17-01-2013, 11:44 AM
CUSTOMER PERCEPTION TOWARDS RETAIL STORE SERVICE QUALITY DIMENSIONS
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INTRODUCTION
Retailing requires a considerable understanding of the changing behavior of consumers. Realizing innovation in retailing has been one the most important institution for the firms in the sector to have competitive advertising by means of obtaining or increasing customer loyalty and their marketing performance and significant and certain importance in relation.
Retailing consists of the sale of goods/ merchandise for personal or household consumption either from a fixed location such as a department store, or away from a fixed location and related subordinated services. In commerce, a retailer buys goods or products in large quantities from manufacturers or importers, either directly or through a wholesaler, and then sells in dividable items or small quantities to the general public or end user customers, usually in shop, also called store. Retailers are at the end of the supply chain. Shopping is buying sometimes as a recreational activity .Cheap versions of the latter are windows shopping (just looking, not buying) and browsing.
Three types of retailing
The first is counter service, now rare except in the case of controlled items. The second and more widely used method of retail is self-service. Quickly increasing in importance are online shops, the third were products and service can be ordered for physical delivery, downloading or virtual delivery.
Many shops are part of a chain: a number of similar shops with the same name selling the same products in different locations. The shops are may be owned by one company or there may be franchising company that has franchising agreements with the shops owners.
Some shops sell second hand goods. Often the public can also sell goods to such shops. In other cases, especially in the case of nonprofit shop, the public donates goods to the shop to be sale. In give away shops goods can be taken for free.
Retail Service Quality
Retail service quality can refer to the way business is conducted in the retail sector; the stage in which goods and services are delivered to their end users.
The retail environment is changing more rapidly than ever before It is characterized by intensifying competition from both domestic and foreign companies, a spate of mergers and acquisitions, and more sophisticated and demanding customers who have greater expectations related to their consumption experiences. Consequently, retailers today must differentiate themselves by meeting the needs of their customers better than the competition. There is strategy for creating competitive advantage is the delivery of high service quality. A retail store experience involves more than non-retail service experience in terms of customers negotiating their way, through the store, finding the merchandise they want, interacting with several store personnel along the way, and returning merchandise, all of which influence customers evaluation of service quality.
REVIEW OF LITERATURE
Kincaid, Doris, Woodlands studied buyer, seller relationship for promotional support in the apparel sector which was critical for success, the purpose of the study was to describe the promotion activities offered to retailers by manufacturers. The study was trying to find out retailers perceptions of the offering frequency and importance of the promotional support and to investigate the relationship between offering frequencies and perception of importance. It was found that monetary support was regarded as the most important promotional support.
In a study by Broad bridge and Calderwood 2002 emphasis was given to the fact community in an age of increasing competition from large scale organized grocery retailer, local shops need to have the commitment and willingness to cater to the local community for survival which means focusing more closely on local residents wants and needs.
Service quality is a precursor customer satisfaction and customer delight. Several authors have discussed the unique importance of service quality to service firms and demonstrated its positive relationship with profit, increased market share, return on investment, customer satisfaction and future intensions.
N.Narayanan Reddy, the professor, the head school of management studies, Hyderabad in his article “Retail market environment in India” had revealed that to what extent, large retailer will have advantages, overall retailers in achieving the desired cost reduction.
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
In the view of changing retail scenario, the changing strategies like store locations, store layout, store exterior and interior atmosphere, merchandise and retail service quality dimensions have become vital importance. However among all retail store service quality dimensions such as tangibles, responsiveness, reliability, assurance and empathy have vital bearing on the success of the store. Further, what differentiate store from another is the ‘Customer Service’ that is service qualities which ensures customer satisfaction.
There is an old saying in advertising, “we have met the consumer and he isn’t us”. In other words, retailers need to research who their customers are and how their customers make decisions. Retailers cannot rely on institution, they must employ outside research methods to gain insight into how and why consumers shop. It is important to realize that management cannot be effective unless it has some understanding of the way in which retail consumers make decisions and act in relation to the consumption of retail products. Many variables will influence the way the consumption patterns differ. These will change based upon the different types of retailers in the market place and the way individual have learnt to approach purchase opportunities.
METHODOLOGY
Methodology is an essential aspect of any research or investigation. It enables the investigator to look at the problem in a systematic, meaningful and orderly way. Methodology comprises the sources of data, various design and techniques used for analyzing the data. This study is based on both primary and secondary data. The primary data has been collected from the students, working men, women, business men, women and retired persons through question the secondary data has been collected from the books, newspaper related to journals and magazines and internet. Convenience sampling was adopted to select the respondents.
DESIGN OF THE STUDY
Ramnathapuram district is one of the main districts in Tamil Nadu (south India). The interview schedule was finalized, using convenient sampling technique from 30 respondents who were selected in and around Ramnathapuram during the period 2011 to 2012. Primary data was collected; enough care was taken to include all types of customers. The data collected were analyzed statistically. Based on the results the conclusions are made.
LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY
The study is based on convenience method of sampling and primary data. The information furnished by the respondents was treated as correct. Therefore, the findings of the study may be biased and it has only limited application.
The one more application of this study comes from the fact that the research was conducted only in Ramnathapurm. Aware extended sample may show greater differences in results. Due to time and financial constraints it is not possible to study a wide coverage within the prescribed time.