Introduction

Introduction
INDUSTRY
PROFILE
 INDUSTRY PROFILE
Throughout the history of our civilization, the need for efficient washing of skin
and clothes pushed many inventors and scientist to create many types of substances that
facilitated that need. Because modern detergents found their footing only after the rise of
technology and chemistry of 20th century, our ancestors focused their attention on production
of various soaps.
The first archeological proof of existence of soap was found in ancient Babylon, over 4800
years ago. However the inscription found at the pots that were intended for boiling of animal
fat with ash did not provide references of soap usage. Ancient Egypt provided many
evidences of soap's widespread usage - from exclusive baths, to providing medicinal care for
the skin and tool for more efficient washing of clothes.
Biblical records from that time also talk about personal hygiene and use of soap and
oil products. Roman Empire brought the use of soaps, oils and ash mixed gels to the height of
popularity. During that time both public and nobility used cleaning product regularly, and
many legends surrounded soup (which was by legend first discovered at Mount Sapo, where
fat from sacrificed animals traveled down and was collected into pools of soap). After the fall
of Roman Empire in 5th century AD, the tradition of washing disappeared from Europe,
which brought the 1000 years of uncleanliness, poor hygiene and several waves of deadly
plagues (most notably Black Death in 14th century). After 17th century, public hygiene and
cleanliness returned to Europe which brought the need for creation of many new cleaning
products.
One of the first instances of industrially made cleaning detergent happened during
First World War, when Germany economy was strained and left without easy access to soap.
In 1930s, commercially available routes for creating fatty alcohols brought the rise of several
detergent brands intended for industrial use (German BASF, DEFT and Procter and Gamble
from United States with their famous "Tide" brand). After the end of Second World War
many American war effort factories were converted for civilian use, and one of the most
widely available products was tetra propylene, which was used in creation of home
detergents.
By 1950s, soap was almost completely displaced as a means of cleaning clothes in
developed countries. One of the most popular detergents of that time were
alkylbenzenesulfonates, but its inability to be biodegradable forced the manufactures to create
Linear alkylbenzenesulfonates, which were much more degradable. Since then industry of
detergents started to grow exponentially, introducing many new ways of washing and
reaching all four corners of the world.
Here are some of the most notable detergent related inventions in the last 60 years:
1950s - Creation of automatic dishwasher powders, fabric softeners
1960s - Prewash stain removers, enzyme presoaks
1970s - Multifunctional products (detergent + softener), liquid soaps
1980s - Detergents with support for cold water washing, concentrated washing
powders
1990s - Aromatic gels, ultra fabric softeners, super concentrated powders and liquid
detergents
2000s - Biodegradable and green friendly products, water conservation washing
machines, laundry detergent "all in one" tablets
History of Ariel detergent:
Ariel is a marketing line of laundry detergents made by Procter & Gamble. It is the
flagship brand in Procter & Gamble's European, Mexican, Japanese, Brazilian, Peruvian,
Turkish, Filipino, Pakistani, Indian, Colombian, Chilean and Venezuelan portfolios. In some
U.S. stores, Mexican Ariel is available.
Ariel first appeared on the UK market in 1967 and was the first detergent with stain-
removing enzymes. It was a high-sudsing powder designed for twin-tub and top-loading
washing machines. With the rise in popularity of automatic front-loading washing machines,
a suitable low-suds variant was launched in the early 1970s. The mid-eighties saw the range
expanding to encompass liquid detergent and compact powder.
The compact powder was originally known as "Ariel Ultra"; and was subsequently
reformulated into the nineties as "Ariel Futur". This was possibly in response to Unilever's
launch of the ultimately doomed "Persil Power", which was seen to damage clothes. Compact
powders never proved popular in the UK; so when the tablet variant appeared in July 1999,
the compact version disappeared.
In 2003, Ariel brought out its quickwash action to its detergents, to allow consumers
to be able to do their laundry on a quickwash cycle.
COMPANY
PROFILE
 COMPANY PROFILE

