inder and >udd *'33D-, defines uality as the ongoing process of building and

sustaining relationship by assessing, anticipating and fulfilling stated and implied needs.

)uality is the totality of features and characteristics of a product5 services that bears on

its ability to satisfy stated or implied needs O#ella, *%&&E-. ;alunywa *'334-, stated

uality as an attribute of a product 5 service, that is a grade of a particular product or

service thus tal# of poor and good uality. These two definitions emphasize uality

being inherent in a product 5 service. !ervice is any activity that one party can offer to

another that is essentially intangible and does not result into ownership Folter, *'333-.

Gour main features characterized service namely6 intangibility, perish ability,

heterogeneity and inseparability unli#e products Payne *'33&-. ccording to +eizer and

8ender *'333-, services are those economic activities that typically produce an

intangible product as education, government, insurance, entertainment, transportation,

real estate and medical repair.

Previous studies about service uality, in year %&'


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service firm and its personnel. s conclude by the author on that this articles reviews

and merges the latest insights from diverse attachment theories and concept in diverse

disciplines. lso presents attachment styles as a new consumer segmenting criteria.

(n year %&'%, Fernbach and !.schutte find that the impact of service provider

emotional intelligence on customer satisfaction. The researchers finds that higher

emotional intelligence displayed by the service provider lead to greater reported

satisfaction with the service transaction. ;y author point of view and conclusion as the

result reveals that customer are more satisfied when they deal with service providers

with high emotional intelligence.

(n year %&'', :.!wan and ;owers, found out that a research on dissatisfaction or

uality typically involves starting with a theoretical model. Grom the finding it stated the

current service theory and methods do not focus sharply on user provider interaction

and process. 8esearch and theory focuses on the individual not on people doing things

together. s a conclusion the study concludes that resolving the paradox of service

problem and satisfaction when the tour participants were satisfied even in the face of

service failure is explained.

(n year %&'&, Fang and Cho, uthor stated that unsatisfied customer complained

about product or experience and show their unfavorable attitudes that negatively will

influence on business performance.

)uality service is defined as a level of service, compared to that of competitors

that is high enough in the eyes of a customer, that enables one to gain an unnaturally

large mar#et share and enjoy a higher profit margin than competitors, *Farl, %&&E-.

ccording to +awcroft *'33'-, anticipating and satisfying the needs and expectations of

a customer.

:very company owner wants to get loyal customers that add to repeating

purchases and of cause increasing their maximum revenue. ;ut to get there they need

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to #now about the 4 !ervice )uality 2imensions. any actually thin# that service is just

a little part of the mar#eting mix, but it is actually a very important part of both the E and

H PIs.

Tang##!#ty

The tangible !ervice )uality 2imension refers to the appearance of the physical

surroundings and facilities, euipment, personnel and the way of communication. (n

other words, the tangible dimension is about creating first hand impressions. company

should want all their customers to get a uniue positive and never forgetting first hand

impression, this would ma#e them more li#ely to return in the future.

Em-athy

The empathy !ervice )uality 2imension refers to how the company cares and

gives individualized attention to their customers, to ma#e the customers feeling extra

valued and special. The fifth dimension are actually combining the second, third and

fourth dimension to a higher level, even though the really cannot be compared as

individuals. (f the customers feel they get individualized and uality attention there is a

very big chance that they will return to the company and do business there again.

A%%urance

The assurance !ervice )uality 2imension refers to the companyIs employees.

re the employees s#illed wor#ers, which are able to gain the trust and confidence of

the customers= (f the customers are not comfortable with the employees, there are a

rather large chance that the customers will not return to do further business with the

company.

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Re!#a#!#ty

The reliability !ervice )uality 2imension refers to how the company are

performing and completing their promised service, uality and accuracy within the given

set reuirements between the company and the customer. 8eliability is just as important

as a goof first hand impression, because every customer want to #now if their supplier is

reliable and fulfill the set reuirements with satisfaction.

Re%-on%#$ene%%

The responsiveness !ervice )uality 2imension refers to the willingness of the

company to help its customers in providing them with a good, uality and fast service.

This is also a very important dimension, because every customer feels more valued if

they get the best possible uality in the service.

