Yogurt Yoplait Business - Free Essay Example

What is yogurt? Yogurt is a dairy product formed by the fermentation of milk from the action of two live bacteria; lactobacillus bulgaricus and streptococcus thermophilus. These are micro-organisms which transform the milk into the yogurt through a process by which they convert the lactose present in the milk into lactic acid, making the product digestible for people who are cannot ‘tolerate milk and maintaining the balance in the intestinal flora. The yogurt should contain 10 millions of lactic ferments per gram and must be alive to be designated as ‘yogurt. Yogurts are thus fresh products which should be kept frozen at most at 6? up to its expiry date in order to conserve all its nutritional benefits. History of Yoplait Yoplait was established in 1965 and was recognised as the first complete range of fresh daily products. Furthermore, Yoplait showed innovation as it was the first brand ever to offer refrigerated products to its customers in ‘throw-away packages whereas other products were still sold in jars. In 1967, Yoplait came with the concept of fruit yogurt and established itself on the French market before conquering the world. From its huge success, new products were consecutively launched; diet dairy products in 1972, the first drinking yogurt, Yop, in 1974, yogurt specially for kids in 1985, the fromage frais, Cà ¢lin, in 1987, a range of milk-based desserts in 1992 and Perle de Lait in 1996 (to cite the most famous ones). Yoplait also differentiates itself from other yogurt brands as it constantly shows originality by launching new products, improving them and working strongly on promotion around the world. Today, Yoplait is so successful that it is present in almost 50 c ountries through subsidiaries, joint ventures and franchisees. It is the number two worldwide (after Danone) and latest statistics show that more than 15,000 cartons of Yoplait are eaten every minute around the world. As the Chairman of Yoplait states, â€Å"We are determined to ensure that the little flower continues its growth and blossoms all over the world.† Yoplait in Mauritius The Yoplait brand established itself in Mauritius in 1976 through a franchise with Maurilait Productions Ltà ©e, a subsidiary of the Food and Allied Group of companies, established in 1966. Maurilait Productions Ltà ©e is today the producer of Yoplait, Candia and Miko products through franchise, technical partnerships and international branding. Marketing mix of Yoplait in Mauritius Product The presence of Yoplait in Mauritius is not only concerned with yogurts, but with a variety of other products. However, for the purpose of the study, it should be noted that the emphasis will be entirely made on yogurts. In this sense, Maurilait has segmented its yogurts into different categories; 1. Firm yogurts; comprising of Nature Sucrà ©, Nature, Silhouette Nature, and Ti-Yoplait. 2. Mixed yogurts; 3. Drinks It should also be noted there also exists different conditionings and groupings for Yoplaits yogurts, namely, tubs of 100g, 115g, 125g, 150g and 1kg. Price Different Yoplait goods have different production costs and therefore have different market prices. When these products are freshly manufactured at Maurilait Productions Ltà ©e, they have a lower price than when they are distributed by Panagora Marketing Ltd. This is so, because Panagora also has to gain a profit from their transactions. However in Mauritius, the outlets show differences in price of Yoplait yogurt products over the whole island. Since, there is no law pertaining that the manufacturer or distributor can impose a fix price for their products, retailers have the right to put their own prices irrespective of whether it is exaggerated or not. Thus, Maurilait and Panagora can only recommend prices for the products. (see Appendix) Place (Distribution) It is Panagora Marketing Ltd, another subsidiary of the Food and Allied Group of Companies, which is in charge of the distribution of all products manufactured at Maurilait Productions Ltà ©e. It ensures that all Yoplait products are accessible to everyone within the island. To do so, it was established that the distribution will be carried out according to three distinct groups: 1. CDP, that is, Commerce De Proximità ©. This category englobes all cornershops, cafetarias and other little businesses around the island. 2. GMS, that is, Grandes et Moyennes Surfaces. For this group, Panagora ensures that the distribution is adequately made to all supermarkets and hypermarkets in the country. 3. Food service, comprising the sale and distribution of Yoplait products in bulk, namely to hotels and restaurants. It should be noted that this system is in fact used for all products distributed by Panagora Marketing Ltd, in order to ensure that the specific needs and requiremen ts of the different categories are met. Promotion All advertisements of Yoplait in Mauritius are designed and disseminated by one of the most famous advertising agencies in Mauritius, namely, Circus Advertising Company Ltd, which is again a member of the Food and Allied Group of Companies. Regarding sales promotion, feasibility studies are conducted by Maurilait Productions Ltà ©e in collaboration with Panagora Marketing Ltd. If the studies reveal that such promotion will be profitable for both organisations, it is again Circus which will be in charge of promoting the new offers. Literature Review Introduction This section will mainly investigate how customer satisfaction, retention and loyalty affect an organisation. But before going into the subject, an essential point should be considered; customer relationship. As will be demonstrated in details below, satisfaction is more likely to induce loyalty and hence profitability if relationships between customers and firms are effectively managed. Customer Relationship Management (CRM) deals with the management philosophy that enables a business to identify, attract and retain the most ‘profitable customers and at the same time build and manage strong relationships with them by delivering superior value and satisfaction. The different stages related to the creation of those relationships are illustrated below: The courtship stage is the one in which the company starts to ‘know the customer and so loyalty is very weak and nearly inexistent. The relationship phase is where the feeling of commitment towards the organisat ion starts to grow. A strong attachment to the firm is created and the customer is no more likely to switch to competitors. Finally the marriage stage is when a long lasting relationship is created. At this stage, the degree of loyalty is very high and the customers even get personally involved in the organisation. It should be noted that the customers should somehow not be taken for granted. The marriage stage is not an eternal one, and if ever the customer gets disappointed by the company repeatedly or if the relationship is not effectively managed, he may stop any contact with the company, that is, dissolute the relationship. From now on, this section of the study will focus on how these relationships are linked to the satisfaction rate of the customer and how it affects the whole organisation. Customer satisfaction In earlier decades, Hunt (1977) already identified customer satisfaction as the degree to which the customer is pleased by a product and how far he feels his needs and wants being met. More recently, Schiffman, et al. (2008) defined customer satisfaction as being ones perception of the performance of a product or service relative to ones expectations. As can be noticed, the dimensions of customer satisfaction have evolved and they are no longer restricted to simple terms like pleasure and needs fulfilment. Instead, thorough investigation was conducted to come with the essence of the customer satisfaction state; expectations and perceptions about the products and services offered. Kotler et al. (2005) also argued in the same sense, saying that â€Å"customer satisfaction depends on the products perceived performance relative to the buyers expectations.† Both definitions show that if the performance of a product is below the level of expectations, the customer will eventually be dissatisfied and if ever the expectations level matches that of the product performance, satisfaction occurs. Hoyer and MacInnis (2001) illustrated this theory by using the confirmation and disconfirmation paradigm; This model conceptualises the occurrence of satisfaction and dissatisfaction states. For instance, consumers have expectations about the performance of a product. For example, a consumer has certain expectations before tasting a yogurt. If the level of expectations matches that of the performance, in this case the taste of the yogurt, there is confirmation of expectations and the customer is neither satisfied nor dissatisfied. On the other hand, if the performance of the product goes beyond customers expectations, there is positive disconfirmation and the customer is satisfied. If ever the performance of the product is below the level of expectations, there will be negative disconfirmation and thus, dissatisfaction. Furthermore, it is also c laimed that a customer is highly satisfied and even delighted if the performance experienced from the product exceeds the expectations level, meaning that both satisfaction and delight may occur from the positive disconfirmation stage. To come forward with this argument, Lovelock and Wirtz (2004) adapted a diagram of how factors influence the customers expectations based form Zeithaml et al. (1993) work. However, there is no ‘absolute definition of the term ‘customer satisfaction and over the past years, many authors tried to illustrate it but we can observe that the different definitions converge to the same broad ideas on the relationship between how the product performs and what the buyers expect from the good itself. During the last decades, organisations came to understand the growing importance of customer satisfaction and from there, the need for delivering value to customers and building relationships came into existence. Importance of customer satisfaction Even with the growing importance of customer satisfaction, some companies still underestimate its value. In the article Surveys value is underestimated (Anon, 2005) it was consequently argued that measuring customers satisfaction also involves the measurement of their dissatisfaction. The author firmly believed that the dissatisfied customers, together with prospects, hold valuable information contributing to the success of the company. Arussy, L (2005) even consolidates this argument by saying that customers and companies both demonstrate distinct ways of thinking, operating and decision-making. Companies fail to satisfy their customers as they assert that they understand them when in fact, they are just following their own rules. Behaving in such a manner ends up in creating the efficient relationship paradox, as illustrated below. In simple terms, the efficient relationship paradox relates to the way in which customers are taken for granted. Before the creation of any rela tionship with customers, that is, at the courtship stage, companies invest huge amounts of money in promotion and other marketing tools to attract them. When the customer enters in the relationship phase, that is, he starts to demonstrate financial and emotional interests, the firm drops the level of investment in order to maximise profits. In so doing, the customer does not feel valued and automatically defects, thus having the opposite result of firms prior expectations. This is illustrated as the gap in the above diagram, showing that there is a complete misunderstanding between the customers anticipations and the companys actions. Consequently, organisations must be able to understand that customers should not be treated as â€Å"one time acquisitions†. They should essentially be oriented towards valuing their customers and fulfilling their