Company Information: P & G

History:
Procter & Gamble (P&G) was set up by William Procter and James Gamble in April
1837 to manufacture soap and candles in the U.S. Today it is a $56 billion personal care and
health and wellness company, manufacturing a broad range of products and employing
138,000 people all over the world. P&G‟s products are sold in 140 countries
Procter & Gamble‟s relationship with India dates back to when Vicks Product Inc.
India, a branch of Vicks Product Inc. USA established in 1951, was engaged in the
manufacturer (Under loan license) and sale of what is today India‟s Number One Health Care
brand – the famous range of VICKS products. In 1964, a public limited company Richardson
Hindustan Limited (RHL) was formed which obtained an industrial license to undertake
manufacture of Menthol and de mentholised peppermint oil ad VICKS range of products
such as Vicks VapoRub, Vicks Cough Drops and Vicks inhaler. In May 1967, RHL
introduced Clearasil, then America‟s number one pimple cream in Indian Market. In 1979,
RHL launches Vicks action 500 and in 1984 it setup an Ayurvedic Research Laboratory to
address the common ailments of the people such as cough and cold. In October 1985, RHL
became an affiliated of the Procter & Gamble Company, USA and its name was changed to
Procter and Gamble India.
Presently Procter and Gamble has two subsidiaries in India – P& G Hygiene and
Health Care Ltd. and P&G Home Products Ltd. While P&G Home Products limited changed
the name of the Company to Procter and Gamble Hygiene and Health Care Limited in 1999.
Brand Portfolio:
Procter & Gamble Hygiene and Health Care Limited.
Health Care
 Vicks VapoRub: The first product to be launched under the Vicks brand name in
1951.
 Vicks inhaler: It was also launched in 1951 and created the inhaler market in India.
 Vicks Formula44: Vicks Formula 44 Cough Syrup was launched in India in October
2003.
 Vicks Cough Drops: Menthol based lozenges launched in 1966.
 Vicks Action 500+: These capsules (capsules shaped tablet) were launched in 1978
and re launched in August 2000 in an attractive blue pack from the traditional green
pack. A variant in the form of Vicks action 500+ night tablets was launched in July
2002 to be taken especially before sleepoing.
Feminine Care:
 Whisper: in 1989, Procter & Gamble India (after changed in name from RHL)
launched Whisper – the break through sanitary napkin which will revolutionize the
Indian feminine hygiene category. Since then various variants of Whisper have been
introduced to tap the different segments especially introducing low cost variants to
increase penetration in the Indian market.
Procter & Gamble Home Products Limited.
Fabric Care
The detergent business was originally a part of P&G India Ltd. But in 1993 it was divested to
P&G Home Products Ltd.
 Ariel: was launched in 1991 by P&G India Ltd. And was later divested to P&G Home
Product Ltd. In 1993 along with the rest of the detergent business. Over the years the
brand has enjoyed endorsement from celebrities such as actress and social worker
Shabana Azmi, Begum of Pataudi, successful actress and homemaker of the Pataudi
family Sharmila Tagore, TV‟s most popular „saas-bahu‟ duo Smriti Iraani and Apara
Mehta. Presently it is available in three variants including one specially marketed for
front loading washing machines.
 Tide: in 2000, Procter & Gamble Home Products Ltd introduced Tide Detergent
Powder – the largest selling detergent in the world. It‟s available in both detergent and
bar form. Positioned as a brand in between the concentrate brands like Ariel and other
brands like surf, it has captured around 2% of the market share (as compared to 4% of
surf). Recently Tide has seen a huge price cut to bring its prices closer to Surf.
Hair Care
 Pantene Pro V: This brand was launched in Inida in June 2000 and it‟s presently
available in five different variants according to different hair types.
 Head & Shoulders: Launched in 1997 as an anti dandruff shampoo, presently it
comes in many different variants. In June 2007, P&G launched H&S intensive
solutions for extreme cases of dandruff. It is priced at Rs 159 & 220 ml and Rs 59 for
70 ml.
 Rejoice: Launched in January 2004, Rejoice was launched to tap the price conscious
Indian consumer and is presently available in three different variants.
Baby Care:
 Pampers: in June 2003, Procter & Gamble Home Products Limited launched
Pampers – world‟s number one selling diaper brand with sales of US$ 6 billion
annually.
Licensed brands:
Old Spice: Part of the P&G portfolio, its license was sold to Menezes Cosmetics Pvt. Ltd. On
1 December 2002 for a period of 10 years. Prior to this, P&G had a distribution agreement
with Marico industries for Old Spice Products.
Recent Launches:
In july 2007, P&G launched Olay in India. Earlier Olay was available as a imported
product, but now P&G deirectly markets this brand. Sushmita Sen has been chosen the brand
ambassador and the brand is positioned in the premium segemtn in the skin care sector. An
Olay total effect is an anti aging cream launched on 23rd July 2007.
Social Responsibility:
P&G has a global initiative to support children in need the world over. As part of that
initiative P&G has had a series of initiatives in India to help in the education of
undeerprivileged children. In 2007, in collaboration with CRY and SONY, P&G launched its
shiksha project for the third year running wherein every large pack of Tide, Pantene, Head &
