AN EMPIRICAL STUDY ON PORTABLE PERSONAL COMPUTER USAGE AND ITS PERFORMANCE OF AFTER SALES SERVICE

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1 International Journal of Advanced Research in Management (IJARM) Volume 6, Issue 3, Sep-Dec (2015), pp , Article ID: Available online at ISSN Print: and ISSN Online: IAEME Publication AN EMPIRICAL STUDY ON PORTABLE PERSONAL COMPUTER USAGE AND ITS PERFORMANCE OF AFTER SALES SERVICE Dr. K. Selvasundaram Assistant Professor, Faculty of Science and Humanities SRM University, Chennai Dr. J. Rengamani Associate Professor, AMET Business School, AMET University, Chennai ABSTRACT: This paper presents an introductory discussion of after-sales services of the portable personal computer Due to growing complexities in business-tobusiness products, the relationship between a seller and a buyer usually never ends after the purchase transaction. Customers buy augmented products, expecting bundle of values that come with the product which will satisfy the buyer. Thus, integrating services into the core offerings in manufacturing industries has taken crucial importance. Especially, after-sales service is considered a tool for enhancing a valuable advantage for the customer as well as it is a business opportunity for the company.this study examined the impact of after sales service on customer satisfaction and retention with special reference to purchase and replacement portable personal computers in Chennai IT HUB, after sales service play important roles in establishing long-term relationships with customers. Furthermore, the manufactures to set up more after sales service departments to the existing ones with experienced staff with the view of developing long term relationship with the customers The study found that after sales service indices (product delivery, installation and warranty) were significantly independent and joint predictors of customer satisfaction and retention.. However, intensive studies regarding after-sales in a specific industry are lacking. The purpose of this study is to investigate the major activities of after-sales service focusing on customer relationship among three classified sizes of after-sales service providers. Key words: After-sales service, Field technical assistance, Spare parts distribution, Customer care, Customer relationship marketing and Firm size 55 editor@iaeme.com

2 Dr. K. Selvasundaram and Dr. J. Rengamani Cite this Article: Dr. Selvasundaram, K. and Dr. Rengamani, J. An Empirical Study on Portable Personal Computer usage and its Performance of after Sales Service. International Journal of Advanced Research in Management, 6(3), 2015, pp INTRODUCTION After-sales (AS) service has become increasingly important as a source of differentiation and market share for manufacturers and resellers, as well as a strategic driver for customer retention (Elena Legnani, et al.,) Three significant factors involved in after-sales service are delivery, installation and warranty. Mohd Rizaimy Shaharudin, it is defined as Periodic or required maintenance or repair of equipment by its manufactures or supplier during and after a warrantee period. After-sales services have proven to be of importance, and a strategic after-sales framework is necessary for the successful sales.three major activities that play a crucial role within the after-sales services in the manufacturing industry such as field technical assistance, spare parts distribution and customer care. A multiple case study has been carried out in the form of semi-structured interviews with three organizations; one small, one medium and one large size after-sales service providers. The study reveals that customer care is the most focused activity of after-sales services.simultaneously, it shows the most significant differences of offers depending on the size of the company, in relation to the remaining activities. Field technical assistance appears to be the part of after-sales that produces least profit in the industry. Thus, it might be the reason that small organizations would rather tend to outsource it, in order to avoid high costs. Spare parts distribution can be considered as the most profitable activity of after-sales. The warehouses and repair centers of companies naturally varied according to firm sizes. Although the organizations do not state formal goals for providing after-sales service to its customers, they are aware of its importance and aim for satisfying customer demands. All organizations are convinced that if aftersales services are not handled properly, they face the risk of losing the customer. Finally, this research indicates that organizations in the heavy equipment machinery industry have a lot of room for improvements to its after-sales activities with respect to their relationship with customers, which can be accomplished in strategic and systematic ways. 2. AFTER SALES SERVICE (ASS) Rolph E. Anderson and Marvin A. Jolson (I973) has identified reasons for rising expectations. Younger, wealthier, better educated and more sophisticated consumers are less tolerant of gaps between promotional promise and product performance. The expectations of customers have about a particular product are derived from information gathered from a variety of sources. Past experience, personal acquaintances and the promotional communication of sellers are common sources of product information. The information often given is inaccurate, misleading and inadequate which is the major reason for customer irritation and dissatisfaction. Morris A Cohen and Hau L. Lee, (1990) found that superior after sales service can increase both first time and repeat sales and thereby increase market share and closeness both to customers and suppliers. Palani. S, (2011) The researcher has identified 8 After sales service perceptions of expectations and satisfactions of the personal computer owners and are listed as 56 editor@iaeme.com