expectations in order to provide them with what they are waiting for and so, giving them satisfaction. Sà ¶derlund (1998) also points out that customer satisfaction generates a powerful tool of colossal importance for organisations; the word of mouth. As described by the cited author, it is â€Å"the extent to which the customer informs friends, relatives and colleagues about an event that has created a certain level of satisfaction†. Hart et al. (1990) went into more details by claiming that the level of the satisfaction may either positively or negatively affect the word of mouth. For instance, satisfying the customer creates positive word of mouth, that is, talking ‘good about the company, and dissatisfying the customer leads to negative word of mouth, that is, talking ‘bad about the firm. He added that â€Å"customers who have had bad experiences tell approximately 11 people about it; those with good experiences tell just 6†. This demonstrates that companies should be extremely careful in delivering value to their customers as failing to do so, may cost them a lot in terms of their reputation. Bad comments may be spread nearly twice faster than it would have been with positive comments. Subsequently, organisations should focus on providing satisfaction to their customers so as to enhance the building of a good reputation. To return on the efficient relationship paradox subject, firms should be conscious that maintaining such an unwise strategy will create a pool of frustrated and dissatisfied customers who will not hesitate to ‘bad-mouth† them and degrade their reputation, which would evidently imply extensive costs for the organisation to overcome this dilemma. Factors affecting customer satisfaction Many drivers of customer satisfaction have been identified through the numerous research conducted during the past decades. However, for the purpose of this study, factors influencing customer satisfaction in the service industry will not be considered since it will not be relevant with the actual research being performed. Consequently, some of the most important drivers of satisfaction are summarised below:- Total Quality Management (TQM) In this line, Rampersad (2001) argued that to attain satisfaction of customers, everyone in the organisation should consider that constant improvement in performance is of primary importance. In order to achieve this, there are fundamental questions that the firm should take into consideration: Which products/services the company provides The product/ service should be defined as more concretely as possible; the more specific the definition is, the better the customer needs are met. Who are the customers The company should know all its customers and examine their needs attentively. It should be noted that both internal and external customers should be considered, the internal ones being the employees. What are the wants and requirements of customers At this stage communication is crucial. Customers needs and desires should be investigated together with their feedback about the current offering. Which are the processes that need to be improved From all th e data collected, the company becomes aware of whether they are able to fulfil their customers expectations, needs and wants. And the firm is also now able to improve areas in which all the above steps revealed failures. However, even if everything is respected, TQM relies on the principle that there is always room for improvement. Employee Skills and Satisfaction Rampersad (2001) also stated that â€Å"All employees determine the degree of customer satisfaction. Employees from within departments should be considered as customers of each other† For a customer to be satisfied, he should obtain a good service from the employees, and for the latter to deliver such a service, they should be satisfied with their job. Regular surveys Monitoring customers expectations and perceptions via regular research is an excellent tool for maintaining the standards of an organisation. When a firm is well informed about the expectations of a customer, it can easily deliver value according to those anticipations. Furthermore, it is also essential for a firm to be aware of how customers perceive it, together with the perceptions of the product or service offerings and performance. With these precious pieces of information, organisations are able to be proactive and thus know exactly how to satisfy and even delight its clientele. Technology According to McKinsey (2001), technology can be critical in leading to critical improvements in levels of customer satisfaction if it is properly used. West (unknown) also added that companies should compulsorily be up to date with technological advances or else be confronted to irreversible consequences. Technology can provide additional features to a product, enhancing better product quality. Technology can also improve productivity and thus be easily fulfilling increasing demand. Taking Yoplait in Mauritius as example, technology succeeded in increasing the yogurts lifetime from 28 to 30 days within only a few years. Reputation and Credibility Kuusik (2007) found in his research that it is of critical importance to match the image and values both from the companys and customers perspective. Also referred as trustworthiness, the level of credibility is critical to the behaviour of the customer. If the level of trustworthiness decreases, the customers will no longer be satisfied and will eventually start to look out for other alternatives. A company should always maintain a high reputation in order to keep its customers satisfied. Sales and Post-Sales Experience It is often the case that products are more likely to be sold by distributors rather than the manufacturers themselves. Therefore, an eye should be kept on the customer experience at the point of sale, since the satisfaction level of customers is inevitably linked to the service quality obtained there. As such, customer sales experience can leave â€Å"a good or bad taste†. If a customer obtains a great sales experience, it is most probable that he will be satisfied and stay with the organisation, whereas if the sales experience is poor, he is more likely to switch to competitors. In the same line, after sales is also a critical factor. The customer should be able to obtain the desired information and assistance about the products purchased. For example, a customer must be able to ask for exchange if ever he purchased an expired product. Customer loyalty Oliver (1999) suggests that loyalty is â€Å"a deeply held commitment to rebuy or repatronise a preferred product or service consistently in the future, thereby causing repetitive same-brand or same-brand set purchasing, despite situational influences and marketing efforts having the potential to cause switching behaviours.† However, the term customer loyalty may be found to be complex to define, and for this reason, many authors tried to categorise and segment customers with the aim of understanding the nature of their loyalty and thus take the most appropriate marketing actions. Rowley (2005) tried to illustrate it by asserting that customers may show loyalty in various ways; i) they can choose to continue to do business with a particular provider, ii) they may also increase the number of purchases or the frequency of those purchases or iii) they can become advocates of the firm. However, it should be noted that the categories above may eventually be o verlapping, that is, a customer may show all three behaviours, or simply one or two of them. Taylor, Celuch and Goodwin (2004), came with the following research model Taking the definition of Bowen and Chen (2001), the behavioural approach considers the repeat and consistent purchase of products and services making the customer a loyal one. However, repeated purchase does not necessarily symbolise a form commitment to the company Attitudinal approach uses the emotional and psychological attachment felt towards the firm. It states that â€Å"the attitudinal measurements are about the sense of loyalty, engagement and allegiance.† After having questioned nearly 10,000 respondents in the United States of America about the real application of these variables on loyalty, these two authors reached to the following conclusions: Behavioural loyalty is mostly concerned with brand equity and trust while affect, resistance to change and value do contribute but to a lesser pr oportion. Concerning satisfaction, it seems that there exists no significant statistical relationship. Again, brand equity and trust have a major relationship with attitudinal loyalty whereas affect and satisfaction have a smaller contribution. In contrast with the results obtained with behavioural loyalty, no significant statistical connection seems to be present between attitudinal loyalty and value and resistance to change. Therefore, they asserted that all the variables present in the model have a contribution to the loyalty level of customers but they can vary across different settings and situations. Bowen and Chen (2001) in addition to the behavioural and attitudinal approaches, illustrated another measurement of loyalty; the composite approach. It combines both the behavioural and attitudinal dimensions which states that loyal customers have positive attitudes towards the organisation, are committed to repeat purchase and recommend the product/service to others. Furthermore, Dick and Basu (1994) argued that loyalty is in fact the strength of the relationship between those behavioural and attitudinal behaviours (repeat patronage and relative attitude) and accordingly proposed four conditions of loyalty which are illustrated in the diagram below Rowley (2005) segments even more the loyalty dimension by suggesting four additional orientations: Captive are most of the time customers who continue to purchase and use a product or service because they have no other alternative. They have a positive attitude towards the brand but may easily be poached by competitors who offer alternative products and especially if the switching cost is reduced or facilitated. Convenience-seekers are routine buyers who purchase with low involvement and usually engage in repeat transactions associated with the brand. They do not show any particular attitude towards the brand and are susceptible to promotions offered by competitors which show more convenienc e than what they are actually having. Contented customers generally evaluate products based on their merits and attributes and the brand owner may use this opportunity to build relationship with those customers who already made transactions with the brand. They have a positive attitude towards the brand but may switch if they get better value elsewhere or if the product is lagging behind compared to others on the market Committed ones barely consider other brands and are prepared to be involved in the brand or firm. They have a positive attitude and deliver positive word of mouth comments. These customers may somehow be lost if the product fails repeatedly with no appropriate recovery and if competitors offer new products that deliver more value. Each level of the diagram can be defined as follows;  · Suspects: These include all the buyers of the product present in the marketplace who are either unaware of the product or have no intention of purchasing it  · Prosp ects: These are potential customers who are attracted by the businesss offerings but have not yet started any transaction.  · Customers: Buyers of the product who do not have any feeling of attachment towards the organisation.  · Clients: These are repeat customers who do have a feeling of attachment towards the company but whose contribution is more passive than active.  · Advocates: They are clients who support actively the organisation by recommending the product and service to people around them.  · Partners: This is the strongest form of customer-supplier relationship which is maintained as both parties perceive the relationship as being mutually advantageous. Relationship between customer satisfaction, customer loyalty and profitability. Many companies tend to assume that the link between satisfaction and loyalty is simple and linear, that is, the higher the satisfaction level, the higher the loyalty rate. However, many studies showed that this believ ed link is neither simple, nor linear. In their study, Bowen and Chen (2001) found out that â€Å"customer satisfaction does not equal customer loyalty†. The resulting table below indicates the relationship between the overall satisfaction of the respondents and their intent to return and willingness to recommend the company. Score on overall satisfaction % Stating they would recommend the hotel % Stating they would return 7 62.6 65.0 6 29.8 24.6 5 and lower 7.6 10.4 Their research, making reference to that of Oliva et al. (1992), also revealed that when satisfaction has reached a certain level, there is a considerable increase in loyalty, and similarly, when satisfaction level declines to a certain point, loyalty drops radically. As the research of Bowen and Chen shows, only extremely satisfied customers would repeat purchases and spread positive comments on the firm. The authors Hill and Alexander (2006) also gave their opinion about this relationship. Based on the research of the Royal Bank of Scotland (n.d), they pointed out that there was a very close link between satisfaction and intended loyalty and customers could only be retained at the highest levels of satisfaction. On their part, Mittal and Lassar (1998) claimed that, while a dissatisfaction state was synonymous with a switching beh aviour, a satisfaction one did not guarantee loyalty. They therefore asserted that, still, there was a correlation between satisfaction and loyalty, but that this relationship was rather asymmetrical. In this sense, Bennett and Rundle-Thiele (2004) concluded that managers should not entirely rely on sole fact that satisfaction ratings of customers are high are enough to predict future purchase. Hence, companies should realise that merely satisfying customers is not enough; instead they should concentrate their efforts to extremely satisfy and delight them. As Berman (2005) stated, organisations must do more than delivering on expectations of their customers. In this sense, Gee et al. (2008) added that customer delight can provide the stable loyalty that companies look for. The Kano (1984) model cited in Berman (2005) work distinguishes three levels that explain how customer delight can be reached. i) Must be requirements It is defined as the basic requirement that the customer expects from the product. If this requirement is not matched, the customer will eventually be dissatisfied. ii) Satisfier requirements This requirement has the ability to bring about satisfaction. The more of these are fulfilled, the higher the level of satisfaction. iii) Attractive requirements These are additional requirements that the customer neither expected nor expressed. It is believed that if these requirements are met, delight will be attained. Nevertheless, Gustaffson et al. (2005) also identified two other drivers of customer loyalty, namely, calculative commitment and affective commitment. The calculative commitment is the rational and economic decisions taken by the customer regarding costs and benefits implied, together with costs of switching to other brands, whereas the affective commitment is an emotional factor based on the value and trust offered to the customer. Subsequently, as argued, loyalty is essential to retain current customers. Reichheld (2002) suggested that if customer loyalty is obtained, profits will eventually follow. In his collaborative study with Sasser (1990) and cited in Lovelock and Wirtz (2007), four reasons why loyalty contributes to a firms profitability were identified; 1) Profit is derived from increased purchases When an organisation provides high-quality products and service, individuals may wish to purchase more with them. This may be due to an increase in family size or increase in affluence. It should be somehow noted that in whatever the cause, the loyal customer will continue to purchase with a single company. 2) Profit is derived from reduced operating costs Loyal customers cost less to serve because they know the product and attached procedures and thus require less information and assistance. 3) Profit from referrals of other customers Loyal customers provide free promotion to the company by spreading positive word of mouth, implying that the firm needs less investment in this domain. 4) Profit from price premium It often happens that new customers benefit from an introductory discounted price, whereas loyal customers are more likely to pay regular prices, and even higher ones during peak periods. Clark (1997) went in the same sense by saying that loyal customers will remain customers for a longer period, will purchase more, will be willing to pay more and will provide more business by means of referrals. However, organisations should understand that it is far better to ‘cultivate existing customers than to ‘hunt for new ones. Reichheld and Sasser (1990) even found that 5% increase in customer loyalty and retention is enough to generate a profit increase range of 25% to 125%. Still, companies should bear in mind that all their customers are profitable ones. Clark (1997) recognised that a firm should accurately choose and care for its most profitable customers and at the same time, deselecting the least profitable ones. To make the right decision, organisations can ma ke use of Reinartz and Kumar (2002) model. Customers are segmented into four categories based on their forecasted lifetime duration and profitability. According to Noone et al. (2003) interpretation of Reinartz and Kumar (2002) work; * Butterflies are highly profitable short-term customers. They are always in search of best deals and avoid building relationships with organisations. * True friends are highly profitable long-term customers. These customers are believed to exhibit true loyalty and commitment to a single firm and efforts should be directed towards building relationships with them. * Strangers are low profitable short-term customers. It is with this kind of customers that firms should particularly avoid investing in building relationships with them. Gee et al. even states â€Å"Identify early and dont invest anything† * Barnacles are low profitable long-term customers. They are usually loyal but have a negative impact on profitability. Dear Sir/M adam, My name is Marie-Estelle Lebon and I am a student in Marketing Management Level III at the University of Mauritius. For the purpose of my final year project, I would like to have your opinions on the Yoplait yogurts specific range of products and I would be grateful if you could assist me in filling this questionnaire. Rest assured that all the information that you will provide is only for academic purposes and will remain strictly confidential. I thank you for your kind collaboration. Section A 1) When you hear about yogurt, which word or brand first comes to your mind? 2) Which yogurt brands present in Mauritius have you ever heard about? You may choose more than one answer Yoplait DairyVale Delight ElleVire Pascual Danone Others, please specify 3) Which of the following yogurt brands present in Mauritius have you ever tried/consumed? You may choose more than one answer Yoplait DairyVale Delight ElleVire Pascual Danone Others, please specify 4) Which yogurt brand do you consume most of the time? Yoplait DairyVale Delight Elle Vire Pascual Danone Others, please specify 5) At what frequency do you consume yogurt products? 1-2 times daily More than 2 times daily Every 2 or 3 days Once a week Once a month Others, please specify 6) When do you prefer to consume yogurt products? You may choose more than one answer At breakfast At lunch At dinner For tea-breaks As dessert at any meal To replace a meal In cooking Others, please specify 7) Have you ever consumed Yoplait yogurt products? Yes No If Yes, please move to question 9) If No, please move to question 8) 8) Why dont you buy and consume Yoplait yogurt products? You may choose more than one answer Other brands are better Other brands are cheaper Not enough selection/variety Dont like the product Religious reasons Dont like the brand itself Others, please specify 9) Did you repeat your purchase? Yes No If Yes, please continue to question 11) If No, please move to question 10) 10) Why did you not repeat your purchase of Yoplait yogurt products? You may choose more than one answer High price Poor product quality Not enough variety Not enough in the container Poor product texture (too liquid) Poor taste Packaging Bad service at point of sale Others, please specify 11) How often do you consume the following? Very Often Often Rarely Very Rarely Never Dairyvale Delight Pascual Danone Elle Vire Section B: Product 12) a) Please rate the following product features of Yoplait yogurt products. On a scale where 1 = very bad and 5 = very good 1 2 3 4 5 Taste Texture Quality Reputation Packaging Variety/Flavours 12)b) Which of the following Yoplait yogurt products do you generally buy and consume? You may choose more than one answer Nature Sucrà © Nature Sans Sucre Yaourt aux fruits Silhouette Silhouette aux fruits Ti Yoplait Ti Yoplait aux fruits Cueillette Pause Plaisir Safari Yop Tentation Others, please specify 12)c) In general, in which conditioning do you buy Yoplait yogurts? Individually x 4 grouping x 8 grouping 1 kg tubs Others, please specify 13) In general how satisfied/dissatisfied are you with Yoplait Yogurt products? Very Dissatisfied Dissatisfied Neither Satisfied Nor Dissatisfied Satisfied Very Satisfied 14) a) Have you ever experienced any problems with Yoplait yogurt products? Yes No If Yes, please move to next question 14) b If No, please move to Section C, question 15) 14) b) How often have you had problems? Once Twice Thrice More than 3 times 14) c) Which kind of problems did you have? Already expired product Product expired before date Out of stock Damaged packaging Presence of foreign bodies Content not as mentioned on label Others, please specify 14) d) What did you do following your problem? You may choose more than one answer No complaint Complaint at the point of sale Complaint at the manufacturer Stopped purchasing Referred my bad experience to friends and relatives Others, please specify If you complained, please move to question 14)e) If not, please move to question the Section C 14) e) What was the outcome of your complaint? The product was exchanged I was refunded I obtained a voucher Nothing was done Others, please specify Section C: Price 15) Please rate to what extent you feel that you get value for money when purchasing Yoplait yogurt products? On a scale of 1 = no extent at all and 5 = very large extent 1 2 3 4 5 16) a) How far do you agree that there are price differences in Yoplait yogurt products from one outlet to another? Strongly agree Agree Neither Agree Nor Disagree Disagree Strongly disagree If you agreed, please move to question 16) b) If you did not agree, please move to question 17) 16)b) To what extent do you agree that the prices are highest in the following: Strongly agree Agree Neither agree nor disagree Disagree Strongly disagree Cornershops Supermarkets/ Hypermarkets Cafetarias Others, please specify 17)With regards to competitors, how far do you agree that Yoplait is more expensive? Strongly Agree Agree Neither Agree Nor Disagree Disagree Strongly Disagree 18) In general, to what extent are you satisfied with the price of Yoplait yogurt products? Very Dissatisfied Dissatisfied Nor Satisfied Nor Dissatisfied Satisfied Very Satisfied Section D: Distribution 19) a) In general, do you find Yoplait yogurt products at every point of sale that you go? Yes No If yes, please move to Section E If no, please move to question 19)b 19) b) What do you do when you cannot find the Yoplait yogurt product that you are searching for at the point of sale? I buy yogurt products from another brand I will go to other outlets to obtain the product I am looking for I buy another product from the Yoplait brand I dont buy any yogurt products Others, please specify Section E: Promotion 20) a) Which of the following promotions have you come acrossHH about Yoplait? You may choose more than one answer Advertising Sales promotion Sponsorship of events Degustations Trade shows Website Others, please specify 20) b) Where have you seen or heard advertisements of Yoplait? You may choose more than one answer Radio Television Posters Newspapers Billboards Buses Others, please specify 20) c) Have you ever heard about sales promotion (promotional offers, discounts) of Yoplait? Yes No If Yes, please move to question 20)d) If No, please move to question 21) 20) d) Have you ever taken advantage of sales promotion of Yoplait? Yes No If Yes, please move to question 20)f) If No, please move to question 20)e) 20) e) Why have you not taken advantage of sales promotion of Yoplait? 