Journal of Management (JOM) Volume 4, Issue 2, July December 2017, pp. 87 91, Article ID: JOM_04_02_010 Available online at http://www.iaeme.com/jom/issues.asp?jtype=jom&vtype=4&itype=2 Journal Impact Factor (2016): 2.4352 (Calculated by GISI) www.jifactor.com ISSN Print: 2347-3940 and ISSN Online: 2347-3959 IAEME Publication CUSTOMER DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS AN ASSESSMENT REPORT ON TRAVEL AGENTS IN PUNJAB Raju Rosha Research Scholar, I.K. Gujral Punjab Technical University Jalandhar, Punjab, India Dr. Navdeep Kaur Associate Professor, Department of Business Administration, Guru Nanak Dev Engineering College (GNDEC) Ludhiana, India ABSTRACT The purpose of the study is to assess the service quality of the travel agents in Punjab based on the differences in demographical characteristics of the customers. A modified SERVQUAL scale was used to measure the perceptions of the customers towards service provided by travel agents in Punjab. Data were collected from 1000 customers by using self administered questionnaire. Both descriptive and inferential statistics analysis were conducted for interpretation of the results. Hypothesis were formulated and tested by using Kruskal Wallis Test with the help of IBM SPSS 20 software. The results indicate that tourist perceptions vary across different demographic variables. The finding can be used to improve the service quality of the travel agents in Punjab. Key words: Punjab, Demographic, SERVQUAL, travel agents. Cite this Article: Raju Rosha and Dr. Navdeep Kaur. Customer Demographic Characteristics An Assessment Report on Travel Agents in Punjab. Journal of Management, 4(2), 2017, pp. 87 91. http://www.iaeme.com/jom/issues.asp?jtype=jom&vtype=4&itype=2 1. INTRODUCTION In Punjab, travel agents are one of the most important service sectors generating more than Rs. 200 crores of the business. Travel agent sector generates maximum employment opportunities in Punjab. Even the foreign exchange earnings in this sector are growing at the rate of 21% per annum. Punjab state tourism policy was formulated and implemented in 1999 (Bhardwaj, 2002). Industry status to the Punjab tourism sector was given in ninth five year plan (1997 2002). The policy emphasizes on the development of destinations and service providers in Punjab. Present study examines the impact and to assess the service quality of the travel agents in Punjab based on the differences in demographical characteristics of the http://www.iaeme.com/jom/index.asp 87 editor@iaeme.com
Raju Rosha and Dr. Navdeep Kaur customers. This research study provided an important theoretical structure to the travel agents in formulating the strategies related to the different demographic variables of the customers for evaluating the services provided by the travel agents in Punjab. 2. REVIEW OF LITERATURE (Min & Khoon, 2013) considered demographic aspects of the service quality and found out that demographic factors can influence the perceptions and expectations of the customers. (Jager et al., 2015) investigated and suggested that consumer decision making process is influenced by socio demographic factors. Significant relationships were found in income level and race of the customer with observed perception of the service quality. (Borgoni, 2002) shown that travel patters differ depending upon income, age and gender of the customers. (Gjonca & Calderwood, 2004) presented outcomes at both individual and group level, how decision making process changes in life cycle of the customers with respect to different socio demographic variables such as marital status, household composition and education level. (Lötter, 2012) states that potential buying power differs with geographic area with high income level and results were later verified by applying different statistical tools. (Beerli & Martín, 2004) analyzing the relationship between age, income and marital status. Stimuli influencing construct was formed to measure the perceptions of customers with respect to these demographic variables. Income and education level of the customer (Krishnamurthy, Raja, & s, 2010) play an important role in predicting consumer behaviour in service sector. Even school aged children able to notice differences in observed perception towards services. Marketers must aware of demographic composition of the customers, then only they can predict and forecast future behaviour intensions. Travel marketers should target their customers according to useful basses of segmentations. (Kouthouris, Alexandris, & Kouthouris, 2005) revealed the theoretical relevance for service quality with respect to age and income. For implementations of better marketing communications, demographic profiles must be studied in parallel to segmentations and targeting strategies. Travel agents must target those who are most profitable among the cluster. 3. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY The 21 item modified SERVQUAL (Parasuraman, Zeithaml, & Berry, 1985) was used to measure the perceptions of the customers with respect to different demographic variables like age, education level, occupation and income of the customer. All measures were reliable (Cronbach, 1951). A non probability sampling technique was used in this research study. Total of 1000 conveniently selected customers of travel agents from different cities of Punjab were requested to participate and fill the well structured questionnaire available in travel agent office. Kruskal Wallis Test with the help of IBM SPSS 20 software was used to analyse the valid responses collected by the primary data collection method. 4. OBJECTIVE AND HYPOTHESIS OF THE RESEARCH The main objective was to assess the service quality of the travel agents in Punjab based on the differences in demographical characteristics of the customers. Accordingly, the hypotheses were: H1 0 : the service quality of travel agents in Punjab does not vary due to differences in age of the customers. H2 0 : the service quality of travel agents in Punjab does not vary due to differences in education of the customers. http://www.iaeme.com/jom/index.asp 88 editor@iaeme.com