Shoulders, Rejoice, Vicks.
VapoRub, Whisper, Gillete March 3 Turbo, Gillete Series, Oral B or Pampers purchased
during April, May and June 2007, would support of underprivilaged children.
In the past P&G has had a scholarship scheme as part of Shiksha, as well as helping in
reconstruction during the Bhuj earthquake.
P&G to sell global pharma biz for $3.1 bn
American consumer products major Procter & Gamble Company will be selling its
global pharmaceuticals business to Ireland-based pharma entity Warner Chilcott Plc for about
USD 3.1 billion. The transaction is expected to be completed by the end of this year,
subject to regulatory approvals.
Both companies in a statement said they have entered into an agreement for the
proposed acquisition, for an up-front cash payment of USD 3.1 billion. As part of the
agreement, Warner Chilcott would acquire P&G‟s portfolio of branded pharmaceuticals
products, including Asacol HD (masalamine) Delayed-Release Tablets for ulcerative colitis
and Anthonel (risedronate sodium) for osteoporosis.
The Irish firm would also buy P&G‟s prescription drug product pipeline and
manufacturing facilities in Pureto Rico and Germany. Most of the 2.300 employees working
on P&G‟s pharmaceuticals business are expected to move to the Irish firm.
“The acquisition transforms Warner Chilcott into a global pharmaceutical company,
expands our presence in women‟s healthcare, establishes us in the urology market in advance
of the anticipated launch of our erectile dysfunction treatments, and adds gastroenterology
therapies to our product portfolio,” Warner chilclott‟s president and CEO Roger
Boissonneault said. The sale of pharmaceuticals business for USD billion would result in a
one-time earnings increase for P&G of about USD billion after-tax.
FMCG sector outlook*
The FMGC industry is a low-margin business. Volumes hold the key to success in
this industry. That is why the industry players but so much emphasis on marketing and
distribution. Brands are the key determinants of success in the market. However, the
unorganized segment that continued to play spoilsport and has benefited mainly de to their
strategy of “low price, high volumes”. To add to the organized players, the unorganized
players have benefited without spending even single penny on advertising and brand
building.
The urban market has begun showing signs of saturation and the future growth in this
sector is set to be driven by the rural consumer.12.2% of the world‟s population lives in
India‟s villages which means the Indian rural FMCG market cannot be ignored. Although
presently rural penetration is pretty low, the demand ofr branded consumer goods is expected
to rise rapidly in the rural market. For instance, for toilet soap, the average expenditure per
user household for low-income households is Rs.237, while it has increased to Rs.706 for
high-income groups. Rural market at staggering 122 million, five times the urban market, is
hard to ignore for anyone especially with the rising income levels in the villages.
The key factors that are expected to trigger future growth for the FMCG industry
include reduction in excise duties, relaxation of licensing restrictions and reduced dominance
of unorganized sector due to creation of level playing field.
*These are approximate figures as different sources give different numbers. They should
be used only to get an idea about the sector and not as exact values.
Purpose of P&G:
We will provide branded products and services of superior quality and value that
improve the lives of the world's consumers. As a result, consumers will reward us with
leadership sales, profit, and value creation, allowing our people, our shareholders, and the
communities in which we live and work to prosper.
Values of P&G:
P&G is its people and the values by which we live. We attract and recruit the finest
people in the world. We build our organization from within, promoting and rewarding people
without regard to any difference unrelated to performance. We act on the conviction that the
men and women of Procter & Gamble will always be our most important asset.
Principals of P&G:
 We Show Respect for All Individuals
 The Interests of the Company and the Individual Are Inseparable
 We Are Strategically Focused in Our Work
 We Value Personal Mastery
 We Seek to Be the Best
 Innovation Is the Cornerstone of Our Success
 Mutual Interdependency Is a Way of Life
 We Are Externally Focused
PRODUCT
PROFILE
 PRODUCT PROFILE
Ariel was launched in 1991 by P&G India Ltd.
and was later divested to P&G Home Product Ltd. in
1993 along with the rest of the detergent business. Over
the years the brand has enjoyed endorsement from
celebrities such as actress and social worker Shabana
Azmi, Begum of Pataudi, successful actress and
homemaker of the Pataudi family Sharmila Tagore, TV‟s
most popular „saas-bahu‟ duo Smriti Iraani and Apara
Mehta.
At present Film Actor Salman Khan endorsing
Ariel. Presently it is available in five variants including one specially marketed for front
loading washing machines.
Ariel Complete
Ariel has a multiple cleaning system & built in additives for a
CompleteTM wash. Ariel has pink noodles, green speckles, and blue
speckles which have the power of bar, brush and blue, which helps
remove the toughest of stains with 100% stain removing power^. Keep
your clothes Shine like New* with Ariel CompleteTM.
Can be used in Hand wash or in Top loading washing machines.