3 An Empirical Study on Portable Personal Computer usage and its Performance of after Sales Service follow: 1.Prompt service, 2. Home service, 3. Knowledgeable service personnel, 4. Honest billing, 5. Reasonable cost, 6. Cheaper rate of spares, 7. Non-occurrence of repairs and 8. Satisfactory service even after warranty period. Alireza Fazlzadeh et.al.(2011),an understanding of the effect of after-sales services in satisfaction and post behavioural intentions is important to services marketing managers because it allows them to differentiate their offering substantially, in a way that strengths the relationship with their clientele in the short, as well as in the long run Objectives of the study 1. To know the personal profile of the employed youth respondents. 2. To identify the underlying dimensions of PPC usage purpose of employed youth respondents. 3. To understand the underlying dimensions of ASS expectation and satisfaction. 4. To study the difference between ASS expectation and ASS satisfaction I and to their factors Total score 5. To study the influence of all profiles and PPC UP factor on ASS satisfaction. 3. STATISTICAL TOOLS USED The data collected from 500 respondents were subjected to Percentage analysis. Descriptive analysis. analysis, and Multiple regression Analysis using SPSS 17. Table 1 Personal Profile of Respondents N % Age < 27 years > 27 years Gender Employments Status Nature of occupation Male Female Self employed Employed IT&ITES Not IT Father s education School Education Higher Education Mother s education School Education Higher Education Family size < 4 Members (Nuclear Family) > 4 Members (Joint Family) Members employed Single Multiple Portable PC Owned Laptop Others Incidence of purchase First time Replacement editor@iaeme.com

4 Dr. K. Selvasundaram and Dr. J. Rengamani 3.1. Analysis and Interpretation Personal Profile of the Respondents : Majority of the respondents (52%) are male and their group (53%) is below 27 years. Majority of the modern youth consumers are (75%) employed in IT and ITES sector. A sizable group of respondents fathers (50.4%) have school education. While majority of the respondents mother s (61%) have school education as their educational background. Majority of the respondents ( 52%) belong to joint family and have bought (92.6%) laptop as their Portable Personal Computers (PPC) for the time and with majority of them with multiple income isation of PPC Purpose (PPC P) Variables of MYCS Table 2 PPC Purpose (PPC P) s Names 1 Knowledge enrichment factor 2 Connectivity 3 Utility 4 Recruitment % Vriance Explained Variables Mean SD Commu nalities Loading Anti- Image Refer periodical &journals Business purpose Project work Reading of news Knowledge enrichment Information Communication Browsing ing Entertainment Booking e-tickets Storing the information For utility bills Payment dues (EMI,Insurance premium) Online application for jobs Preparation and attend online exams KMO-MSA0.774, Total =variance Explained= Bartlett s Test of Sphericity Chi-Sqaure Value of with df of 105 and P value of editor@iaeme.com

5 An Empirical Study on Portable Personal Computer usage and its Performance of after Sales Service The Table 2 shows that PPPC P variables with their communalities value ranging from to o.729, have goodness of fit for factorization. KMO-MSA value of and chi-square value of with df of 105 and p-value of 0 reveal that factor analysis can be applied for factorization of 15 PPC P Variables. Four dominant independent PPC P factors explaining of total variance have extracted out of 15 PPC P Variables. Of them most dominant factor is Knowledge Enrichment (KEF) followed by Connectivity (CF), Utility (UF) and Recruitment, in the order of their dominance. Table 3 ization of PPC Expectation After Sales Service names 1 ASS Human touch 2 ASS Service Quality % of variance explained Service personnel to bill honestly Service personnel should be knowledgeable Advice of maintenance and repairs to be offered Cheaper rate of cost of service Spares must be available at cheaper rate Variables Mean SD Comm unaliti es loading Anti- Image Service must be provided even after warranty period Repair should not happen often Service dealer/employee must be courteous Prompt service Easy availability of dealer service accessability KMO-MSA0.858, Total =variance Explained= Bartlett s Test of Sphericity Chi-Sqaure Value of with df of 45 and P value of 0 The Table 3I shows that PPC ASS variables with their communalities value ranging from to o.768, have goodness of fit for factorization. KMO-MSA value of and chi-square value of with df of 45 and p-value of 0 reveal that factor analysis can be applied for factorization of 10 PPC ASS Variables. Two dominant independent PPC ASS factors explaining of total variance have extracted out of 10 PPC ASS Variables. Of them most dominant factor is ASS Human Touch followed by ASS Service Quality, in the order of their dominance editor@iaeme.com

