CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR

CIA 3

Analysing consumers’ psychological association with a chosen

brand and understanding attitude formation leading to strategic
branding decisions.

SUBMITTED TO:
DR RUPESH KUMAR

SUBMITTED BY:
SAMAN NAWAZ 2028034

VAISHALI 2028035
TANISHA AGARWAL 2028065
SOUMYAROOP BOSE 2028001

YASH BHATIA 2028063

TABLE OF CONTENTS

S.NO TOPIC PG.NO

1 Introduction 2
2 Abstract 3
3 Problem identification
4 Scope of research
5 Objective of research
6 Theoretical framework
7 Methodology
8 Discussion guide
9 Transcript
10 Analysis
11 Theoretical and practical implications
12 Managerial recommendations
13 Conclusion

1
INTRODUCTION: TATA MOTORS

Tata Motors Group (Tata Motors) has a market capitalization of $44 billion. It is a major vehicle
manufacturer in the world. Its varied portfolio comprises a wide range of automobiles, SUVs,
trucks, buses, and military vehicles. Tata Motors is one of India's leading automakers, with a
diverse portfolio of integrated, smart, and e-mobility solutions. Tata Motors is among the world’s
leading manufacturers of automobiles. They believe in 'Connecting Aspirations' by providing
innovative mobility solutions that meet the needs of their clients. They are India's largest
automobile manufacturer, and they are continuing to shape the Indian commercial vehicle scene
by introducing cutting-edge powertrains and electric solutions that are packaged for power and
user comfort at the lowest life-cycle costs. Impact Design underpins their new passenger cars and
utility vehicles, which provide a superior balance of performance, driveability, and connection.
ABSTRACT

The study has been conducted to analyse the psychological association of customers with Tata
Motors and understand attitude formation leading to strategic branding decisions. Tata Motors is
one of India's leading automakers, with a diverse portfolio of integrated, smart, and e-mobility
solutions. To understand the attitude of customers, 6 participants were considered for the study
and an in- depth interview was conducted with each of them and a series of questions were asked
to them which was then explored using the tri-component model of attitude formation. On
analysing the respondents it was found that the cognitive strategy of Tata Motors is really good,
all the customers were well aware and had good knowledge of the brand, specially because of the
internet and various other sources like TV ads, newspaper, company website etc. The affective
strategy of Tata Motors was also positive, it could be seen that the customers trusted the brand
because of quality, comfort, pricing, durability and safety, however, the customers were not very
satisfied with the after sale services. All the respondents that were studied had purchased the
product and are happy with it, which says the conative strategy of the brand is also good.
PROBLEM STATEMENT

Tata Motor carries the successful legacy of 70 years in India. In 2015 it was named to be 5 most
valuable corporations in Asia and presently it has its global presence in 175 counties. In the past
few years the domestic sales of commercial vehicles of Tata motors have recorded growth of 16
% in 2019 against the total revenue of 45.2 billion US dollars. And in the year 2021 the sales of
domestic and international markets stood at 54,119 vehicles compared to 27,711.
But the problem here arises when it comes to customer service and after sale customer
satisfaction. Even though according to the recent customer service index Tata motors is rated
number 2 which is jointly shared with Hyundai the reviews of customer service and after sales
needs more improvement on ground.

Scope of Research:

The research here tries to explore more grounded reasons for customer service and after sale
satisfaction. The sample of 6 persons and the theoretical model used is the Tri-component model
that has helped to gain the insight of consumer psychological understanding for brand favour of
Tata motors in the last decade.

Objective:

● To explore the reasons for customers to opt for tata motors.

● To interpret after-sale service faced by customers.
● To explore the level of customer satisfaction received by existing customer service at
tata motors.
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

Tri-component model- cognitive, affective and conative:

