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Opinion-Volume 1, No. 1, December 2011

A Study on Customer Satisfaction with Reference to Product Characteristics and Services of Schwing Stetter India Private Limited
Dr. S. Radhika* Srinivasan K**

Abstract

Marketing assumes that the customer is the king, who controls the business, wields life and death power over the product of the manufacturer. A marketer should know the market (customer) whose need has to be satisfied. Customer satisfaction is a measure of how products and services supplied by a company meet customer expectation. Today Organizations are interested in retaining existing customers while targeting non-customers: measuring customer satisfaction provides an indication of how successful the organization is at providing products and/or services to the marketplace. The general objective is to study about the customer satisfaction on performance of the products. The objectives of the study were to identify the satisfaction level of the customers dealing with the Schwing Stetter India Private Limited. The difficulty encountered while conducting the survey was time constraint, and difficulty in getting appointments with customers. Keywords: Customer, Satisfaction, Performance, Marketing

Indroduction
A business term is a measure of how products and services supplied by a company meet or surplus customer expectation. It is seen as a key performance indicator within business and is part of the four perspectives of a Balanced Scorecard. In a competitive marketplace where businesses compete for customers, customer satisfaction is seen as a key differentiator and increasingly has become a key element of business strategy.

There is a substantial body of empirical literature that establishes the benefits of customer satisfaction for firms. In todays competitive world, any organization needs to have a greater focus on a major aspect called Customer Satisfaction which decides the future of the business as well as the organization. If you cannot measure it, you cannot improve it. Lord William Thomson Kelvin (1824-1907) In any business, the customer is the leader and the core of the business firm. It is the primary duty of every

*Professor, School of Management Studies, Vel Tech Dr.RR & Dr.SR Technical University, Avadi, Chennai 600 062. Tamil Nadu, India. **Student, School of Management Studies, Vel Tech Dr.RR & Dr.SR Technical University, Avadi, Chennai 600 062. Tamil Nadu, India.

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organization to satisfy their customers by providing quality goods and services to them. However, satisfying customers is not an easy task. It needs collective efforts to be put-in by each and every individual in an organization. American marketing Association explains marketing is the performance of business activities that directs the flow of goods and services from producers to consumers.

Quality Policy
Ensure utmost customer satisfaction by manufacturing and supplying equipments of international quality standards and to provide excellent customer support. Achieve congenial working atmosphere, clean and green work environment. Upgrade human skills, build confidence and value system. Improve continually in quality, service and timely delivers to exceed customer expectation.

Company Profile
Schwing Stetter (India) Pvt. Ltd. (SSIPL) is a 100% subsidiary of SCHWING GmbH, Germany. Schwing GmbH is a 70 year old Concreting equipment manufacturer with Head Quarters in Herne, Germany. SCHWING Group has 12 manufacturing units worldwide and has a global presence in more than 145 countries. SSIPL was registered as an Indian company in June 1998 in Chennai under the leadership of Mr. A. Sundaresan, Managing Director and started its operation in the beginning of 1999 in leased premises in Chennai. In 2001, SSIPL set up its own manufacturing facility in the SIPCOT Industrial Estate, Irunggattukottai near Chennai and expanded in end 2004 with the second manufacturing facility exclusively for manufacturing Truck Mixers and in end 2006 with the third manufacturing facility exclusively for manufacturing Batching Plants. Schwing stetter employs around 4000 skilled work force to roll world class equipments and has an annual turnover of US$ 1.30 billion. The group has manufacturing bases in 11 countries viz, Germany, USA, Austria, Brazil, India, China, Russia, Netherlands, Canada, France and Czechoslovakia. It has sales and service support offices in almost all the countries and enjoys an enviable market share. SSIPL has been accredited to ISO 9001: 2000 certification. The Quality Control Department works in close co-ordination with the parent company to ensure high degree of quality standards. Training has been continuously provided to Production Engineers and Quality Control Engineers at Germany, as per the company policy. Now components are exported to group companies in Germany, USA and China.

Research Problem and Objective

Schwing Stetter India Pvt Ltd is one of the leading manufacturers of concreting equipments..This study enables to find out how the customers are rating the quality of the product. This study also enables the company to know the satisfaction among the customers about the services provided its to customers by the company. This study gives an opportunity to the customers to share their opinion with the organization. Based on findings of the study will help the management for future planning and decision making in long term. This helps to identify their market share in concrete equipments manufacturer and to improve their standards and increasing sales volume in future. The Main objective of the study is To explore after sales services. To examine about the Quality, Cost and availability of spares. To analyze the performance of Schwing Stetter products in comparison with competitors To suggest the strategies for increasing the turnover of Schwing Stetter Products.