Ariel AntiBac
Ariel AntiBac combines Ariel CompleteTM‟s superior cleaning
properties to remove stains effectively^ with the degerming power
which, unlike ordinary detergents, removes up to 99.9% germs on
clothes#.
Can be used in Hand wash or in Top loading washing machines.

Ariel 24-hour Fresh

Ariel 24-hour Fresh combines Ariel CompleteTM‟s superior cleaning
properties to remove stains effectively^ with advanced perfume
technology which gives long-lasting fragrance for 24 hours^^.
Can be used in Hand wash or in Top loading washing machines.
Ariel Matic
Ariel Matic can remove the toughest stains with washing
machines, even on the difficult collar & cuff areas##.
Recommended by LG – India‟s leading washing machine brand.
Best used for both Top-load and Front-load washing machines.

Ariel Color & Style

New Ariel Color & Style with Color Lock Technology remove
tough stains and prevents colors from fading. It keeps your colored
garments shining like new. Can be used in Hand wash or in Top
loading washing machines.

Our partners
Over the past 20 years, Ariel has been providing you with quality products to give you
our best possible cleaning performance.
LG
See how Ariel works with your washing machine to help
keep your clothes Shine Like New*! Ariel‟s innovative
technology has been accepted by many experts including
LG.
India‟s no. 1 washing machine manufacturer**, LG, only
trusts Ariel Oxyblu to not only remove stains, but to help
clothes smell fresh and shine like new*.
The performance of washing machine will be lacking
without a good quality detergent. The New Ariel Oxyblu meets these needs as it delivers stain
removal, freshness and maintains shine of your laundry. Hence, Life‟s Good when you have
the best partner.”
RAJEEV JAIN,
Business Head-Home Appliances, LG Electronics India (P) Ltd.
Manish Malhotra
Manish Malhotra, India‟s top fashion designer personally visited Ariel lab in Beijing,
China to verify the reliability of Ariel. He was very impressed by the new remove Ariel
technology and its effectiveness.

Manish Malhotra presented his unique Shine Like New* collection during the Ariel
OxyBlu DeepClean Technology conference in Dubai. An exclusive collection was created
remove for Ariel was unveiled as the fashion designer explained the uniqueness of new Ariel
OxyBlu. He shared also his impressions and feelings from his personal visit in Ariel lab in
China where he was amazed with new Ariel formula.
 OBJECTIVES
RESEARCH
METHODOLOGY
LIMITATIONS
 OBJECTIVES
To analyze the satisfaction level of Ariel Detergent users in Kurnool.

To learn the buying behavior of the customers.

Interpreting the price sensitivity of the market in respect of Ariel Detergent is one of

the objectives.

To classify customers opinion about Ariel Detergent.

To organize the key buying factors of Ariel Detergent.

 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
In the present study the required data was collected using random sample method,

care was taken to sec that the selected sample is a small specimen (or) an isolated part of the

whole population representation us general objectives.

