This document discusses the importance of understanding customers through marketing research for service businesses. It outlines common research objectives such as identifying customer requirements and expectations. Effective research programs include measuring perceptions and expectations, loyalty intentions, and statistical validity. A variety of research methods are presented, including surveys, focus groups, and mystery shopping. The stages of research including defining problems, developing measurements, implementing programs, collecting data, analyzing findings, and reporting are also outlined. Finally, techniques for analyzing service quality perceptions relative to zones of tolerance and using importance/performance matrices are presented.

1. Contact: +923006641921 Usman Waheed
1
SM
BELTEI INTERNATIONAL
UNIVERSITY
Faculty of Business
Administration
Bachelor’s Program
Moeung Phanny
Master of Business Administration (MBA) / ( MJM )
Tel: 011 78 78 80
E-mail: phannyart@yahoo.com

2. 2
SMSM
Part 3
LISTENING TO
CUSTOMER THROUGH
RESEARCH
UNDERSTANDING
CUSTOMER REQUIREMENTS
Chapter 5

3. 3
SM
Objectives for Chapter 5:
Understanding Customer Expectations
and Perceptions through
Marketing Research
• Present the types of and guidelines for marketing
research in services
• Show the ways that marketing research information
can and should be used for services
• Describe the strategies by which companies can
facilitate interaction and communication between
management and customers
• Present ways that companies can and do facilitate
interaction between contact people and management

4. 4
SM
Common Research Objectives
for Services
• To identify dissatisfied customers
• To discover customer requirements or expectations
• To monitor and track service performance
• To assess overall company performance compared to
competition
• To assess gaps between customer expectations and
perceptions
• To gauge effectiveness of changes in service
• To appraise service performance of individuals and teams
for rewards
• To determine expectations for a new service
• To monitor changing expectations in an industry
• To forecast future expectations

5. 5
SM
Figure 5-1
Criteria for An Effective
Services Research Program
Research
Objectives
Includes
Perceptions
and
Expectations
of
Customers
Includes
Measures
of
Loyalty or
Behavioral
Intentions
Includes
Statistical
Validity
When Necessary
Measures
Priorities
or
Importance
Occurs
with
Appropriate
Frequency

6. 6
SM
Portfolio of Services Research
Customer Complaint
Solicitation
“Relationship” Surveys
Post-Transaction Surveys
Customer Focus Groups
“Mystery Shopping” of
Service Providers
Employee Surveys
Lost Customer Research
Identify dissatisfied customers to attempt recovery;
identify most common categories of service failure for
remedial action
Obtain customer feedback while service experience is still
fresh; act on feedback quickly if negative patterns develop
Use as input for quantitative surveys; provide a forum
for customers to suggest service-improvement ideas
Assess company’s service performance compared to
competitors; identify service-improvement priorities; track
service improvement over time
Measure individual employee service behaviors for use in
coaching, training, performance evaluation, recognition and
rewards; identify systemic strengths and weaknesses in
service
Measure internal service quality; identify employee-
perceived obstacles to improve service; track
employee morale and attitudes
Determine the reasons why customers defect
Research Objective Type of Research
Future Expectations Research
To forecast future expectations of customers
To develop and test new service ideas

7. 7
SM
Stages in the Research
Process
• Stage 1 : Define Problem
• Stage 2 : Develop Measurement Strategy
• Stage 3 : Implement Research Program
• Stage 4 : Collect and Tabulate Data
• Stage 5 : Interpret and Analyze Findings
• Stage 6 : Report Findings

8. 8
SM
Figure 5-5
Service Quality Perceptions
Relative to Zones of Tolerance
by Dimensions
Retail Chain
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
Reliability Responsiveness Assurance Empathy Tangibles
OO O
O
Zone of Tolerance S.Q. PerceptionO
O

9. 9
SM
Service Quality Perceptions
Relative to Zones of Tolerance by
Dimensions
Computer
Manufacturer
10
8
6
4
2
0
Reliability Responsiveness Assurance Empathy Tangibles
OO O
O
O
Zone of Tolerance S.Q. PerceptionO

10. 10
SM
Figure 5-6
Importance/Performance Matrix
HIGH
HIGH
LOW
Performance
Importance


 






Attributes to Improve Attributes to Maintain
High
Leverage
Attributes to De-emphasizeAttributes to Maintain
Low
Leverage

11. Contact: +923006641921 Usman Waheed
11
SM
THANK YOU FOR YOUR
ATTENTION !
A n y
q u e s t i o n ?