Customer perception of service, store image and product assortment : from an interior store perspective
Aspfors, Emma (2010)
Aspfors, Emma
Vaasan ammattikorkeakoulu
2010
All rights reserved
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2010061712347
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2010061712347
Tiivistelmä
It is only when you know your customers’ perceptions of your business, your service and your products, that you truly know whether your business is going in the right direction or not. Everything what the customers see, hear and experience is linked together and forms their overall perception of the company. A substantial amount of studies on customer perceptions have been done but the findings from an interior store perspective are few, moreover, the findings are very industry specific and therefore, not necessary applicable. This study is done for a case company, an interior store, specialized in design furniture. The purpose of this thesis is to find out how the case company’s customers perceive them, both when it comes to the actual store itself but also, more importantly, how the customers experience the service they receive and the products they are offered. The first objective of the study is to analyze the existing customers’ perceptions of the store, the products and the service. The second objective is to investigate how the case company can use this knowledge and develop the business and customer service even further. In addition, the thesis refers to several international articles about customer perceptions, these articles will also be examined in order to find out if the findings are applicable for the local case company. The answers to the stated research questions were gathered by conducting a quantitative questionnaire among the case company’s customers. The results showed on the strengths and the weaknesses of the case company. The customers deemed that the case company sell products of high quality and unique products that cannot be found elsewhere in the region, however even though they offer excellent customer service this cannot be seen as the one factor that gives the case company most advantage compared to other stores.