Data source:

Primary data collection is more costly but the data is usually more relevant to the issue at

hand. The normal procedure is to interview some people individually (or) in groups.

PRIMARY DATA

The questionnaire consists of _____ questions relating to various aspects of the study.

The first part of the questionnaire was mainly prepared to get the personal details of the

customers & their extent of brand awareness. And the later part of the questionnaire was

prepared to identify the customer satisfaction towards P&G‟s product Ariel Detergent.

SECONDARY DATA

Data pertaining to the company is collected from the company‟s status report. The

company‟s profile gives a detailed report of the past records of the organization this

secondary data were collected from the internal sources (Company‟s Documents) of as well

as some external sources (Paper & Magazines). The collection of this data is easy and less

time consuming and is tabulated and presented in a systematic from prior to classification and

interpretation.

SAMPLING DESIGN

SAMPLE SIZE:

100 respondents were surveyed during the study period.

METHOD OF SAMPLING:

Random Sampling Method is used in sampling method used for collecting data.

SAMPLING UNITS:

The sampling units are customers of Ariel Detergent in Kurnool City.

DATA COLLECTION TOOL

Questionnaire:

Collection of data is an important stage in the research. In fact the quality of the data

collected determines the quality of research. A questionnaire is a sheet or sheets of paper

containing question relating to certain specific aspects, regarding which the researches collect

the data. The questionnaire is given to the respondents to be filled up.

Data Analysis Tools:

The tool used for the purpose of analysis is percentage method with reference to

questionnaire.

Percentage Method:

Percentage method refers to a special kind of rates. Percentage method used in

making comparison between two or more series of data.

Percentage= No. of respondents x 100

Total no. of samples
 LIMITATIONS
The Survey was restricted to Kurnool City only.

Time was the major constraint.

The result obtained in the project cannot be generalized at all times in all the areas

and among all the users of Ariel Detergent.

Many of the respondents were not willing to fill the questionnaire.

Some people were not willing to respond and few of them who responded were in

hurry hence the active participation was lacking.