Def#n#t#on of Cu%tomer Sat#%fact#on *D+,

+ere is general agreement that the aforementioned constructs are important

aspects of service uality, but many scholars have been s#eptical about whether these

dimensions are applicable when evaluating service uality in other service industries*Ginn B $amb, '33'6 Cronin B Taylor, '33%-. Gor example, Cronin B Taylor *'33%-

argued that the evaluation of service uality based on the expectation"performance gap

derived from Parasuraman et al *'34, '3- is insufficient because much of the

empirical research supported performance"based measures of service uality. This has

more explanatory power than measures that are based on the gap between expectation

and performance *e.g. ;aba#us B ;oller, '33%6 ;aba#us B an gold, '33%6 Churchill B

!urprenant '3%-. (n addition, Fang B >ames *%&&E- argued that !:8?)@$ focuses

more on the service delivery process than on other attributes of service, such as

service"encounter outcomes *i.e. technical dimensions-.

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Re!at#on%h#- et&een Ser$#ce 'ua!#ty and Cu%tomer Sat#%fact#on

!ince customer satisfaction has been considered to be based on the customer7s

experience on a particular service encounter, *Cronin B Taylor, '33%- it is in line with the

fact that service uality is a determinant of customer satisfaction, because service

uality comes from outcome of the services from service providers in organizations.

nother author stated in his theory that Jdefinitions of consumer satisfaction relate to a

specific transaction *the difference between predicted service and perceived service- in

contrast with Kattitudes7, which are more enduring and less situational"oriented. (n

relating customer satisfaction and service uality, researchers have been more precise

about the meaning and measurements of satisfaction and service uality. !atisfaction

and service uality have certain things in common, but satisfaction generally is abroader concept, whereas service uality focuses specifically on dimensions of service.

lthough it is stated that other factors such as price and product uality can affect

customer satisfaction, perceived service uality is a component of customer

satisfaction. This theory complies with the idea of 0ilson et al. *%&&- and has been

confirmed by the definition of customer satisfaction presented by other researchers.

Conce-tua! .rame&ork

I+

D+

Customer !atisfaction

.#gure )/1 Conceptual Gramewor# on the Customer !ervices relationship

between Customer !atisfaction among employees at 0arehouse 2epartment, T/T

:xpress 0orld 0ide *-, ;u#it >elutong and customer that using logistic services.

9

Ser$#ce 0ua!#ty

• Tangibility

• :mpathy

• ssurance

• 8eliability

• 8esponsiveness.


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CHAPTER

2ETHODO(O34

This chapter covers the method that was used in the study. (t includes research

design, sampling frame, population, sampling techniue, sampling size, unit of analysis,

data collection, instruments and validity instruments.

Re%earch De%#gn

The study used both descriptive and uantitative research designs. 2escriptive

method was used to describe the characteristics of the research variables. )uantitative

method was used to collect data from a given number of respondents. To a lesser

extent ualitative method was also used in order to get opinions from different

respondents. The study was also cross"sectional in nature because the researcher

gathered data once over a period of days in order to answer the research uestions.

Sam-!#ng .rame

Data collected will be related to certain concepts and it will search patterns in data

relating customer satisfaction and serice proided! "n this research# the customers who are

directl$ using a shipping serices at %arehouse Department# &'& ()press %orld%ide *+, -dn

.hd# .u/it elutong! or e)ample &he list of customer who collected itself their shipping at

%arehouse Department# .u/it elutong ma$be the sampling frame for a sure$ of whole

customer that using shipping serices form other state!

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Po-u!at#on

The population is set of customers at 0arehouse 2epartment, T/T :xpress

0orld0ide *- !dn ;hd to which findings are to be generalized. This method is chosen

because we want to ensure that the particular categories in the population are

represented as the same proportion as in the population and the sample population was

include6 elutong.

Sam-!e S#5e

sample of '4 employees and HE customers was considered out '&& studies.

Un#t of Ana!y%#%

@nit of analysis in this study is the customer and employees in T/T :xpress

0orld0ide *- !dn ;hd, ;u#it >elutong. The employee will be responsible to assist

customer for their delivery or collected document, parcel or freight. This will be

identifying the relationship between service uality and customer satisfaction.

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Data Co!!ect#on Procedure%

2ata was collected from both primary and secondary. The main source of

primary data was through uestionnaire. !econdary data was obtained from existing

literature that is from textboo#s, journals, brochures, and (nternet and T/T website.

In%trument

)uestionnaires are based on !:8?)@$ model created by Parasuraman *'34-

*and his fellow researcher, which cover reliability, tangibles, responsiveness, courtesy

and accessibility with modification to their wording to suit this research. Give li#e type

response categories will be used9 !trongly 2isagree, 2isagree, /eutral, gree, and

!trongly gree. These categories will be assigned values from ' to 4, where ' will be

the least satisfied towards the service provided and 4 is the most satisfied toward the

service provided.