20) f) How do you find the sales promotion of Yoplait compared to competitors? Very good Good Neither Good Nor Bad Bad Very bad Section F: Recommendations 21) Are there other products that you actually want Yoplait to offer? 22) What would you recommend for Yoplait to improve? 4 Section G: Profile of respondent Sex: Male Female Marital Status: Single Married Married with children Cohabiting Divorced Widowed Region: Urban Rural District: Pamplemousses Rivià ¨re du Rempart Port-Louis Plaines-Wilhems Moka Flacq Grand-Port Savanne Black River Age group: Less than 19 years 19 years age= 25 years 25 years age=40 years 40 years age= 50 years 50 years age= 75 years More than 75 years Occupation: Student Professional Office Worker Manual worker Manager Self-employed Retired Unemployed Other Income group: Less than Rs10,000 10,000 salary = 25,000 25,000 salary = 50,000 50,000 salary = 75,000 75,000 salary = 100,000 More than Rs100,000 ~ Thank You ~ Research Methodology In order to assess the customer satisfaction of Mauritians on Yoplait yogurt products, marketing research and its corresponding tools were used. According to Malhotra (1993), market research can be defined as â€Å"the systematic and objective identification, collection, analysis, dissemination and use of information for the purpose of improving decision making related to the identification and solution of problems and opportunities in marketing.† Still described by Malhotra, the marketing research process can be classified in six different steps: 1. Problem definition Defining the problem is essential. During this step, the research should consider the purpose of the study, background information, the required information and its use in decision-making, discussions and interviews with relevant people, analysis of secondary data and some qualitative research. Once the problem is clearly termed, the research can be effectively designed and conducted. 2. Development of an approach to the problem 3. Formulation of research design Definition of the information needed Secondary data analysis Qualitative research An interview was conducted with the marketing coordinator at Maurilait Productions Ltà ©e and information was also collected through observations made during a training period of six weeks on the field of production. Determine method of collecting data The method chosen for fieldwork was the face-to-face interview. Measurement and scaling procedures Questionnaire design and pilot test The questionnaire was strictly based on the following steps: 1. Specify the information needed 2. Specify the type of interviewing method 3. Determining the content of individual questions 4. Overcoming ability and unwillingness to answer 5. Choice of question structure 6. Choice of question wording 7. Determining the order of questions 8. Establishing the form and layout of the questionnaire 9. Reproducing the questionnaire] 10. Pre-test During the pilot testing some questions revealed to be asked in a too complex manner leading to the obligation of reformulating them. In addition, new questions of equal importance were added thanks to the enlightenment of the respondents. Sampling process The first step regarding the sampling process entails the determination of the target population. In our case, Yoplait yogurt products targets the population at large as yogurt provides nutritional benefits that everyone should be able to have access to. However, different yogurt products target different ages, and in this study, majorly because of lack of resources and time, only an overall satisfaction of all Yoplait yogurt products would be considered and therefore, all age segments will be included in the sample taken. As shown by latest s of the Central Statistics Office (2008) population trend, Mauritius has 22.5% children and teenagers as inhabitants and 77.5% adults. (see Appendix) The elements are determined to be the customers of Yoplait yogurt products and the sampling unit to be mainly households. Regarding the sampling technique, it was determined that it would be the non-probability method of quota sampling which would be applied. Quota sampling involves making quotas of population elements. In this study, the quotas are assigned for the population per district in Mauritius. The quotas should ensure that the composition of the sample is the same as the as that of the population with regards to the specific characteristics considered. The respondents are then selected based on convenience and/or judgement. According to the latest information obtained from the Central Statistics Office (2008), it was found that Mauritius has a population of 1,230,995 inhabitants excluding those living in Rodrigues. In order to determine the sample size, the corresponding calculations were summarised in the table below: District Geographical Distribution % Geographical Distribution Sample size (children teenagers) Sample size (adults) Sample size (Total) Port Louis 129,874 10.6 3 8 11 Pamplemousses 135,394 11.0 3 8 11 Rivià ¨re du Rempart 107,683 8.7 2 7 9 Flacq 138,194 11.2 3 8 11 Grand Port 114,436 9.3 2 7 9 Savanne 70,147 5.7 1 5 6 Plaine Wilhems 381,394 31.0 7 24 31 Moka 80,596 6.5 1 5 6 Black River 73,277 6.0 1 5 6 Total 1,230,995 100 23 77 100 It should be noted that the composition of the sample also reflects the trend present in the population with respect to the age groups, in an attempt to increase the representativeness of the sample chosen. It was nevertheless agreed that the quota sample would be primarily based on the geographical distribution of population per district as it has been found that most research done up to now on Yoplait products were based on the control of age. Plan of data analysis 4. Fieldwork and data collection Data will be collected face to face with majorly people in supermarkets and hypermarkets present in the different regions of Mauritius. As the interviewer uses convenience, it should be noted that all ethnicities, cultures and social classes should be included in the sample in order to bring out representativeness of the Mauritian population. 5. Preparation and analysis of data The data obtained by the respondents will be coded and analysed using the SPSS software. The corresponding results will then be interpreted in order to bring out conclusions of how Yoplait yogurt products are perceived to perform in the island. 6. Preparation and presentation of report Analysis and Findings Appendix Bibliography  § Anderson, K. Kerr, C., 2001. Customer Relationship Management. United States of America: McGraw-Hill  § Arussy, L., 2005. Passionate and Profitable: Why customer strategies fail and ten steps to do them right. New Jersey: John Wiley Sons, Inc.  § Bhave, A. 2002. Customer Satisfaction Measurement. [Online] Available at: https://www.symphonytech.com/articles/satisfaction.htm [Accessed 14 January 2010]  § Bowen, J.T. Chen, S., 2001. The relationship between customer loyalty and customer satisfaction. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 13 (5) [Online] Available at: https://emeraldinsight.com/Insight/ViewContentServlet?contentType=ArticleFilename=Published/EmeraldFullTextArticle/Articles/0410130501.html [Accessed 15 November 2010]  § Customer Satisfaction Articles, 2005. Surveys value is underestimated. [Online] Available at: https://www.contact-101.com/2005/06/surveys-value-is-underestimated.html [Accessed 1 November 2009]  § Dick, A. Basu, K., 1994. Customer loyalty: toward an integrated conceptual framework. Journal of Academy of Marketing Science, 22 (2), pp.99-113.  § Duffy, D.L., 1998. Customer loyalty strategies. Journal of Consumer Marketing, [Online] 15 (5) Available at: https://emeraldinsight.com/Insight/viewPDF.jsp?contentType=ArticleFilename=html/Output/Published/EmeraldFullTextArticle/Pdf/0770150501.pdf [Accessed 5 January 2010]  § Duffy, D.L., 2003. Internal and external factors which affect loyalty. Journal of Consumer Marketing, [Online] 20 (5) Available at: https://emeraldinsight.com/Insight/viewContentItem.do?contentType=ArticlehdAction=lnkpdfcontentId=856470 [Accessed 15 January 2010]  § Gabbott, M. Hogg, G., 1998. Consumer and Services. England: John Wiley Sons  § Gee, R. Coates, G. Nicholson, M., 2008. Understanding and profitably managing customer loyalty. Marketing Intelligence Planning, [Online] 26 (4) Available at: https://emeraldinsight.com/Insight/ViewCo ntentServlet?contentType=ArticleFilename=Published/EmeraldFullTextArticle/Articles/0200260403.html [Accessed 10 November 2009]  § Hallowell, R., 1996. The relationships of customer satisfaction, customer loyalty, and profitability: an empirical study. International Journal of Service Industry Management, [Online] 7 (4), pp. 27-42. Available at: https://www.emeraldinsight.com/Insight/viewPDF.jsp?contentType=ArticleFilename=html/Output/Published/EmeraldFullTextArticle/Pdf/0850070402.pdf [Accessed 2 October 2009]  § Hill, N. Alexander, J., 2006. Handbook of Customer Satisfaction. New Delhi: Infinity Books  § Horovitz, J. Panak, M.J., 1992. Total Customer Satisfaction: Lessons from 50 companies with a top quality customer service. London: Pitman Publishing  § Howard, J.A., 1989. Consumer Behaviour in Marketing Strategy. Australia: Prentice Hall International  § Jevons, C., 2001. Improving customer satisfaction, loyalty and profit. Journal of Consumer Marketing , [Online] 18 (3) Available at: https://emeraldinsight.com/Insight/ViewContentServlet?contentType=NonArticleFilename=Published/NonArticle/Articles/07701803$$.004.html [Accessed 15 January 2010]  § Kotler, C Armstrong, G., 1980. Principles of Marketing. 11th ed. New Delhi: Prentice Hall of India  § Lovelock, C. Wirtz, J., 1984. Services Marketing: People, technology, strategy. 6th ed. New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall  § Malhotra, N. K., 1993. Marketing Research: An applied orientation. 5th ed. New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall  § Maurilait Productions Ltd, 2009. Maurilait. July 2009 ed. [Leaflet] s.l: Circus  § Oliver, R.L., 1999. Whence customer loyalty?. Journal of Marketing. 63 (special issue), pp. 33-44  § Phipps, R. Simmons, C., 1995. Understanding customer. Oxford: Butterworth Heinemann  § Rowley, J., 2005. The four Cs of customer loyalty. Marketing Intelligence Planning, [Online] 26 (6) Available at: https://www.emeraldinsight.com/Insigh t/ViewContentServlet?contentType=ArticleFilename=Published/EmeraldFullTextArticle/Articles/0200230604.html [Accessed 17 January 2010]  § Schiffman, L.G. Kanuk, L.L. Hansen, H., 1991. Consumer Behaviour: A European outlook. 