International Journal of Management (IJM), ISSN 0976 6502(Print), ISSN 0976 6510(Online), Volume 3, Issue 3, September- December (2012)

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MANAGEMENT (IJM)

ISSN 0976 6367(Print) ISSN 0976 6375(Online) Volume 3, Issue 3, September- December (2012), pp. 105-111 IAEME: www.iaeme.com/ijm.asp Journal Impact Factor (2012): 3.5420 (Calculated by GISI) www.jifactor.com

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A STUDY ON CUSTOMER SATISFACTION TOWARDS KITCHEN EQUIPMENTS IN CHENNAI

*Dr.C.Sundar Prof& Head, School of Management, SRM University, Ramapuram, Ch-89 ** Mrs.S.Jebaseeli Novaleena.,MBA.,DCP.,CIC.,(Ph.D).,Asst.prof (OG).,School of Management, SRM university,Ramapuram,Ch-89 *Corresponding author

ABSTRACT This article explains the customer satisfaction of kitchen Equipments. The study was done to find out the Customer satisfaction level among kitchen equipments players in the market .The survey was done in Chennai from 110 Respondents. The data was processed using computer aided tools such as MS-EXCEL, SPSS. In this research, the findings showed that most respondents identified tangibility as the most important factor in determining satisfaction. Keywords: kitchen equipments, Customer satisfaction, Exhaust system 1. INTRODUCTION Customer satisfaction is a measure of how products and services supplied by a company meet or surpass customer expectation. Codotte, woodruff and Jenkins (1987) define customer satisfaction as "conceptualized as a feeling developed from an evaluation of the experience."In a competitive market place were businesses compete for customers, customer satisfaction is seen as a key differentiator and increasingly has become a key element of business strategy customer satisfaction drives successful private sector business. High performing businesses have developed principles and strategies for achieving customer satisfaction. This paper presents a frame work or set of ideas for using customer satisfaction principles and strategies to improve the quality responsiveness, and possibility of public sector privately provided services in vulnerable communities.

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International Journal of Management (IJM), ISSN 0976 6502(Print), ISSN 0976 6510(Online), Volume 3, Issue 3, September- December (2012)

2. REVIEW OF LITERATURE The authors named Gordon H.G. McDougall, (Professor of Marketing, School of Business and Economics, Wilfred Laurier University, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada), Terrence Levesque, (Professor of Economics, School of Business and Economics, Wilfred Laurier University, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada) submitted a paper on "Customer satisfaction with services: putting perceived value into the equation" Source- Journal of Services Marketing, Vol. 14 Issue: 5, pp.392 410. From this article, the relationship between three elements core service quality, relational service quality- and perceived value and customer satisfaction and future intentions across four services was understood. The author named Roger Hallowell, (Harvard Business School, Boston, MA, USA) submitted a paper on "The relationships of customer satisfaction, customer loyalty, and profitability: an empirical study" Source- International Journal of Service Industry Management, Vol. 7 Issue: 4, pp.27 42. From this article, the relationship of customer satisfaction to customer loyalty and customer loyalty to profitability, using multiple measures of satisfaction, loyalty, and profitability was understood. The authors named Cathy Parker, Brian P. Mathews submitted a paper on customer satisfaction: contrasting academic and consumers interpretations Source- Marketing Intelligence & Planning Volume: 19 Issue: 1 2001. From this article, it was understood that, the satisfaction is a very important concept in marketing and is central to many definitions. The authors named Ali Turkyilmaz, Coskun Ozkan submitted a paper on development of a customer satisfaction index model: an application to the Turkish mobile phone sector Source- Industrial Management & Data Systems Volume: 107 Issue: 5 2007. From this article, a new customer satisfaction index model for Turkish mobile phone sector (TMPS) was understood. The authors named Te-King Chien, Chin-Ho Su, Chao-Ton Su submitted a Case study on implementation of a customer satisfaction program: a case study Source- Industrial Management & Data Systems Volume: 102 Issue: 5 2002. From this article, it was understood that, the enterprise striving to implement total quality management (TQM), customer satisfaction (CS) is an important objective to achieve. The success of CS is not only closely related to a companys TQM performance but it also has permanent effects on the companys future. The author named Peter Palm submitted a paper on customer orientation in real-estate companies: the espoused values of customer relations Source- Property Management Volume: 29 Issue: 2 2011 from this article, it was understood that, how the espousing of customer relations has evolved over time in the real estate sector. 3. OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY To identify the quality of kitchen equipments available in the market. To know the price rate of kitchen equipments available in the market. To determine the standards of kitchen equipments available in the market. To know the customer satisfaction level for kitchen equipments. To know which type of kitchen equipments the customers needed in their kitchen.