Methodology
As a matter of fact, this study is almost an empirical one. So, as far as possible and attempt was made to gather primary data. In that context, a detailed questionnaire was administrated. Meanwhile personal interviews and observations were also made. In order to ensure an acceptable number of responses, a convenience sample was used. Data were collected through the self administrated questionnaires by the

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researchers themselves and trained field assistants. The questionnaire comprised of both close ended and open ended questions. Most of the close ended constructs used in this study were measured by various items on five-point Likert-type scales (1 Highly satisfied to 5 Highly dissatisfied). As much as possible attempt was made to get the sample comparable basis for convenience of the analysis. Secondary data were collected by website published articles, newspapers, relevant journals etc. The sample employed was 140 respondents The important statistical tools that there used in this analysis are: The One Sample Run Test, Weighted Average Test, Chi square Test and Correlation.

Performance
50%of respondents were neutral with regard to fuel consumption, 41% of respondents were satisfied and 9% of respondents were highly satisfied. 50% of respondents were satisfied, 44% of respondents remained neutral and 6% of respondents were highly satisfied with the operating cost of the product. 41% of respondents were satisfied with product performance, 30% of respondents were highly satisfied while 28% of respondents rated product performance as neutral. 44% of respondents were highly satisfied, 41% of respondents were satisfied while 15% of respondents were neither satisfied nor dissatisfied with product operation. 49% of respondents were satisfied and 27% of respondents were highly satisfied with life of the product.

Findings and Discussions

The analysis of the data revealed the follow

Quality
54% of respondents were satisfied and 34%of respondents were highly satisfied, because there was consistency in the product quality. 60% of respondents opined that they were satisfied and 32% of respondents were highly satisfied, because most of the customers liked the appearance of the product. 61%of respondents responded that they were satisfied about identification and labeling of the product, 33% of respondents were highly satisfied while 6% of respondents were neutral.

After sales support

58% of respondents were satisfied, 24% of respondents remained neutral and 17% of respondents were highly satisfied, because the machines were installed at the right time. 45% of respondents were satisfied, 44% of respondents were neutral, 8% of respondents were highly satisfied while 3% of respondents were dissatisfied with commissioning of the machines.

Delivery
44% of respondents were satisfied, 29% of respondents were highly satisfied, because of the product were delivered on time. 44.2% of respondents were satisfied with delivery of spares and products when urgent delivery was required, 36.4% of respondents were highly satisfied, and 13% of respondents remained neutral while 6.4% of respondents were dissatisfied.

Complaints handling
50% of respondents remained neutral while 38% of respondents were satisfied, 6% of respondents were highly satisfied, 6% of respondent were dissatisfied about complaints handling of the company. Out of 140 customers nearly 44% of respondents were satisfied and 32% of respondents rated as highly satisfied, 20% of respondents were neutral while 4% of respondent were dissatisfied with meeting customers special requirements by the concern.

Value for the money

49%of respondents were satisfied, 36% of respondents were highly satisfied, that money the invested in the companys product was worthy.

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Services
28% of respondents were satisfied while 9% of respondent were dissatisfied and 5% of respondents were highly satisfied with the warranty services provided by the company. 35% of respondents were satisfied, 8% of respondents were highly satisfied, with post warranty services provided by the company. 51% of respondents rated the price of post warranty service as high while 48% of respondents rated it as affordable,

money, Delivery, Performance, After sales support and Complaints handling respectively.

Chi Square Analysis

Quality of the product and value of the money AIM To find out the significant relationship between Quality of the product and value of the money. Refer Table 1 Step1: Null Hypothesis (Ho) There is no significant relationship between Quality of the product and value of the money. Step 2: Alternate Hypothesis (H2) There is a significant relationship between Quality of the product and value of the money. Step 3: Level of Significance is 5% Calculated value = 3.006 Calculated value < Table value H0 is accepted.

Service Center
49% of respondents were satisfied highly satisfied, 25% of respondents remained neutral, 24% of respondents were satisfied while 2% of respondent were dissatisfied. 30% of respondents were highly dissatisfied about the service charges, while 26% of respondents were neutral, 25% of respondent were dissatisfied, 16% of respondents were satisfied and 3% of respondents were highly satisfied. 56% of respondents rated as good, 3% of respondents rated as excellent, 12% of respondents rated as satisfied because the services provided by the company is good.