Cognitive component
When a consumer learns about a brand, this is their first impression of the product or service.
Because the prospective customer must learn more about a product and form a link with it,
marketers need to have a thorough understanding of the brand. Positive traits or technical
abilities, features of a product should be highlighted in an advertisement.
The cognitive component, or beliefs, refers to the mental processes that contribute to the
arrangement of perspectives towards the Tata motors brand. Customer information about Tata
motors brand offering and marketing mix make up the beliefs or cognitive component in terms of
advertising. Experiences with a brand shape customer mentalities, as do data from personal
(WOM, family, friends, peers, etc.) and generic (advertiser's sources) wellsprings of information
that are stored in one's memory.
Affective component
It's at this point that customers begin to sense a connection to the brand. The advertiser
concentrates on the consumer's liking of the product. It is the goal of marketers to improve stage
advancement by focusing on the consumer's thinking as well as values, emotions, and lifestyle.
It's possible that a consumer likes several brands within the same product category, but
ultimately decides to stick with just one of them. In this phase, marketers are more likely to
communicate their unique selling proposition, which serves to distinguish the brand from its
competitors.
When it comes to Tata Motors, the feeling, emotions, or affective component refers to the
passionate part of mentalities. There's no doubt that this is a matter of demeanour, since it depicts
intense feelings that are good, nonpartisan or negative. A customer's perception of a brand's
offering and its presentation is referred to by this phrase in advertising. An attribute or a brand
could evoke these feelings. You can express your opinion in terms of likes or dislikes or idleness
or unaffordability.
If you're a buyer, it's evident in your reactions to the contribution and the blend. This has a direct
impact on the buying process of Tata motors. As a result, such responses and states are also
stored in our memory. They also have an impact on future decision-making for the Tata Motors
brand by recovering, reviewing, and remembering.
Conative component
It's at this point that the actual activities come into play. As a marketer, your goal is to convince a
lead or prospect to buy a product based on what they've learned, liked, and preferred.
The effect of an attitude can be seen in the behaviour, specific action, or conative component of
viewpoints. We cannot observe attitudes, since they are constructed in psychological terms.
Because of this, ideas and feelings are not indicative of how people feel about the company.
It is only through this third portion that attitudes may be interpreted. The conative component
demonstrates the person's predisposition to act [act or not act (to purchase or not purchase)] in a
given way about the attitude toward the product or brand. It is only the behavioral component
that can be observed, while the knowledge and feeling components must be induced, according
to the model.
A person with a positive attitude towards a brand offering is bound to make a buy; this makes the
investigation of customer perspectives exceptionally significant for an advertiser. A disposition
might be characterized as a sentiment of idleness or unfavourableness that an individual has
towards the brand Tata motors. It is an educated inclination to show and act dependent on
assessment bringing about a sentiment of like or despise the brand. Regarding buyer conduct,
customer perspectives might be characterized as an inward sentiment of idleness or
unfavourableness towards the brand offering and the 4Ps.
The tri component model consists of Cognitive- knowledge and perceptions acquired through
experiences resulting in perceptions and forming beliefs, Affective- Emotions or feelings, and
Conative- Likelihood of a specific action/ behaviour.
METHODOLOGY

Research Methodology:
The study was conducted to know the consumer attitude response on Tata Motors with respect to
psychological association to the brand. Primary data was collected by conducting Interviews
from the respondents with an open-ended structured questionnaire.

Sample Framing
The purpose of the study was to interpret the response of customers Tata motors, for that
purpose, the discussion was conducted to explore psychological associations the respondents
might have on brand cars of Tata Motors and the consumer attitude they have formed for the
brand.

Data Source:
Personal interviews were conducted via google meeting for discussing within the brand and the
data collected from 6 respondents.
DISCUSSION GUIDE

This is to know the brand Tata motors perception and I introduce myself and the questionnaire
for my research is given below:
Questions on Cognitive, Affective, Behaviour components:

Respected respondent, thank you for giving your valuable time to this interview.
The objective of the study is to understand the psychology behind your purchase of Tata
Motors. All the information collected here will be confidential for the purpose of the study only.

Following are the questions that have to be answered

1. What’s your current profession?

2. With all due respect would you like to disclose your age?
3. Why did you choose to buy a car from Tata motors?
4. Which type of car did you purchase from Tata motors?
5. What are the factors that influenced you to purchase this car from this specific brand?
6. How did you find information about the car and the brand?
7. What are the other alternatives you look out for for comparison?
8. Would you consider purchasing car accessories from Tata motors itself or from
the aftermarket?
If the car accessories have been purchased from Tata motors what are the reasons for buying
them from Tata motors itself and why did you choose not to buy them from the aftermarket.
If the car accessories have been purchases from the aftermarket what are the reasons for buying
them from the aftermarket and why did you choose not to buy them from Tata motors
9. How was the customer service during purchase?
10. How was the test drive experience?
11. Did you consider after-sales support as a factor while purchasing the car?
12. There are allegations that the after-sales service and buying process is not up to the
mark when compared to Maruti Suzuki, Nexa showroom, or any other competitors. What is
your
comment on this?
13. Have you purchased any car earlier other than Tata Motors? If yes then
14. How was the brand experience as compared to any other brand you purchased earlier?
15. Would you consider repurchasing a car from Tata motors? If yes, why, and if not
which brand would you switch to other than Tata motors?
16. Are you satisfied with your purchase decision?
17. Would you like to recommend it to others and why?
TRANSCRIPTS

Question 1 : What’s your current profession?