6th ed. Essex: Pearson Education Limited  § Soderlund, M., 1998. Customer satisfaction and its consequences on customer behaviour revisited: The impact of different levels of satisfaction on word-of-mouth, feedback to the supplier and loyalty. International Journal of Service Industry Management, [Online] 9 (2) Available at: https://emeraldinsight.com/Insight/ViewContentServlet?contentType=ArticleFilename=Published/EmeraldFullTextArticle/Articles/0850090204.html [Accessed 5 December 2009]  § Stauss, B. Schmidt, M. Schoeler, A., 2005. Customer frustration in loyalty programs. International Journal of Service Industry Management, [Online] 16 (3) Available at: https://emeraldinsight.com/Insight/viewPDF.jsp?contentType=ArticleFilename=html/Output/Publ ished/EmeraldFullTextArticle/Pdf/0850160302.pdf [Accessed 14 January 2010]  § Taylor, S.A. Celuch, K. Goodwin S., 2004. The importance of brand equity to customer loyalty. Journal of Product and Brand Management, [Online] 13 (4) Available at: https://emeraldinsight.com/Insight/viewPDF.jsp?contentType=ArticleFilename=html/Output/Published/EmeraldFullTextArticle/Pdf/0960130401.pdf [Accessed 15 December 2009]  § Watkins, C., 1999. Marketing, Sales Customer Services. Canterbury: CIB Publishing https://www.b2binternational.com/library/whitepapers/pdf/customer_satisfaction_surveys.pdf https://www.eatyoghurt.com/whatisyoghurt.php https://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-yogurt.htm https://strativity.com/products/efficiency-relationship-paradox.aspx https://www.customer-experience-labs.com/2008/04/28/the-confirmationdisconfirmation-paradigm-why-satisfied-customers-are-not-always-satisfied/ https://www.imm.bwl.uni-muenchen.de/dateien/3_lehre/cons_ins/tu4_cons_ins.pdf Hunt, H. K. (1977). CS/D Overview and future research directions. In Conceptualization and Measurement of Consumer Satisfaction and Dissatisfaction. H. Keith Hunt (ed.) Cambridge, MA: Marketing Science Institute (May), 36-71. https://www.nbrii.com/Customer_Surveys/10_Factors_That_Affect_Customer_Satisfaction.html https://www.returnonbehaviormagazine.com/main-articles/six-universal-drivers-to-assure-customer-satisfaction-2.html https://www.mckinsey.com/practices/marketing/ourknowledge/pdf/Solutions_Customer_Satisfaction.pdf https://www.mtk.ut.ee/orb.aw/class=file/action=preview/id=302137/febawb58.pdf https://www.bipminstitute.com/customer/retention-satisfaction-success-drivers.php https://emeraldinsight.com/Insight/viewPDF.jsp?contentType=ArticleFilename=html/Output/Published/EmeraldFullTextArticle/Pdf/0750180702.pdf https://emeraldinsight.com/Insight/viewPDF.jsp?contentType=ArticleFilename=html/Output/Published/EmeraldFullTextArticle/Pdf/0750150103.pdf http s://emeraldinsight.com/Insight/viewPDF.jsp?contentType=ArticleFilename=html/Output/Published/EmeraldFullTextArticle/Pdf/0890280203.pdf https://emeraldinsight.com/Insight/viewPDF.jsp?contentType=ArticleFilename=html/Output/Published/EmeraldFullTextArticle/Pdf/1060060504.pdf https://emeraldinsight.com/Insight/viewContentItem.do;jsessionid=2D85164450680AD72A56C33F2A7FA86D?contentType=ArticlecontentId=841620 https://emeraldinsight.com/Insight/viewContentItem.do;jsessionid=2D85164450680AD72A56C33F2A7FA86D?contentType=ArticlecontentId=855813 https://emeraldinsight.com/Insight/viewContentItem.do;jsessionid=2D85164450680AD72A56C33F2A7FA86D?contentType=ArticlehdAction=lnkpdfcontentId=842552dType=SUBhistory=false https://digibib.ehb.be/storage/Sector%20Informatie/Cases/intergratingcustomer.pdf

Importance Of Crm For Hdfc Bank - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 21 Words: 6293 Downloads: 9 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Statistics Essay Did you like this example? The aim of this dissertation was to examine the importance of CRM for HDFC Bank. To achieve this aim, following objectives were set: To analyze the effectiveness and efficiency of CRM services provided by the HDFC Bank, to examine the effects of CRM on business performance and operational effectiveness and to evaluate the improvements in customer service due to it, to assess the awareness of the bank employees to the concept of CRM and its benefits for the organization, to determine the extent of customer satisfaction level by conducting interviews, distributing questionnaire and carrying out a survey in HDFC Bank, to gather relevant data and critically analyzing it using a vast variety of sources and research tools. The chapter encompass the analysis and evaluation of the data collected via different research methods and includes both quantitative and qualitative measures taken into account and discussed upon. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Importance Of Crm For Hdfc Bank" essay for you Create order The researcher presented much of the quantitative data into graphs so that it could easily be understood. As discussed in the last chapter, interviews were conducted from branch manager and two of the middle line managers. Survey was conducted from randomly selected 80 (+3 later) customers to gain their views; along with it, short questionnaires were also distributed to randomly chosen 30 bank employees to take into account their perspectives about the adaption and use of CRM in the bank. Interviews were purposely kept informal and qualitative data was collected about the bankà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s strategy, plan, objectives and actions taken regarding the adaption and use of CRM system and applications. In the interviews, the researcher inquired about many other things which are discussed in the qualitative analysis below. The survey from employees was mainly concerning the effects of CRM on their performance and how it affected their day to day bank functions and operations. Questionn aires from customers included their perceptions about the bank services and whether those improved. The data gathered by interviews provided helpful information about the bank strategic plans and policies and gave insight into the banking operations. It also provided information on customer relation management systems, infrastructure of information and technology, and its effects on the employee performance, customer satisfaction, increased sales targeting, and over all culture of the organization, etc. The objective of the interviews was to have the complete picture of what the aims of the management were and to evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of the CRM systems. The researcher analysed the current situation of the CRM and how effective it was and in line with the IT services and if it supported the business strategy keeping in view the future developments and enhancements in IT. The rate of response from employees and customers was 100% though some customers and employees left very few questions unanswered. The researcher realized the weakness of research validity because it was hard to grasp real feeling of respondents in terms of such contrasts as satisfied/dissatisfied, agree/disagree, etc. Nonetheless, an effort was made to ensure the questions appear to be measuring all important aspects of the construct and results of questionnaires are consistent with results of established measures. In order to gather more reliable and valid data, the researcher also conducted short interviews from some of the employees and customers. These were not pre-planned but helped a lot in explaining the answers in details. The researcher also ensured that interviews and questionnaires follow a specific pattern. The findings are reported below and separate analysis is provided for managersà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ interviews, employeesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ questionnaire and customersà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ questionnaire. Appendix is provided on a separate sheet which contains copies of employeesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ questionnaire, customersà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ questionnaire, and the copy of questions that were asked during the interviews with the manager. It is very important to mention here that the researcher undertook pilot study before the actual commencement of the research. It was a feasibly a very small experiment to test logistics and collect data prior to the greater research in order to improve the quality and efficiency of the questions asked in the interviews and questionnaires. It was important to test the questions designed in the questionnaires before they are actually used in the research in order to determine whether they are conducive towards the research and would pose no problems for the respondent and experts should be consulted to comment on the suitability of the questions and this is regarded as pilot study. The branch manager was approached and informal meeting was held. The researcher asked few short questions (similar to the questions asked in later study but in details). The manager also helped me ask few simple questions from 5 of the employees to test my questionnaire and reveal any deficiency in the desi gn of the proposed experiment. Although it provided limited information but it proved vital for the severity of the proposed procedures. All the information gathered in addition to review of bankà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s own research questions were incorporated into the main study design. However pilot study did not lead to modification of any pre-planned research process. The differences of results from main research were discussed in summary in following sections. 4.2. Qualitative Research Discussion The researcher conducted one pilot interview with branch manager first. After finalising the questions, another formal interview was taken. There were almost same responses in both occasions. Two of the middle line managers were asked for their time for interviews and luckily single interview was taken from both managers. Interview 1 is from branch manager and interview 2 is from line/operational managers. Senior manager was asked questions about overall bank performance and importance of CRM while managers at mid-level were enquired on matters regarding operational functions. Questions asked from senior managers include: How does CRM impact companyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s performance both directly and indirectly? What is the evidence that CRM improves customer services? What type of CRM software and applications does the bank use? Do you have any CRM implementation policy? How important is CRM requirement in strategic planning? What is your opinion about the use of CRM in the bank? What role does management and employees play in successful implementation of CRM? Please discuss on future CRM plans? Questions put forward to operational managers include: What are the factors influencing and encouraging the use of CRM? What are the benefits and limitations of CRM for the company? What are the problems encountered by the company in adapting and implementing CRM systems? How do employees respond to CRM? How do customers respond to CRM? What are the operational planning activities CRM provide the bank? How do CRM systems add value on financial packages and services? How CRM does contribute to customer satisfaction and retention? Is CRM proven way of managing customer information? Does CRM assure customer responses? In what ways do CRM contribute to customersà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ loyalty? Does the implementation of CRM affect the company-customer relationship? What are the most important factors influencing CRM in company? Are you satisfied with the adaption and use of CRM? Interview 1: The bank manager in his interview explained that the changing banking environment has affected the way Indian banks used to operate and function. Intense competition, environmental factors such as legal and social, and the ever updating norms of the financial institutions has and impact on the banks to adapt and adjust accordingly and to amend their policies and procedures. He believes that marketing and technology play crucial role for banks as they are the institutions that provide direct services to its clients, therefore HDFC Bank recognises this as stated by branchà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s managerà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s