Customer Demographic Characteristics An Assessment Report on Travel Agents in Punjab H3 0 : the service quality of travel agents in Punjab does not vary due to differences in occupation of the customers. H4 0 : the service quality of travel agents in Punjab does not vary due to differences in income of the customers. 5. RESULTS AND FINDINGS This part of the research presents the results for hypothesis H1 0 to H4 0 in order to achieve research objective. Table 1 Testing the differences in service quality in terms of age group Chi-Square 6.436 12.000 8.616 3.042 13.655 Asymp. Sig..266.035.125.693.018 H1 0 Accepted Rejected Accepted Accepted Rejected b. Grouping Variable: Age Of The Respondent To investigate the age differences in the perceptions of the customers, Kruskal Wallis test was conducted as shown in table 1, the results presented in the table depicted that hypothesis H1 0 was rejected in case of assurance and responsiveness service quality dimension as p value is less than the statistical significant level 0.05. It was revealed that the service quality of travel agents in Punjab does vary due to differences in age of the customers in case of assurance and responsiveness service quality dimensions. Table 2 Testing the differences in service quality in terms of education level Chi-Square 9.571 6.662 23.570 5.017 11.335 df 3 3 3 3 3 Asymp. Sig..023.083.000.171.010 H2 0 Rejected Accepted Rejected Accepted Rejected b. Grouping Variable: Education Level Of The Respondent Kruskal Wallis test was performed on the data collected from travel agents customers from different education level. The results of the test are presented in table number 2. If the Sig. value is less than or equal to (with 95% confidence interval), we reject the null hypothesis H2 0. Significant differences were found in case of observed reliability, tangibles and responsiveness service quality dimensions and H2 0 was rejected in these three components of service quality. It was revealed that the service quality of travel agents in Punjab does vary due to differences in education level of the customers in case of reliability, tangibles and responsiveness service quality dimensions. Table 3 Testing the differences in service quality in terms of occupation level Chi-Square 16.207 5.129 18.658 6.647 13.767 Asymp. Sig..006.400.002.248.017 H3 0 Rejected Accepted Rejected Accepted Rejected b. Grouping Variable: Occupation Of The Respondent http://www.iaeme.com/jom/index.asp 89 editor@iaeme.com
Raju Rosha and Dr. Navdeep Kaur As shown in table number 3, results of hypothesis testing H3 0 confirmed that the p vales for the assurance and empathy service quality dimensions were greater than 0.005 and hypothesis cannot be rejected. Based on this results service quality of travel agents in Punjab does vary due to differences in occupation level of the customers in case of reliability, tangibles and responsiveness service quality dimensions. Table 4 Testing the differences in service quality in terms of income level Chi-Square 7.343 5.761 7.036 8.408 27.846 Asymp. Sig..196.330.218.135.000 H4 0 Accepted Accepted Accepted Accepted Rejected b. Grouping Variable: Monthly Income (In Thousands) Again Kruskal Wallis test was performed on the semantic differential scale ratings of the customers from different income group from Punjab. The results of the SPSS output matrix were shown in table number 4. The p values of all the components of the service quality were greater than 0.05 but responsiveness. H4 0 cannot be rejected for reliability, assurance, tangibles and empathy dimensions of the service quality. Based on above results service quality of travel agents in Punjab does vary due to differences in income level of the customers in case of responsiveness service quality dimensions only. 6. MANAGERIAL IMPLICATIONS The research study confirmed the significant variation in observed perceptions of the customers towards travel agents in Punjab. Research study provides better understanding of the service quality of the travel agents in terms of their demographical characteristics. Results regarding the relationship differences of perceptions with age, education level, occupation and income level of the customers helps the marketers for strategies formations with respect to different consumer groups. Travel agents in Punjab should focus on all the RATER service quality dimensions to improve the service quality and retain good profits. 7. LIMITATIONS OF THE RESEARCH In Current research study only five service quality dimensions were used, there may be other service quality dimensions that could also be considered in further empirical research studies. In future other variables like satisfaction, loyalty, culture etc can be taken into consideration. Data collection was limited to few cities of Punjab only which may restrict the generalizations of the research results. REFERENCES [1] Beerli, A., & Martín, J. D. (2004). Factors influencing destination image. Annals of Tourism Research, 31(3), 657 681. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annals.2004.01.010 [2] Bhardwaj, S. (2002). Chapter-4 Tourism Status in Punjab : Survey and Findings, 155 236. [3] Borgoni, R. (2002). to explain private car use patterns? How important are household demographic characteristics to explain private car use patterns? A multilevel approach to Austrian data, 49(0), 0 26. [4] Cronbach, L. J. (1951). Coefficient alpha and the internal structure of tests. Psychometrika, 16(3), 297 334. https://doi.org/10.1007/bf02310555 http://www.iaeme.com/jom/index.asp 90 editor@iaeme.com
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