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International Journal of Management (IJM), ISSN 0976 6502(Print), ISSN 0976 6510(Online), Volume 3, Issue 3, September- December (2012)

4. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY Research Design Primary Data customer. Secondary Data Research Approach Sample Size Sampling Method Tools for analysis : : : : : : Descriptive Research : Using structured questionnaire from the existing

Company Website & Annual Report of Company Survey method using structured questionnaire. 110 Respondents Random Sampling Weighted average, Chi-square test

5. ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION Table No: 5.1 Table showing the quality of kitchen equipments available in the market PARTICULARS HIGH LOW NORMAL MODERATE TOTAL NO.OF RESPONDENTS 36 25 23 26 110 PERCENTAGE 32.72 22.72 20.90 23.63 100

(Source-Primary Data) Inference From the above table that was inferred that 32.72% of the respondents are says high quality of kitchen equipments available in the market, and 22.72% of the respondents are felt quality of kitchen equipments available in the market is low. Table No: 5.2 Table showing the general prices of the kitchen equipments available in the market. PARTICULARS EXPENSIVE FAIRLY PRICED TOTAL (Source-Primary Data)
107

NO.OF RESPONDENTS 63 47 110

PERCENTAGE 57.27 42.72 100

International Journal of Management (IJM), ISSN 0976 6502(Print), ISSN 0976 6510(Online), Volume 3, Issue 3, September- December (2012)

Inference From the above table it was inferred that 57.27 % of the respondents felt prices of kitchen equipments were expensive, and 42.72% of the respondents felt prices were fair in the market. TABLE NO: 5.3 Table showing the standards of kitchen equipments available in the market.
PARTICULARS EXCELLENT GOOD SATISFACTORY POOR TOTAL NO.OF RESPONDENTS 27 23 31 29 110 PERCENTAGE 24.54 20.09 28.18 26.36 100

(Source-Primary Data) Inference From the above table that is inferred that 27% of the respondents rated standards of kitchen equipments as excellent, 23 % rated standards as good, 31 % rated standards as satisfactory and 29 % rated standards of kitchen equipments as poor. TABLE NO: 5.4 Table Showing customers Satisfaction levels for kitchen equipments available in the market. PARTICULARS SATISFIED HIGHLY SATISFIED DISSATISFIED TOTAL NO.OF RESPONDENTS 36 45 29 110 PERCENTAGE 32.72 40.09 26.36 100

60 40 20 0

NO .OF RESPONDENT S GRADE

(Source-Primary Data)

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International Journal of Management (IJM), ISSN 0976 6502(Print), ISSN 0976 6510(Online), Volume 3, Issue 3, September- December (2012)

Inference: From the above table that was inferred that 32.72% of the customers were satisfied with the kitchen equipments available in the market, 40.09% of the customers were highly satisfied and 26.36% of the customers were not satisfied with the kitchen equipments available in the market. Table No: 5.5 Table Showing Types of equipments the customers needed in their kitchen. PARTICULARS Dinner set Dining table Gas oven Total NO.OF RESPONDENTS 32 16 39 23 110
80 60 40 20 0