6 Dr. K. Selvasundaram and Dr. J. Rengamani Table 4 Paired t test ASS s ASS Perceptions Mean SD T Value Df p-value Interpretation ASS Human Touch Expectation S Satisfaction ASS Service Expectation S Quality Satisfaction ASS Total Score Expectation S Satisfaction Table 4 indicates that there is a significant difference between ASS Expectation and Satisfaction actors and total score of ASS Expectation and Satisfaction in employed youth consumers. The expectation is higher than satisfaction in both the ASS factors and total ASS Expectation scores in employed youth consumers, despite higher levels of both ASS Perceptions. Multivariate analysis of General Linear Model has been applied to study the impact of characteristics of MYC s Profiles on all PPC After Sales Service factors and results are shown in the Table-5. Table 5 General Linear Model - Multivariate Tests Effect Value F Hypthesis df Intercept Age Gender Status Error df Sig. Interpretatio n Significatant Insiginificant Insiginificant Insiginificant Father s Education Insiginificant 60 editor@iaeme.com

7 An Empirical Study on Portable Personal Computer usage and its Performance of after Sales Service Effect Value F Hypthesis df Mother s Education Error df Sig. Interpretatio n Significant Family size Incidence of Multiple employment Incidence of PPC Replacement PPC Usage Purpose Groups PPC Influencer Groups MLS Groups Significant Table 5 Shows that Mother s education and MLS Groups have significant impact on After Sales Service 4. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION This study examined the impact of after sales service on customer satisfaction and retention with special reference to purchase and replacement portable personal computers in Chennai IT HUB and researchers agreed that the after sales service plays a major role in satisfying customers as well as increasing sales. The study found 61 editor@iaeme.com

8 Dr. K. Selvasundaram and Dr. J. Rengamani that after sales service indices (product delivery, installation and warranty) were significantly independent and joint predictors of customer satisfaction and retention. In conclusion, after sales service play important roles in establishing long-term relationships with customers. Furthermore, the manufactures to set up more after sales service departments to the existing ones with experienced staff with the view of developing long term relationship with the customers. To conclude it the after sales service have high impact on consumer behavior while purchase and replace the portable personal computers. Therefore the after sales service plays an important role over attitudes of consumers making decision to buy the products, and the after sales service by the manufactures, producers through their service personnel will increase the sales and protect the royalty and image of the products. REFERENCES: [1] Anderson, R. E. and Jolson, M. A. Consumer Expectations and the Communications Gap-Causes of Consumer Dissatisfaction. Business Horizon, April 1973, pp [2] Cohen, M. A. and Lee, H. L. Out of Touch with Customer Needs Spare Parts and After Sales Service. Slogan Management review, S990, pp. 55 [3] Palani, S. A Study on Consumer Preference with reference to purchase and replacement of Personal Computer in Thiruvallur District, TN, India, [4] Fazlzadeh, A., Bagherzadeh, F. and Mohamadi, P. How after-sales service quality dimensions affect customer satisfaction. African Journal of Business Management, 5(17), 4 September, 2011, pp [5] Shaharudin, M. R., Yusof, K. M. M., Elias, S. J. and Mansor, S. W. s Affecting Customer Satisfaction in After-Sales Service of Malaysian Electronic Business Market. Canadian Social Science, 5(6), 2009, ISSN Canadian Academy of Oriental and Occidental. [6] [7] Legnani, E., Cavalieri, S. and Ierace, S. Production Planning & Control: The Management of Operations Taylor and Francis group, A framework for the configuration of after-sales service processes, 2009, volume 20, issue 2. [8] Mr. Vora, S., Shah, M., Mr. Kapadia, J. and Ms. Nadkarni, G. Computer Independent Device for USB Data Transfer. International Journal of Advanced Research in Engineering and Technology, 4(5), 2013, pp editor@iaeme.com