Inference
From the above analysis, we find that the calculated value of 2 is greater than the table value and hence, the null hypothesis is accepted. So, there is a no significant relationship between Quality of the product and Value of the money.

Spares
15 % highly were dissatisfied and 6 % of respondent were dissatisfied, because they feel that they were costly 44.3% of respondents remained neutral about availability of spares, while 27% of respondents were satisfied, 19.4 % of respondents were highly satisfied but 9.3% of respondent were dissatisfied. 59% of respondents rated as highly satisfied with the quality of spares, 27% of respondents rated as satisfied, 12% of respondents rated as neutral while only 2% of respondent were dissatisfied.

Performance and complaints handling

Refer Table 2

AIM
To find out the significant relationship between Performance and Complaints Handling. Step 1: Null Hypothesis (Ho) There is no significant relationship between Performance and Complaints Handling. Step 2: Alternate Hypothesis (H2) There is a significant relationship between Performance and Complaints Handling. Step 3: Level of Significance is 5% Calculated value = 7.4052. Calculated value < Table value H1 is rejected.

Weighted average test

It is inferred that the customer prefer Quality as the most important satisfaction element which is given the highest weight, next comes the Value of the

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Inference
From the above analysis, we find that the calculated value of 2 is less than the table value and hence, the null hypothesis is accepted. So, there is no significant relationship between Performance and Complaints Handling.

Conclusion
It is inferred that, there is a very high degree of positive correlation between Quality of the product and after sales support. Hence, we can conclude that as the Quality of the product increases, after sales support also increases.

Correlation analysis
Table showing the relationship between the quality of our product and after sales support of our company. Refer Table 3 Correlation (r) = Correlation r = 0.860.

Suggestions
The company has to ensure that the good quality spare parts are available at right time and the right place to retain its old and valuable customer. The respondents felt that the service cost was high for that the company should make new offers with specified features to retain the customer and also to increase the base of customers with new entries. The company can concentrate in improving the features of the existing product, offering more benefits. A small percentage of the respondents said that the response time of the service was unsatisfied hence company should engage the trained persons for clearing the queries of the customers. The small percentage of respondents felt that the service provided by the company was not good. So the company may concentrate in clearing the queries and the after sales service.

Conclusion
Thus, there is a very high degree of positive correlation between Quality of the product and after sales support. Hence, we can conclude that as the Quality of the product increases, after sales support also increases.

Run test AIM

To test whether customer expected new product in Schwing Stetter. Framing Hypothesis: Null hypothesis (H0): Customer expected new product in Schwing Stetter. Alternate hypothesis (H1): Customers not expected new product in Schwing Stetter.

Conclusion
The main output explained by this study is that quality improvement and product with regards to price, competitive promotion is needed to be concentrated upon to increase the market share and the customer base. The company may plan to improve the product in terms of performance. So the company may concentrate in creating new ideas towards improving the products and the service after discussions with marketing advisors of the company. The products strength is that feature that most of the customers are impressed with. The findings of the study would be of great help to the management to in finding out a suitable solution to improve their Quality and Services.

Result
Since the calculated value of Z = 1.003. It does not lies between -1.96 < Z < 1.96. So we accept null hypothesis and reject alternate hypothesis.

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Table 1
Variables Quality Value of the money Total Highly Satisfied 46 50 96 Satisfied 81 69 150 Neutral 13 21 34 Total 140 140 280

Table 2
Variables Performance Complaints Handling Total Highly Satisfied Satisfied 33 22 55 63 65 128 Neutral Dissatisfied 44 48 92 0 5 5 Total 140 140 280

Table 3
X (Quality) 46 81 13 0 Y (After Sales Support) 18 72 47 3

References 1. Philip Kotler; Marketing Management 11th edition, Prentice hall, New Delhi 2002. 2. Naresh K Malhotra; Marketing Research, 3rd edition, Pearson education, Delhi 2003. 3. Kothari C.R., Research Methodology, Wishwa Prakashan, New Delhi, 1985 (Reprint 2003). 4. Richard .I. Levin, David S. Rubin, Statistics for Management, USA, Prentice-Hall, Inc, Seventh Edition, 2002. 5. Churchill, G. A. (1995) Marketing research: methodological foundations, 6th edition, South-Western/ Thomson Learning, Mason, Ohio.Chapter 1, pp. 10-23 and chapter 3, pp. 82-112. 6. Wilson, A. M. (2003) Marketing research: an integrated approach,Financial Times Prentice Hall, Harlow. Chapter 2, pp. 19-47.