own words, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“The Bank understands the significance of the role of technology and marketing for improving customer relations and services especially in the intensely competitive and changing Indian banking sectorà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬?. When enquired about the need for CRM, the manager responded that à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“The bank needs to maintain data and information about i ts clients, and must have a system that could help the bank improve its customer services; therefore it must have basic CRM technology to track and serve the customersà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬?. This led to adaption of latest CRM technologies and processes. Bank manager, in the interview explained that à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“The bank needed to adapt CRM in order to increase profitability by reducing operational costs in serving the customersà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬?. According to his belief, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“HDFC Bank had been facing traditional problems of lack of modern delivery and marketing techniques in current fast emerging digital economyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬?. The Bank constantly searched for means to improve their service and to increase customer base. CRM provided the opportunity for the bank as it brought together relationship of IT and marketing strategies to create profitable and long term relationships with clients. When further questioned about why the bank adapted the CRM policy and procedures, the managers rep lied, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Satisfying our clientsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ needs was our major focus and was an important factor in implementing our CRM initiative. Some customers demanded the improvement in our approach to managing customer relationships which assisted us deciding to adopt and implement CRM programs capabilitiesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬?. To meet the needs of the customers, HDFC Bank timely started to focus on developing a customer relationship management (CRM) system. Realizing the significance of customer information availability, the project was undertaken by the bank with the spirit that has characterized the whole CRM development. The project has promoted a massive involvement of suggestions from clients, employees and other stakeholders. Strategic plan was developed and targets were set. The management developed the CRM infrastructure and adapted latest CRM procedures. When asked if the bank has any CRM implementation policy, the management answered that à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“HDFC Bank has a central policy of using CRM within all its branches which controls all the CRM procedures. The Bank has incorporated the CRM policies into its strategic vision and mission statementsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬?. Although the manager didnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t give exact figures on how the bank specifically the main branch has spent on CRM implementation and introduction of new systems but they agree that the bank devote considerable amount of resources to manage CRM. The bank realizes that it is vital that its CRM applications and systems are supported and controlled by qualified and experienced managers. For this reason, all the managers are trained and experienced to bring together professional staff, encouraging communication and coordination among them, promoting team work and instructing ways in quality service and ensure that CRM systems work efficiently. When enquired whether the bank has any evaluation and appraisal in place, the manager responded that à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“The bank has developed a mechanism to check whether CRM is effectively in good useà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬?. The managers ensure that regular feedback system to consider perspective of the management, employee participation perspective and customer experience perspective. According to the branch manager, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“The bank generated better than expected outcomes. CRM has positively influenced every banking function and operationà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬?. The manager believes that the bank now provides better and improved banking services. Its operating efficiently and management and employees work more effectively. The speed of the work has improved due to CRM adaption. CRM has helped the bank to target the strategies for better customer services. It has also assisted in facilitating customer service which resulted in satisfied customers and profitable business. The adaption and implementation of CRM by the bank has resulted in improved performance and profitability. Interview 2: Both the middle line managers were questioned about the operational activities of the bank and how the adaption of CRM technology and implementation of CRM processes and procedures has influenced the banking activities. The managers were in charge of the implementation after the senior manager set the strategic plan. They were very much aware of the involvement of bank staff if the CRM adaption was to be successful. One of the managers during the interview discussed that à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“The major decision they tool to successfully adapt the CRM within the bank environment was to empower its employees in decision makingà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬?. The management realized that CRM adaption requires the well trained, educated and experienced staff to work on it. They are theoretically and practically trained on how to utilize latest CRM system and applications. The managers explained that à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“The Employees are given access to customer database so that they can make on the spot and efficien t decisions. They are also empowered to resolve small customer issues themselves, though major complaints are still dealt centrally by the senior management. Employees are also involved in searching, adapting and evaluating CRM needs for the bank. The management emphasises greatly on availability of latest and advanced information and communication technology to its staff and takes extra measures to ensure this happensà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? The managers were also responsible for planning, sorting, reviewing and monitoring work of the employees. The managers believe that the bank now provides better and improved banking services. According to their belief, employees work more enthusiastically, are well motivated and are satisfied with their roles and responsibilities. The managers think that bank processes such as sales and marketing works more efficiently. Due to CRM, the bank can access a wide variety of sources for required information, ideas and experiences. Employees work more effectively by reducing repetitive tasks, decreasing costs, and minimizing risks. They can deal with customer enquiries without any difficulty and resolve many issues on the spot. Another benefit that the bank has received is increase in speed and reliability of banking functions/transactions. CRM has helped the bank to target the strategies for better customer services. It has also assisted in facilitating customer service which resulted in satisfied customers and profitable business. The adaption and implementation of CRM by the bank has resulted in improved performance and profitability. The managers also stated that operational inefficiencies have reduced and few resources are being wasted. CRM also helped developed new incentives for clients by searching their data and records which are collected by latest systems and applications. The most important impact of CRM on bank as felt by managers is the creation of climate of trust that helped in customer loyalty and retention. The management is completely satisfied with the results of CRM use in the bank. Their future plan is simple and that is continuing with the current policy. They understand that CRM technologies rapidly change. It is hard to forecast where CRM technology will be in the next few years. According to the words of the Branch manager, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“We are often one of the first in our industry to detect technological developments that may potentially affect our business. We generally respond very quickly to technological changes in our environmentà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬?. The management ensure that staff maintains close relations with bank clients. The managers recognise the basic value of the bank and that includes learning as a key to improvement. They believe that they have common language to deal with CRM issues and have a clear division of roles and responsibilities to implement or update CRM. They also think that they have necessary skills and technical competence to absorb the new CRM systems processes, tools and applications. The management agrees unanimously that bank uses CRM to drives profitability, cut costs, reduces risks and improves customer service. The management finds it challenging to ensure clients prefer their services over that of others. The managers believe that the key to develop a close customer relationship and nurture it is to appreciate the needs and cater the requirements of the customers. The bank uses CRM technology to analyze the customer needs and to ensure customer satisfaction. The use of CRM in the bank has become crucial with aggressive strategies employed to gain and retain customers, which has resulted in the adoption of various CRM initiatives to enable the bank to achieve its objectives. The management realized to build a close relationship between IT and marketing aspects of CRM to develop lasting client retention. In summary by introducing and adapting the latest CRM methods, techniques, applications and systems, banks can provide be tter customer service, increase customer revenues, discover new customers, sell products more effectively, help sales staff close deals faster, make call centres more efficient, simplify marketing and sales processes. 4.3.1. Quantitative Findings (Employees) What is your opinion about the use of CRM in the bank? Strongly Agree Agree Neutral Disagree Enables cost reduction 7% 28% 48% 17% Improves efficiency 22% 29% 26% 23% Reduces time 43% 25% 22% 10% Improves communication 65% 16% 16% 3% Avoids redundancy 62% 24% 10% 4% Better customer relationship 81% 15% 3% 1% Enables market research 38% 33% 20% 9% Provides customer information 89% 7% 4% 0% A huge majority (89%) agree that by using CRM, employees can have access to customer information. Majority of the employees (71%) believe that CRM system and applications help in carrying out market research easily. Almost all (96%) of employees agree that CRM help in improving and maintaining better customer relationship management. 81% of them agree that communication among employees and with customers improve due to use of CRM. 86% agree to the notion that it reduces the work to be repeated and minimizes mistakes. Half of the employees (51%) said that CRM improves bank efficiency and only 38% answered positively that it enables in cost reduction. Half of the employees stayed neutral to this question. Please comment on the importance of CRM for employees? 64% of the employees strongly believe that adaption and use of CRM for bank is very important. Other 27% also agree and consider it important while only 9% consider its importance average. None responded negatively. Are you satisfied with the use of CRM in the bank? 60% of the respondents stated that they are satisfied with the use of CRM in their bank, 21% are on the view that they are neither satisfied nor dissatisfied while 19% showed their dissatisfaction. Please express your views on the reliability of CRM software and applications? Only 41% of the employees consider the CRM system and applications used in the bank as reliable. 