Person 1

Student

Person 2

Businessman

Person 3

Architect

Person 4

Senior IPA Consultant

Person 5

Not disclosed

Question 2 : With all due respect would you like to disclose your age

Person 1

22

Person 2

50

Person 3

23
Person 4

28

Person 5

Not disclosed

Question 3 : Why did you choose to buy a car from Tata motors ?

Person 1 : My family has been Tata users for years and the trust in the brand made us buy Tata.

Person 2 : Because I want to buy a suv, and Tata is the best option in that segment.

Person 3 : We wanted to buy an SUV and we got to know that TATA motors has purchased
Land Rover, Jaguar and these new cars have been using the technology that land rover and range
rover have been using since the past years which also makes them successful. Hence we were
interested to take a test drive and we loved the car hence we bought it. TATA SUV had the look
of a beast rough tough and smooth

Person 4 : I loved the muscular look of the car that I had purchased

Person 5 : Initially, I didn’t have any plan to purchase a Tata car as there were not enough
options or even that many features in their cars. My perception about Tata changed since they
launched the Tiago which was a really good car in its segment, then Tata purchased the JLR
brand and started producing really good cars with best in class features. These developments
changed my view towards Tata. Also, I feel proud owning a car from an Indian company which
produces cars at an international level.

Question 4 : What are the factors that influenced you to purchase this car from this specific
brand ?

Person 1 : SUVs and Hatchbacks

Person 2 : SUV

Person 3 : SUV – Tata Harrier

Person 4 : Tata Nexon, sub 4 meter SUV

Person 5 : I bought a Tata Hexa which is an SUV. The car is really good for its price
and absolute value for money.

Question 5 : What are the factors that influenced you to purchase this car from this specific
brand ?

Person 1 : The Tata brand trust, the quality of the new Tata Harrier, overall body design
and better fuel utilisation.

Person 2 : I want to travel a long way, so I need a suv that provides more comfort than the
others. As a result, I chose Tata Safari, which provides the most comfort over a long distance.

Person 3 :

1. Price Factor
Within a price range of 20 lakhs - all features were available as compared to a BMW or
Mercedes which provided the same features within a price range of 35 to 40 lakhs. BMW and
Mercedes aren’t suitable for Indian Roads due to their low ground clearance.

2. Durability and Safety

Cheeses of Range rover are being used which are very strong and can be used for rough roads. It
is safe with respect to its Strong body of the vehicle

3. Very Smooth

Person 4 :

1. USF of the car

2. 5 star safety rating from NCAP
3. Music system by Harman Kardon
4. Competitive pricing

Person 5 :

The first and most important factor for me was to purchase a car from an Indian brand. The
features provided with the car were really good and you don’t get those features within that price
range in any other brand. I have always loved Safari and by the time I was able to buy one it was
discontinued but Hexa has the same engine as that of Safari so it was also a deciding factor.

Question 6 : How did you find information about the car and the brand ?

Person 1 : From websites like cardekho.com and friends

Person 2 : TV ADS and newspaper

Person 3 : Online information from company website and Showroom

Visit Person 4 : Social Media Advertising and Google

Person 5 : The Internet was the major source of information about the specifics, other than that I
asked Tata owners about their experience, service and all.

Question 7 : What are the other alternatives you look out for for comparison ?

Person 1 : Kia Seltos, MG Hector

Person 2 : Mahindra SUV 500, Toyota Innova

Person 3 : Toyota Fortuner, MG Hector and Kias

Altos Person 4 : None

Person 5 : At the time of purchase I was inclined towards XUV 500 as it is one of the best
performing SUVs in India, I didn’t go for it as it has been in the market for a long time and there
have been no major updates in the model. Also, the price was too high and not justifiable to me.

Question 8 : Would you consider purchasing car accessories from Tata motors itself or from the
aftermarket?

Person 1 : Aftermarket. The parts can be found easily from outside at a very low

rate. Person 2 : Yes, I purchase car accessories from the Tata motors

Person 3 : No. Lack of trust – car accessories could be duplicate

Person 4 : From tata motors. Reliability and so that it does not hamper the car warranty

Person 5 : If what I need is provided by Tata then definitely I’ll go for it.

Question 9 : How was the customer service during purchase ?