PERCENTAGE 29.09 14.54 35.45 20.09 100

grade

dinner set dinning gas oven

no.of responde nts

(Source-Primary Data) Inference From the above table that was inferred that 29.09% of the customers preferred dinner sets to keep in their kitchen, 14.54% of the customers preferred dining table to keep in their kitchen and 20.09% of the customers preferred oven to keep in their kitchen. CHI-SQUARE TEST: To find the relationship between price rate and satisfaction level. Null hypothesis (Ho): There is no significant difference between the general price rate of kitchen equipments and satisfaction level of customers. Alternate hypothesis (H1): There is significant difference between the general price rate of kitchen equipments and satisfaction level of customers.

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International Journal of Management (IJM), ISSN 0976 6502(Print), ISSN 0976 6510(Online), Volume 3, Issue 3, September- December (2012)

Chi Square Table Oi 20 15 15 15 30 15 Ei 15.9 20.4 13.6 19.0 24.5 16.3 Oi-Ei 4.1 -5.4 1.4 -4 5.5 -1.3 (Oi-Ei)^2 16.81 29.16 1.96 16 30.25 1.69 TOTAL (Oi-Ei)^2/Ei 1.057 1.42 0.144 0.842 1.234 0.103 4.8

Level of significance = 0.05, Degree Of Freedom: 2, Tabulated Value: 5.991 Z=4.8 < 5.991 Inference Since the calculated value is less than the tabulated value the alternative hypothesis is rejected and null hypothesis is accepted and hence there is no significant difference between price and the satisfaction level of the customers Weighted Average Analysis Factors Quality Price Durability Service Inference The above table weighted average analysis clearly shows that, Quality is ranked 1st, Service is ranked 2nd, Durability is ranked 3rd and Price is ranked 4th. 6. FINDINGS From the study it is known that respondents felt the prices for the kitchen equipments were expensive. The majority of the respondents are says kitchen equipments available with high quality with high price in the market. The study also finds that there is no relationship between price and customer satisfaction. From the Study it is known that 29.09% of the customers preferred dinner sets to keep in their kitchen, RANK 1 RANK 2 RANK 3 RANK 4 4*1=4 61*1=61 22*1=22 23*1=23 Total 375 188 234 283 Weight 3.41 1.71 2.13 2.57 Position x 1ST 4TH 3RD 2ND

62*4=248 35*3=105 9*2=18 5*4=20 18*4=72 19*3=57 20*3=60 25*2=50 40*2=80

25*4=100 36*3=108 26*2=52

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International Journal of Management (IJM), ISSN 0976 6502(Print), ISSN 0976 6510(Online), Volume 3, Issue 3, September- December (2012)

7. CONCLUSION While customer demand for high quality equipments is increasing. To remain competitive, the players have to analyze customers expectation and perception towards the product quality. The study also revealed that Kitchen equipment with good quality with fair price is very much demanded in the market, so the companies dealing with kitchen equipment should focus on price and quality to stay in the competitive world. REFERENCES 1. Philiph Kotler, Kevin Lane Keller, Abraham Koshy, Mithileshwar Jha,Marketing management, Twelfth edition, Prentice Hall publication. 2. C.R. Kothari, Research Methodology Methods and Techniques, Second edition, new age international publishings. 3. Nimit Chowdhary, Monika Chowdhary,Text book of Marketing of Services, 1st edition, Macmillan Publishers India Limited. 4. Debra L. Nelson and James Campbell Quick (2009), Organizational Behavior, 2nd ed, Cengage learning. 5. Asubonteng, P. Mccleary, K.J., & Swan, J.E. (1996). SERVQUAL revisited: a critical review of service quality, The Journal of Services Marketing 10 (6), 62-81. 6. Bardi, James A. (2003). Hotel Front Office Management. 3rd ed. Printed in the United States of America.

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