50% are neutral and remaining 9% consider CRM unreliable. 4.3.2. Quantitative Findings (Customers) Please tell if you are you satisfied with the service quality? 87% of the customers are satisfied with the bank services and approved the quality of services provided by the bank. Only a small minority of 3% noted their dissatisfaction. Do you agree that there is sufficient staff-customer communication? 36% of customers believe that there is sufficient communication between employees and customers, 46% are neutral and remaining 18% hinted their disagreement. How do you find the communication between bank staff and customers? 3/4th of the customers asked find the communication good and better and only 12% think that it still can be improved. The other 12% stated the poor communication between bank and them. How do you find friendliness and helpfulness of the staff service? Majority (79%) of the customers consider the staff friendliness and helpfulness as good and excellent. 10% rated it as average and 11% rated it as poor. Please rate your satisfaction level in regards to steps taken by the bank in delivering the services? Third fourth (76%) of the surveyed customers responded positively to this question and agree that bank has improved its services very well. On a scale of 1 (dissatisfied) to 5 (satisfied), how would you rate your level of satisfaction in regards to service value? Only 14% of the customers are placed in the dissatisfaction zone 2/3rd are satisfied with the value of the bank service they receive. Are you satisfied with the bankà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s response to your queries? 1/3rd of the customers pointed out their dissatisfaction with the bank response to their issues and 60% answered their satisfaction to this matter. How do you view timeliness and quality of response? 71% of the customers positively view the timeliness and quality of steps taken by bank to resolve their queries. 1/4th consider it as lacking in quality. Do you agree that customer service has improved? 100% Agree How would you rate the overall quality of your relationship with bank, considering all of your experiences with them? 76% responses are positive and only 6% answers are negative on rating the overall quality of their relationship with the bank. 4.4.1. Employeesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ Questionnaire Discussion Adaption and use of CRM by HDFC could have been effective only with the support and cooperation of bank staff. Management recognised this and took the appropriate steps as explained in the interview analysis. Even the bank employees realized that their support was crucial if the new system and application had to work because they are the persons that interact with customers directly and this interaction greatly influences the relationship of the bank with customers. Successful adaption was only possible in HDFC Bank if employees were motivated and enthusiastic to cooperate with the CRM processes. The employees were properly trained to use the system and CRM tools to improve the bank services. It was very important for the researcher to take employeesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ views in this dissertation, because their perceptions, perspectives morale, skills, experience and satisfaction all influence the work performance and consequently bank performance. These factors are affected by sudden change in the organization specifically if it is technology related. In the survey results, bank employees in general showed satisfaction towards the CRM use within the bank environment. Majority of them agree that new ICT tools for CRM system and applications have helped improve their communication within the bank with colleagues and managers, and externally with customers. When asked by the researcher about the problem of repeating tasks, they collectively replied that this issue has been reduced to minimum due to CRM in bank. Employees can access the database where all the information of specific client is provided, just enter the reference or other details, and the information comes in fro nt of them. This has helped a lot in risk reduction, quality work in less time and effective performance. Employees believe that customers feel satisfied with the service they provide. Two third of the surveyed employees believe that CRM utilities are very important for their performance and they are completely satisfied with the use of CRM technology and procedures. However many employees have concerns for its reliability and they feel that they have to constantly update their knowledge of its use as the technology changes rapidly. Overall the employeesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ responses were positive as they expect more benefits with little or no limitations in the use of CRM to improve bank performance and services. They have used the new technology, process, procedures, tools and systems related to CRM and they believe that CRM is essential for Bank for current and future use as it directly and/or indirectly affects their performance that in turn improves bank performance as employees provide quality services. 4.4.2. Customersà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ Questionnaire Discussion Banks understand that customer satisfaction is an important variable in order to retain the existing clients or gain the new ones. Poor customer satisfaction leads to a decline in customer loyalty, and given the extended offerings from the competitors, customers easily switch banks. HDFC understands the importance of customer satisfaction and value the customer relationships. CRM was introduced to improve customer services and relationships with customers. The information gathered by the bank management reveals that customers are generally satisfied with the services provided by the bank. The following analysis is the assessment and measurement by the researcher. This research is directed to find the perceptions of the customers towards services provided by HDFC bank and whether these are improved. The researcher tried to describe the research motives behind the findings through this questionnaire. The main aim was to gain the customers impression and assess the efficiency of the CRM system, technology, processes and applications applied by the bank. The researcher attempted to gauge how well CRM influenced the services. Vast majority of the customers disclosed their satisfaction on the bank services. Although the figure remained the same if compared with the survey conducted by the bank few months ago but almost all the customers agreed that the bank service has improved ever since. When asked about the communication process between them and the bank, the reply was not encouraging as many customers feel that this area still needs to be improved. Most customers want face to face interaction and require the bank to provide services for longer hours. If compared with the previous data collected, this survey suggests that communication has improved mainly due to telephone service for minor complaints and information. Although it is good but cannot be considered sufficient. When enquired about the friendliness and helpfulness of the bank staff, many customers respo nded that employees provide good service with better attitude than before. They tend to their issues with sympathy and try to resolve the queries professionally and effectively. They admire that the bank is working hard to train its employees in skills for improved customer service. They also appreciate the introduction of CRM processes that led to improvement in all areas. 4.5. Importance of CRM for Bank in Summary The results generated from the interviews and surveys conclude that CRM has had a very positive effect on the bank performance. It not only helped employees learn and improve but also influenced their morale and motivation. This has an indirect effect on the way bank serve its customers. By adapting CRM processes, the bank has provided its customers with satisfactory services which increased customer loyalty and helped build better relations. CRM has an impact on every bank operation and function. CRM has guided bank to induct latest technological system and application to collect, analyse and use customer information effectively and efficiently run the day to day operations of the bank. CRM has provided a means to better communication and coordination of employees with customers. Other benefits that have been gained include reduction in cost, speedy transactions, reliable flow of information. The bank has achieved the overall objectives of using technology to organize, automate, and synchronize business processes with the implementation of CRM and has been successful in finding, attracting, and wining new clients, and reducing the costs of marketing and client service. The bank realizes the importance of CRM todayà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s competitive environment that it considers it as an integral part of its strategic business plan. CRM integrated approach makes all the difference to satisfying customers, retaining their loyalty, providing added value and generating growth. In fact, CRM might be the difference between the bank to flourish and failure to survive. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chapter 5: Conclusion Recommendations 5.1. Research Summary Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is an organizational strategy that can assist a bank to build lasting relationship with its clients and improve its performance by increasing revenue and productivity. CRM in the banking industry is of great importance. Today, banking is more customer-centric, unlike the yester when it was transaction-centric. CRM is essential and vital function of customer oriented marketing. However there is more to CRM than just client management. CRM is a broad approach to create, maintain, and expand relationship with customers. It is a strategic plan that aims in understanding, anticipating, managing and personalizing the organizational needs of current as well as potential customers. The idea behind this is that it would help the bank to effectively utilize technology and other resources to gain insight into the clientsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ behaviour and customersà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ values. If adapted and implemented successfully, CRM can help banks provide b etter customer service, make banking operations more efficient and simplify selling and marketing processes. CRM is a comprehensive approach to cater, maintain and expand customer relationships. It is important for banks to use CRM strategy that aims to understand, anticipate, manage and personalize the needs of banksà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ current and potential customers. CRM applications deliver many benefits across organizational processes and functions. It reshapes the workplace environment and influences the ways business being carried. Successful integration or adaption of CRM system in the banks may not be as easy as it looks. Every concept has limitations such as limitation of finance, resistance to change, government regulations, etc.; so does the CRM in banks. Banks can overcome many of the limitations by efficiency managing CRM and adapting some comprehensive CRM model along with effective CRM software. Managers play an important role to minimize risks. CRM manager is a key factor who can effectively manage the issues related to CRM. It is vital for banks that their CRM applications and systems are supported and controlled by qualified and experienced manager. Bringing together trained and professional staff, encouraging communication and coordination among them, promoting team working and instructing ways in quality service, are some of the duties managers have to perform in order for CRM to work efficiently and harvest benefits. The banks need CRM to survive as it is impossible nowadays not to focus upon the customer expectations. CRM is needed because of ever changing technology and highly competitive banking sector in India. The importance of CRM can be assessed by evaluating CRM that provides enhanced opportunities to use data and information to both understand customers and create value. The ultimate purpose of the CRM is to improve performance and to assess how well the bank needs are met by CRM adaption and implementation. 