Person 1 : Impeccable. Being an old customer, Tata employees treated us well and assured us of
the brand’s image of quality.

Person 2 : Very good

Person 3 : Very Good and Satisfactory.

Visited Home twice to discuss price

deal

Discount of 200000 was provided (Price of the Car – 20L after discount bought at 18L)

Test Drive was provided twice

Person 4 : Poor

Person 5 : The brand is trying to establish itself as a market leader therefore they work really
hard in training their sales rep, they are energetic and have all the information about the vehicle
unlike some other brands where a sales rep just shows you the exterior and interior, telling
nothing about performance, power and mileage etc.

Question 10 : How was the test drive experience ?

Person 1 : It was really nice

Person 2 : Good

Person 3 : Very good, very open in terms of using it as roughly as

possible Encouraged to test the brakes as I was in the driving seat

Off-roading test drive in hilly areas

Highway drive

Person 4 : It was great

Person 5 : I didn’t go for a test drive as I had already driven the car before.

Question 11 : Did you consider after-sales support as a factor while purchasing the

car? Person 1 : Yes.

Person 2 : No

Person 3 : Yes as the showroom is 5kms away from home while other brand showrooms are at
least 300kms away.

Person 4 : Yes

Person 5 : That is a major part to consider as now with all the electronics and computers within
the car you cannot just go and get it serviced anywhere. Before purchase I made sure they
provide good service, I enquired it from owners, searched net and every thing

Question 12 : There are allegations that the after-sales service and buying process is not up to the
mark when compared to Maruti Suzuki, Nexa showroom, or any other competitors. What is your
comment on this?

Person 1 : Personally, the service has been really good. Cannot comment much on other car
brands

Person 2 : Although the after-sale service was not particularly good, I was satisfied with it.

Person 3 : After sales service was a tedious and long process in terms of the paperwork as
compared to Hyundai where it is much faster. Waited for 1 hr 30 mins for the paperwork.
Haven’t purchased a car from Maruti Suzuki or Nexa to comment on it.

Person 4 : My experience while buying the car was really poor. But, the after sales service is the
best that I have ever received compared to Maruti and Honda
Person 5 : It was a reality earlier when they just had 3-4 models to offer but since then things
have changed. I am satisfied with their service and I don’t think it's less or below any other
brand.

Question 13 : Have you purchased any car earlier other than Tata Motors ? If yes then How was
the brand experience as compared to any other brand you purchased earlier ?

Person 1 : No

Person 2 : No it is my first car

Person 3 : No

Person 4 : Yes I purchased a Honda City and the purchase experience was much better as
compared to Tata Motors

Person 5 : No this is my first car.

Question 14 : Would you consider repurchasing a car from Tata motors? If yes, why, and if not
which brand would you switch to other than Tata motors?

Person 1 : Yes. As the brand grows into the EV segment and implements new technology, we
would love to see innovations in the brand which makes us stick.

Person 2 : In the future, I would like to buy another Tata car, preferably a suv like the Tata
Harrier, because after driving the Safari, I was very pleased with the performance and comfort,
which is why I switched to Tata because I know they are focusing more on performance and
comfort in their new line of segments.

Person 3 : Yes as the overall experience of buying and using the car was good

Person 4 : Definitely yes, Tata cars are known for their safety features, comfortableness and
competitive pricing

Person 5 : I would really love to purchase their new EV as they are offering good vehicles at a
reasonable price and we all know sooner or later we will have to shift to EV.
Question 15 : Are you satisfied with your purchase decision ?

Person 1 : Yes

Person 2 : Yes

Person 3 : Yes very

satisfied Person 4 : Yes

Person 5 : Yes could not have been better

Question 16 : Would you recommend it to others and why ?

Person 1 : Yes. I would recommend this to others because of the after services, car quality and
features provided at a competitive price.

Person 2 : It is the best SUV in the segment and I would recommend it to everyone

Person 3 : Yes. A lot of people also purchased the car based on the test drive they did in my car.

Person 4 : Yes

Person 5 : Yes, take any car from the brand in any segment they might not be the market leader
but the features, performance and the experience Tata cars have to offer cannot be matched
according to me.
ANALYSIS

This interview was conducted on 5 respondents to study their buying experience of a tata motors
car.The respondents were mostly in the age group of 23-30 and tata motors was their brand of
choice as they were in the market for a rugged suv, the JLR partnership was one of the main
driving factors for the respondents to consider Tata.Other factors stated by them include value
for money products, hkd music system,rugged suv and Indian brand.

