The level of Customer Service Within Sainsbury's Supermarkets

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James Pitcher                10/05/2007

The level of Customer Service

Within Sainsbury’s Supermarkets

Introduction

The aim of this report is to look at the different methods used by research companies to measure customer service and show how they work and how affective they are.  The report will then use a questionnaire along with the support of Sainsbury’ s Bridgmead store to see how their customer service is rated by their regular customers.

The different methods of measuring customer service

Customer satisfaction is the extent to which the requirements of the customer are met by the supermarkets and shops. A service is considered satisfactory if it fulfils the needs and expectations of the customer(s), whether the customer is the general public or another business.

Measuring this satisfaction is an important element of providing better, more effective and efficient services. When customers are not satisfied with a service as provided, the service is neither effective nor efficient and can result in a loss of business.

Why do we measure customer satisfaction?

The level of customer satisfaction with services is an important factor in developing a system of service provisions such as the 7P’s:

Theses areas of any business are responsive to the customers needs while minimising costs and time requirements and maximising the impact of the services on target populations.  The reason being each ‘P’ represents a different part of the business, which a customer will have to interact with during their shopping experience.  

In order to develop a service delivery mechanism that addresses its customers’ needs, desires and expectations, it is necessary to:

  • Know what customers are thinking about you, your service, and your competitors.
  • Measure and improve your performance.
  • Turn your strongest areas into market differentiations.
  • Turn weaknesses into opportunities for improvement.
  • Develop internal communication tools to let everyone know how they are doing.
  • Demonstrate your commitment to quality and your customers. 

Feedback and information form important elements in effective service delivery systems and should include:

  • Level of customer satisfaction and 
  • Quality of the service.

Ways to measure customer service

Many companies make the mistake of jumping straight into conducting a survey, without giving due consideration to the survey design process. If a customer survey is not designed properly it will not meet its objectives and can provide misleading information.

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As the report has said before there are many ways to measure customers service, but not all business are suited to the same way of measuring the level of service.  

The best way to get fed back from a customer is through a questionnaire.  This is the best because:

  • The questions asked can be very open or closed.
  • The questions can be very broad or very detailed.
  • The questionnaire can be offered to the customer to fill in at the store or to take it home and fill it in.

Other advantages to using ...

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