+a!#d#ty In%trument

The validity instrument for this uestionnaire will be chec# by the expertise of the

research, which will be the researcher supervisor. 2espite that, the uestionnaire

should be validity and reliability before it been distributed. $ast but not least, the

researcher will have to discuss and meeting for the approval and guidelines.

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P!an for Data Ana!y%#%

Re%earchO"ect#$e%

Conce-t%6Con%truct

2ea%urementSca!e Stat#%t#c%

To determine thefactors thatinfluence ualityservices towardscustomer satisfaction amongcustomer in T/T:xpress 0orldwide*- ;hd

2epartment servicerepresentative withthe #nowledgeableand professional.

)'.0hat are the factor influence ualityservices towardscustomer satisfaction amongcustomer in T/T:xpress 0orldwide*- ;hd.

/ominal ean,!tandard2eviation

To identify level of customer satisfaction amongcustomer in T/T:xpress 0orldwide*- ;hd

The level of satisfaction tocustomer with theservice provide tothem are providingto them.

)'. 0hat is the levelof customer satisfactionamong customer in T/T :xpress0orldwide *-;hd.

/ominal ean,!tandard2eviation

To examine therelationship

between ualityservices andcustomer satisfaction in T/T:xpress 0orldwide*- ;hd

!uggestion andrecommendation

based on our service for anyimprovements infuture.

)'. 0hat is therelationship

between ualityservices andcustomer satisfaction inT/T :xpress0orldwide *-;hd.

/ominal ean,!tandard

2eviation

Re%earchO"ect#$e%

Conce-t%6Con%truct

2ea%urement Sca!e Stat#%t#c%

$evel of satisfaction

$evel ' !trongly 2isagree

$evel % 2isagree

$evel < /eutral

$evel E gree

$evel 4 !trongly gree

14Ta!e /1 Data Analysis


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CHAPTER 7

.INDIN3S O. STUD4

Sur$ey Return Date

2ata was collected from both primary and secondary. The main source of

primary data was through uestionnaire. !urvey return day we provided to the

respondent is between a wee# and started from 'st 2ecember until Hth 2ecember %&'E.

Demogra-h#c Prof#!e Of Re%-ondent%

Participants of this study were 4& female and 4& male consumers. ean age was

%3.D. '4 of them is an employees and 4 of them is customer of T/T itself. nd the

percent is divided by 4


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The aims of this study also we see as twofold which is first using !:8?)@$

model, we examined significant differences in the five service uality dimensions which

is * responsiveness , assurance, empathy, tangibility5physical aspects and reliability - by

evaluating customer expectation and their actual perceptions of the courier service firm.

!econdly, we examined the impact of the five service uality dimension on customer

perceptions of service delivered by the firm * see Gig. '-.

.#g 1 8 Re%earch .rame&ork

The five hypotheses are as follows :

+' 9 8esponsiveness will have a significant impact on customer satisfaction

+% 9 ssurance will have a significant impact on customer satisfaction

+< 9 :mpathy will have a significant impact on customer satisfaction

+E 9 Tangibility will have a significant impact on customer satisfaction

+4 9 8eliability will have a significant impact on customer satisfaction

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S e r v i c e

u a l i t y

!esponsiveness

Assurance

"mpathy

Tan#ibility

!eliability

!

Cu%tomer

Sat#%fact#on


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$0 There is a si#nificant relationship between element tan#ibility (&') towards customer

satisfaction (D') elements as customer satisfaction as value *.*+ (*.*0*1) and

there is a correlation between &' and D' .

$% There is a si#nificant relationship between element reliability (&') towards customer

satisfaction (D') elements as customer satisfaction as value *.*+ (*.*01%) and

there is a correlation between &' and D' .

Validity 9 ;ecause the study was a descriptive study6 ( made used of the significant level

during the testing of the hypotheses. The research significant level for the tests made

was &.&4, i.e. 34L confidence interval that ( used to decide on rejecting or acceptingthe null hypothesis, although more li#ely to ma#e type ' error *a ris# of ' out of %&-, and

low chances to ma#e type two error *when ris# is ' out of '&- *;ryman B ;ell, %&&


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CHAPTER 9

CONC(USION AND RECO22ENDATION

CONC(USION

The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between customer

satisfaction and service uality with respect to service uality to customer. The research

uestions were J0hat are the factors that influence uality services towards customer

satisfaction among customers in T/T :xpress 0orldwide *- ;hd=6 J0hat is the level

of customer satisfaction among customers in T/T :xpress 0orldwide *- ;hd= J0hat

is the relationship between services uality and customer satisfaction in T/T :xpress

0orldwide *- ;hd= The uniue design of this research gave strange but interestingresults because of the grouped and ungrouped presentation of the data. The results

appeared to be different in the two ways of analysis. Thus, whether the research

uestions were answered or the objective was met depend on the out comes of the

study. Grom the summary of the results it could be seen that the research uestions

where answered either distinctively by the individual service sectors or jointly in a group

analysis of the common variables.