The SUV category is the most popular choice of car by consumers. The main reason being it
provides the best features at a reasonable price. Features like Aerothrottle styled hand brake,
Panoramic sunroof, Leather seats and oak brown dashboard and an overall sleek design with a
strong body provide for an attractive adventure experience.

One of the other major factors that was considered in its purchase was that the SUV brand
provides for a test ride drive with an offroading experience and a highway test drive encouraging
customers to test the car in all types of roads hilly and highways and also driving the point that
the strong cheese provide for a very safe experience.

The cars by TATA are suitable for long distances as it gives priority to utmost comfort. The
information by most consumers were done from websites like cardekho.com, the company
websites, Television ads and we also see that the word of mouth is very strong as consumers
recommend and encourage a test drive before purchasing the car.

Consumers who have earlier purchased vehicles from the brand have high expectations from the
brand in terms of the electronic vehicles that they plan to launch. They expect the price to be
reasonable as the brand prepares them for the new shift in innovation. Tata Motors plans to
release ten more electric vehicles by 2025. This bold step by the Indian automaker comes at a
time when the automobile industry is rapidly moving toward electrification. The company's
chairman, N Chandrasekaran, revealed the aggressive aim to launch more EVs during the 76th
annual report. Tata Motors also has an advantage in this category because it has experience with
electric vehicles such as the Nexon EV and Tigor EV. The Tata Nexon EV, a sub-4-metre
electric vehicle, is currently the most popular in the country.
From the survey we also understand that the brand is working hard on training its sales
representatives to not just talk about the performance or the mileage but also guarantee the same
with providing drive experiences. Compared to other brands here the sales representatives are
way more energetic. One drawback however is the paperwork after the purchase of the car, like
signing for the car is very tedious and time consuming while it’s quicker in other showrooms.

The brand also has a good variety of models for customers to choose from

(upcoming micro suv)

Harrier

Nexon

Safari

Out of the four Harriers and Safari have the highest purchase rate. The brand’s marketing
taglines are very aptly placed “Live more with Harrier”, #Dark Rules which talks about the Dark
model color of the car.

THEORETICAL IMPLICATION:

The model is useful in order to identify the consumer psychology towards a particular object. In
general, the model is used in identifying the people’s attitude and to know about how the attitude
is formed. The major components of the model Includes Cognitive component, Behavioural
component and Conative Component. The model can be used globally in measuring the
consumer psychology towards a particular brand, the model is not only restricted in evaluating
with respect to a particular Industry like automobiles but can also be used in evaluating a service/
product offered in another industry. For example, many people have an emotion with Emirates
airlines.
PRACTICAL IMPLICATION:

In Marketing aspect, A brand can be analysed through Tri component model in order to get the
Information’s regarding Consumer awareness, Psychology and People’s attitude towards a
Particular Brand. Apart from this current study on the basis Tata Motors, many companies
offering other brands as well as from different Industries can concentrate on feedback received
from tri component model analysis in order to improve their products, service offered and
customer relations with the customers. Since the attitude formation is very important factor for
customer loyalty, Companies can come up with new innovative strategies that will attract
customers that will gradually turn customers to develop a positive attitude towards the brand and
making them loyal customers.

MANAGERIAL RECOMMENDATIONS

DIGITISING THE PURCHASE EXPERIENCE OF THE CUSTOMERS

This can be done by ensuring an online showroom experience that can be viewed by all
customers from the company website or a digital mobile application. The customer can get
detailed information on

1. Selecting the desired car model choosing the variant and the colours
2. If the customer wants to learn more about the features and specifications of the TATA
automobile, they can download an E-brochure
3. The customers can get a full 360-degree perspective of the Tata automobile. They can
look at the car from every aspect whether sitting at home, at work, or anywhere else in
the world using this feature. It also lets them zoom in and out of the car, allowing them to
learn more about specific features.
4. RMs can assist customers online through video chats and will speak with them one-on-
one about all of their concerns.
5. The customers can also choose to book the car from the app or the website.
References

https://www.nexaexperience.com/nexaworld/the-nexa-showroom-experience-just-a-click-a
way

https://cars.tatamotors.com/suv/harrier

https://www.tatamotors.com/jlr-press-release/jaguar-land-rovers-inmotion-ventures-invests
-in-battery-recycling-and-manufacturing-technology/

https://www.drivespark.com/four-wheelers/2021/10-new-tata-electric-vehicles-to-be-launch
ed-by-2025-tata-motors-reveals-electrification-plan-034528.html

https://www.tatamotors.com/about-us/company-profile/