LITERATURE
REVIEW
 LITERATURE REVIEW
Customer Satisfaction
According to Philip Kotler, “satisfaction is a person‟s feelings of pressure or
disappointment resulting from product‟s perceived performance (outcome) in relation to his
or her expectations. Customer satisfaction is the level of a person‟s felt state resulting from
comparing a product‟s perceived performance (outcome) in relation to the person‟s
expectations”.
In today's increasingly competitive environment, quality services and customer
satisfaction are critical to corporate success. Delivering high quality services is closely linked
to profits, cost savings and market share. As stated by Piercy (1995), it is striking that one of
the few elements that links many of the otherwise disparate recommendations made to
managers over the past several decades has been the need to focus on customer satisfaction as
a route to sustained high performance. Companies should, to a much higher degree, be aware
of the fact that customer dissatisfaction equals both defection and long-term losses. As stated
by various authors (Ballantayne et al. 1996; Berry, 1986; Collier, 1994; Schneider and
Bowen, 1995): It is easier - and much cheaper - to keep existing customers than to get new
ones. Additionally, another benefit from achieving satisfied customers is the fact that the
willingness to repurchase is much higher for satisfied customers than for dissatisfied and
indifferent ones. Despite this awareness concerning the importance of customer satisfaction,
it is beyond the ability of many of today's service companies to maintain satisfied customers.
Empirical surveys concerning the proportion of satisfied versus dissatisfied customers
reveal that a large amount of service industries suffer from an insufficient number of satisfied
customers. A survey conducted in the BD by Dr.siraj (2001) reveals extreme low levels of
overall customer satisfaction. He examined the overall customer satisfaction levels in various
service branches: Grocery chains (31%), fast-food outlets & Res. (24%), and banks (15%).
One can argue that these results constitute a low range of general service provision. However,
even companies which focus their efforts on achieving satisfied customers, rarely exceed a
customer satisfaction ratio above 50-70% (Scheby, 1998). However , it is important to
emphasize that it is almost impossible to compare various levels of satisfaction, as the
numbers depend heavily on the specific method of measurement. As a result, it is not possible
to refer to the degree of satisfied versus dissatisfied customers in absolute terms, but only in
relative terms.
Based on the results above, the impression rises that the discipline of satisfying
customers is not always successfully translated into activities practiced by service companies.
This fact has supported our interest in conducting an investigation concerning the
relationship between service providers and customer satisfaction.
The satisfaction level is a function of difference between perceived performance and
expectations. If the product‟s performance, exceed expectation the customer highly satisfied
or delighted. If the performance matches the expectations the customer is satisfied. If the
products performance fall shorts of expectations the customer is dissatisfied.
1. Many companies are aiming for high satisfaction because customers who are just
2. satisfied still find it easy to switch when a better offer comes along. High satisfaction
or delight creates an emotional affinity with brand.
3. Variety of factors that affect customer satisfaction includes product quality, product
availability and after sales support such as warranties and services. Customer
satisfaction is seen as a proof of delivering a quality product or service. It is believed
that customer satisfaction brings sales growth, and market share. A company can
always increase customer satisfaction by lowering its price or increasing its services
but this may result in lower profits. Thus the purpose of marketing is to generate
customer value profitability.
4. India is on the threshold of a new millennium. India chose for global economy,
exposing her to winds of change in the market place, which has expanded vastly and
become fiercely competitive. In the changed environment, decision makers view the
marketing concept as the key to success. Marketing in practice has to manage
products, pricing, promotion and distribution.
5. A successful product can be developed by exploding these opportunities. While
delivering the value of the consumer we make use of marketing support. This support
is based on the knowledge of consumers and distribution. Marketing support both at
the introduction of products and maturing is considered Marketing, as suggested by
the American Marketing Association is "an organizationalfunction and a set of
processes for creating, communicating and delivering value to customers and for
managing customer relationships in ways that benefit the organization and its
stakeholders".
6. The two major factors of marketing are the recruitment of new customers
(acquisition) and the retention and expansion of relationships with existing customers
(base management). Marketing methods are informed by many of the social,
particularly psychology, sociology, and economics. Anthropology is also a small, but
growing, influence. Market research underpins these activities. Through advertising, it
is also related to many of the creative arts.
 7. For a marketing plan to be successful, the mix of the four "Ps"1 i.e. product, price,
place, promotion must reflect the wants and desires of the consumers in the target
market. Trying to convince a market segment to buy something they don't want is
extremely expensive and seldom successful. Marketers depend on marketing research,
both formal and informal, to determine what consumers want and what they are
willing to pay for. Marketers hope that this process will give them a sustainable
competitive advantage. Marketing management is the practical application of this
process. The offer is also an important addition to the 4P's theory.
Skills of Marketers
Marketers have 4 main skill sets that they bring to an enterprise:--
1. Opportunity Identification:
Marketing begins before there is a product to sell. Many people think marketing is
just selling whatever comes out of the manufacturing plant. It's the job of marketing to decide
WHAT comes out of the manufacturing plant in the first place. Before a business can make
money there must be opportunities for money to be made and it's marketing's job to define
what those opportunities are. Marketers analyze markets, market gaps, trends, products,
competition, and distribution channels to come up with opportunities to make money.
2) Competitive strategy/positioning:
Markets consist of groups of competitors competing for a customer's business. The
job marketing is to decide how to create a defensible sustainable competitive advantage
against competitors. Marketers conceive strategies, tactics, and business models to make it
hard if not impossible for competition to take away customers from their business.
3) Demand generation/management
It's the job of marketing to create and sustain demand for a company's products.
Marketers manage demand for a company's products by influencing the probability and
frequency of their customer's purchase behavior.
4 ) Sales:
The ultimate goal of marketing is to make money for a business. In most company‟s
sales is a different discipline and department from marketing. But in order for salespeople to
have any long term success in a company they must be led by marketing. The better job a
company does of identifying opportunities, creating a differential sustainable competitive
advantage, and generating demand for their products the easier itwill be for salespeople to
make sales.
Successful Customer Satisfaction:

No business in this world can actually exist without the

customers who are also responsible for fuelling your
efforts in the same. This is a true fact and web
development business is no exception.
Businesses must aim at working closely with
their customers/clients and ensuring that the
output is close to their requirements and
expectations.
Whether you‟re a part of a small business
or a huge enterprise, customer satisfaction is
extremely important and can‟t be overlooked.
In order to ensure that your clients are satisfied,
feel valued and loved, here are a few tips that you can
follow to bring on the best results and develop good working
relationships with them.
Face-to-face dealing must be encouraged
For most of the businesses, this is one of the nerve-wracking experiences but you can be
assured that things are going to get easier with time. When you‟re working on a project, it
becomes important to interact with them face-to-face at least once or twice. When clients
meet the people-in person actually working with them, it becomes easier for them to address
issues. You need to learn the art of being calm and confident. Make it a point to understand
their requirements first. In the meanwhile, you can also try and find out what actually
resonates well with your clients.
Keep them informed and respond without a delay
Even if you can‟t reply to the queries of your customers within a few hours, make sure you
inform them that you have received the mail and you will solve things shortly. Let them
know that you have started working on the issue rather than keeping them wait in anticipation
for several days. Keep them updated on the pace of development so that they are aware of all
that is going on. If something starts annoying them, apologies or let them know the cause of
the issue, if required.
Be approachable, polite and friendly
No one likes interacting with professionals who are talented, hard working but rude and your
clients are no exception! You should be courteous and friendly giving them an impression
that you‟re always there to help them. Patience is the key even in the oddest times and this
is what differentiates you with your competitors.
Your customer service policy should be clearly-defined
Businesses must have a customer service policy that is clearly defined as it will save them
plenty of time in the long run. When clients are passed from one professional to the other, it
annoys them more. If they are not aware who they should be turning to, they tend to lose
patience.
Your clients should very well be aware of the actions to be taken at different stages of their
queries. Make sure you have your customer policy clearly defined on your corporate site or
any other place from where it is easily accessible.
Be nicer to them with an attention to detail
Show your clients that you care! Send them birthday cards, wish them on Christmas or any
other occasion where you feel exchanging a wish will be a nice gesture. It will go on to
making your clients feel happy and valued. Make sure that you value little achievements in
their life. Apple customer service department has managed to win the trust of the client by
dealing with clients nicely.
Anticipate requirements of clients
If you can anticipate what they want, you‟re already on your way to doing wonders for your
working relationship with them. They will not only be impressed but they can also share their
experiences with others. Safety-Steps.co.uk has made a breakthrough by proactively
identifying problems of its client and this is what has helped it see a dramatic change
in customer satisfaction index.
Preserve the value of your promises
Don‟t promise if you can‟t deliver – this is one golden rule that most businesses tend to
forget. When it comes to project delivery dates, be sure of what you‟re going to deliver.
Promises beyond your capability often end up in embarrassment, annoyance and loss of both
time and effort. It is possible for the projects to go late in delivery and technology can fail but
promise only when you can successfully deliver it.
Methods to Measure Customer Satisfaction
Companies use the following methods to measure customer satisfaction.
1. Complaints and suggestion system:
Companies obtaining complaints through their customer service centers, and further
suggestions were given by customers to satisfy their desires.
2. Customer satisfaction surveys
Responsive companies obtain a direct measure of customer satisfaction by periodic surveys.
They send questionnaires to random sample of their customers to find out how they feel
about various aspects of the company‟s performance and also solicit views on their
competitor‟s performance. It is useful to measure the customer‟s willingness to recommend
the company and brand to other persons.
3. Lost Customer Analysis:
Companies should contact customers who have stopped buying or who have switched
to another supplier to learn why this happened.
4 )Consumer Behavior Vs Consumption Behavior:
Consumer behavior refers to the manner in which an individual reaches decision related to
the selection, purchases and use of goods and services. Walters and Paul says that, consumer
behavior is the process whereby the individuals decides what, when, how and from whom to
purchase goods & services.
Consumer behavior relates to an individual person (Micro behavior) where as consumption
behavior relates to and to the mass or aggregate of individuals (Macro behavior) consumers
behavior as a study focuses on the decision process of the individual consumer or consuming
unit such as the family. In contrast the consumption behavior as a study is to do with the
explanation of the behavior of the aggregate of consumers or the consuming unit. Consumer
is a pivot, around which the entire system of marketing revolves. The study of buyer behavior
is one of the most important keys to successful mark.
Data analysis
&
Interpretation
 Findings
Suggestions
Questionnaire
Bibliography