Customer Experience Among Foreign Customers: case VR Group
Kytömaa, Kaaren (2024)
2024
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2024051010735
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2024051010735
Tiivistelmä
The case company of VR Group, which is in charge of long-distance passenger train services in Finland, was lacking data on customer satisfaction and customer experience with their foreign customers. Development of customer experience is one of the company’s strategic goals.
The objective was to discover how foreign tourists have experienced the company’s services, whether their experience will lead to customer loyalty and whether there were differences in experiences based on home countries. Additionally, motivation for choosing the train as a means of transport was studied. Research questions for the study were: does country of origin have an impact on service experience? Will the experience lead to customer loyalty? And why do customers decide to travel by train in Finland?
To accomplish the research objective, a questionnaire was implemented for the company’s previous customers and hypotheses were formed to be tested. Both quantitative and qualitative research methods were utilized in the study. Finnish tourism statistics and statistics by the case company were used as secondary data.
The results of the study provided the current level of customer satisfaction among the foreign customers and provided information on their experiences. The study discovered whether there is statistical difference in overall experience in the five most frequent respondents’ home countries. Results also showed how likely foreign customers would use the company’s services again, and how likely they would recommend it to others. Moreover, motivation for choosing the train as a transport mode was studied, and the results showed which matters are valued in the decision-making process. Finally, possibilities of growing the number of customers were considered in addition to the railway industry’s rapid development and its possibilities.
The objective was to discover how foreign tourists have experienced the company’s services, whether their experience will lead to customer loyalty and whether there were differences in experiences based on home countries. Additionally, motivation for choosing the train as a means of transport was studied. Research questions for the study were: does country of origin have an impact on service experience? Will the experience lead to customer loyalty? And why do customers decide to travel by train in Finland?
To accomplish the research objective, a questionnaire was implemented for the company’s previous customers and hypotheses were formed to be tested. Both quantitative and qualitative research methods were utilized in the study. Finnish tourism statistics and statistics by the case company were used as secondary data.
The results of the study provided the current level of customer satisfaction among the foreign customers and provided information on their experiences. The study discovered whether there is statistical difference in overall experience in the five most frequent respondents’ home countries. Results also showed how likely foreign customers would use the company’s services again, and how likely they would recommend it to others. Moreover, motivation for choosing the train as a transport mode was studied, and the results showed which matters are valued in the decision-making process. Finally, possibilities of growing the number of customers were considered in addition to the railway industry’s rapid development and its possibilities.