5.2. Conclusion The aim of this dissertation was to examine the importance of CRM for HDFC Bank. To achieve this aim, following objectives were set: To analyze the effectiveness and efficiency of CRM services provided by the HDFC Bank, to examine the effects of CRM on business performance and operational effectiveness and to evaluate the improvements in customer service due to it, to assess the awareness of the bank employees to the concept of CRM and its benefits for the organization, to determine the extent of customer satisfaction level by conducting interviews, distributing questionnaire and carrying out a survey in HDFC Bank, to gather relevant data and critically analyzing it using a vast variety of sources and research tools. The researcher believes that each and every objective has been achieved. The researcher applied most relevant research tools and applications to gather valid and reliable data. The data collected from secondary sources like books, latest journals and articles, websites, etc. has been critically analyzed by taking into account theories, concepts, arguments and debates on CRM and related issues by various academic scholars. The data collected by applying primary resources has been analyzed and presented in data analysis section. The researcher ensured that the data collected is valid and relates to literature review and aim and objectives of the dissertation. The results produced by the research provides information on how effectively HDFC Bank has managed to use CRM system and applications and how efficient it has been in applying CRM tools, processes and strategy. By incorporating CRM effectively, the bank has improved its performance as well as the performance of its employees. Bank profitability has increased and the so does the customer satisfaction. Changes produced by CRM are intense. CRM has helped the bank to access ideas and experiences from variety of sources. CRM applications have delivered many benefits across bank operations, organizational processes and functions. CRM has improved information and increased knowledge management. It helped to reduce costs of transaction and increased speed and reliability of transactions. CRM technology has also improved effective communications and service quality. In conclusion, CRM is important as it has positively influenced every business function which helped in improving the customer s ervice and relations. 5.3. Recommendations HDFC Bank has achieved almost all its objectives by introducing CRM technology and processes within the bank. They have received better response from employees and customers than expected. But they still lack in some areas such as cooperation and coordination, effective integration, and efficient use of latest technology. The bank can improve further by updating its CRM policies and procedures. After gathering data and doing analysis, the researcher noticed and considered few drawbacks in the bank system and policies and the approach it has taken. Following are some important recommendations: Recommendation 1: The bank can improve its performance and can better evaluate the results if it has set objectives. It must also ensure that the CRM has defined and documented objectives. It must be properly aligned to other banking systems and functions and must also be part of bank mission statement and bank strategies. By doing this, bank can make the working environment effective and promote flexibility. Recommendation 2: The results provide some information about the service provided by the employees to customers. Although the customers agree that the service has improved but few have complaints. Even the employees feel that service should be improved. The bank must concentrate on employee training and continuous development especially in the ever changing and constantly updating technological environment. The bank is committed in employee development but they must focus on soft skills areas of training. Employees must be taught how to effectively use and apply CRM technology to provide quality service to customers. Training and development can provide necessary skills and make employees, more experienced and competent. Recommendation 3: CRM is still developing stages in the bank. The management can show commitment by developing a personal bank strategy regarding the use of CRM system, processes, procedures, tools and CRM policies. The management need to focus on bank mission and, strategic vision and ethical stance when designing CRM strategy. Incorporating CRM related issues in strategic planning; the bank can increase the trust of all stakeholders and satisfy them that the bank is interested in their well-being. Recommendations 4: The bank can never ignore the environmental factors that may influence and negatively affect the CRM related decisions. The factors include social and cultural issues as the bank cannot adapt the CRM without taking into account the Indian environment and its requirements; legal and political issues, and other technological issues. Recommendation 5: By empowering employees and involving them in decision making process can increase their morale and satisfaction. They will feel more motivated and will work more effectively serving customers to the best of their abilities. They will enthusiastically learn the latest CRM technology and will apply it successfully. By providing them facilities to deal with customers queries will help the bank to improve the customer relationship management. Recommendation 6: Evaluation of the CRM requirements, its use and its effects can help identify whether it is working efficiently. It will also help fulfil CRM needs and will solve problems thus improving bank performance. There are many other recommendations that can be provided but the bank must focus on major issues first. Other recommendation may include 24/7 call centre where customers can contact for services, central database for employees to get all the information, providing feedback on the website, etc. 5.4. Future Agenda This dissertation identified a number of variables related to adaption and use of CRM in HDFC bank by the management. A number of limitations need to be noted regarding the present study. Although the researcher tried to cover each CRM related issue in detail but due to submission deadline of this research and other limitations, many targets were remained unachieved such as analyzing the effect of CRM on employees at different hierarchical levels and customers of different types like commercial and corporate. A similar study with extensive approach would allow a more detailed analysis. This research does not propose any new theory. The researcher adapted conservative approach to the dissertation and studied already available theories by analyzing the importance of CRM for an Indian Bank. This however, cannot represent the impact of CRM on Indian banks as many banks are still on CRM implementation phase and different banks have different environments. The current study was also unable to analyses the effect of environmental factors i.e. legal, political, social and other technological factors. Future researchers could take all these matters into consideration when carrying out their research. A number of possible future studies using the same experimental set up are apparent. This research has thrown up many questions in need of further investigation. One question for the future researches, which this study slightly touched, is the importance of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) which not only helps in effective adaption and use of CRM but it has its individual importance for employee and customer satisfaction. Further work can be carried out on the CRM models which can be adapted by companies specific to their requirements. 5.5. Reflective Report The reflection sheet is reported in informal format e.g. using à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"Ià ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ instead of the researcher. The research was a learning and development experience in which knowledge boundaries and parameters have been expanded. This dissertation taught me the value of time. I focused on one of the main contemporary issues and emphasised on the value and importance of CRM for Indian Bank. Learning outcomes through this study include critical analysis, assessment and evaluation of the literature and data collected. I have practically applied different research methods taught by the professors in university lectures. The practice helped me gain necessary knowledge of selecting, scrutinizing, testing and applying research tools and approaches. The main problems faced were limitation of time and finance, limited access to people and natural bias among the surveyed population but the skills and useful experience gained earlier helped me overcome or minimize most of the lim itations. Before the actual commencement of the research, I needed to understand what CRM was and why it was becoming important for modern banking environment. It was highly important to get knowledge of the ways it could be adapted and used in the business operations. I believe that I have managed to sort out all the research activities and have given appropriate time to each task individually by applying best available research tools. Most appropriate methods relevant to my research study have been selected to research real, relevant, valid and reliable data. I have managed to gain a clearer overview of the learning process. This dissertation helped me gain insight into my strengths and weakness and taught me how to use my strengths to overcome weaknesses, exploit opportunities and reduce threats and risks. Due to this project, I realized learning strategies that suit my personal needs. Also added to my experience is the capability in planning and overcoming learning difficulties. I understo od and do appreciated the importance of self-evaluation in the role of improving myself. I donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t think there is differently to be done next time as I consider myself proficient in carrying out a research project now, though I will keep on learning new methods and techniques. I honestly believe that I have performed to the best of my ability.

Essay on Holocaust Children - 2974 Words

Children of the Holocaust Advanced Composition/ ENGL 135 June 20, 2011 Alena Synjova once stated, â€Å" I’d like to go away alone where there are other, nicer people, somewhere into the far unknown, there, where no one kills another. Maybe more of us, a thousand strong, will reach this goal before too long† (Volavkovà ¡, 1994, p. 50). During the Holocaust, people craved opportunity to escape to a place where there were polite people and no one killed each other. The Holocaust affected everyone, ranging from the elderly to the young children, who were faced with horrific situations. They witnessed the death of the people around them and were forced to live under unmentionable conditions. The holocaust altered non-Jewish and Jewish†¦show more content†¦46). For this reason, the mentally retarted, physically handicapped, or mentally ill were targets, having been killed in gas chambers. 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