Grom the result section6 the individual results showed that the research uestions

were answered by each of the organizations distinctively. T/T :xpress 0orldwide *-

;hd used four of the service uality dimensions *reliability, empathy, responsiveness,

and assurance- in order to answer the research uestions in order to meet the

objective.

0ith regards to T/T :xpress6 reliability, responsiveness and assurance had

significant relationships with both customer satisfaction and service uality while

empathy was significantly related to service uality and not customer satisfaction. ;ut

customer satisfaction and service uality had no significant relationship. This could

mean that service uality dimensions are independent factors to the relationship

between customer satisfaction and service uality for T/T :xpress, empathy and

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tangible had significant relationship with customer satisfaction and service uality while

responsiveness was significantly related to customer satisfaction and not to service

uality. 8eliability had no significant relationship with both customer satisfaction and

service uality6 but there was a significant relationship between customer satisfaction

and service uality. This could mean that the relationship between customer satisfaction

and service uality could be depending on the service provided.

The research was able to expose the relationship between service uality and

customer satisfaction because there was a significant relationship between service

uality and customer satisfaction, this could mean that, relationship between customer

satisfaction and service uality might be depending on service uality dimensions.

Thus, there could be relationships among service uality dimensions, customer

satisfaction and service uality, but customers of service sector7s might be satisfied

because of reasons other than service uality

Recommendat#on

Our recommendation toward the relationship between service )uality and

Customer !atisfaction is to provide the highest level of Customer service and uality

goods are imperative to compete for business against companies promoting similar products or services.

Cu%tomer Ser$#ce

/othing is as welcoming as being treated with dignity and the utmost respect by

a friendly and attentive customer service representative.

Ser$#ce 'ua!#ty

)uality includes ensuring that services are excellent and wor#ing exactly as

expected and claimed to do.

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Im-ro$ement

Companies can use several methods to promote uality customer service and

goods. These include ensuring that employees are thoroughly #nowledgeable of the

product or service and aware of the correct body language to use to convey the

company message.

Sugge%t#on

The topic was a good one but because of its limitations and5or outcome, there is

a need for further research. ;ecause the study did not consider employees who provide

the services to customers6 further research could be to study relationship among

customer satisfaction, service uality and job satisfaction with the use of all the five

!:8?)@$ dimensions at once, to see if satisfaction level of employees is related to

their services and5or customer satisfaction. nother further study could be to test among

the dimensions with the use of another statistical method to see which of hem will be

more important to service uality and5or customer satisfaction. lso future study could

be to test these same variables in a manufacturing sector.

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RE.ERENCES

Parasuraman, , Aeithamal, ?. and ;erry $. $. *'34-, A conceptual model of service

2uality and implications for future research.

Parasuraman. , Aeithamal, ?. and ;erry $.$ *'333 )3 erceived service 2uality as acustomer based performance measure.

+owcroft *'33'-, customer satisfaction in !etail 4ankin# Service industries 5ournal.+utchins,, 2 *'33&- in pursuit of 2uality print and publishers in 6ondon.

!ureshchandar 1.!., 8ajendran C, B nantharaman 8./. *%&&%- the relationshipbetween service 2uality and customer satisfaction.

+allowell. *'33D ). The relationship of customer satisfaction3 customer loyalty and profitability .

$ehtinen, @. and $ehtinen, >.8. 7Service uality: A Study of uality Dimensions.7$elsinki: Service anagement (nstitute, '33%.

1ilbert, Churchill, >r. and $acobucci, 2. *%&&4- 8arketin# research3 !esearch:etholo#ical 9oundations.

Fuo. MG *%&&


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APPENDI:

A--end#; 18 !ervice )uality rating and !ample characteristics for T/T

:xpress 0orldwide *- ;hd

Sam-!e Character#%t#cSam-!e S#5e of 1


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A--end#; )8 !urvey (nstruments

ppendix

reseach method

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