A STUDY ON HUMAN ENCOUNTER IN RETAIL INDUSTRYA project submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirement for the internal assessment in the subject Organisational BehaviourUnder the guidance ofMRS Dr Rose KavithaMBA, M.Sc, Ph.D Jyoti Nivas College Autonomous Post Graduation Centre,Hosur Road, Bangalore 560095

CONTENTS

Serial NoParticularsPage No

1Abstract2

2Introduction2.1 Human Six Sigma2.2 Positive Service Encounter2.3 Human Transactions2.4 Retail industry2.5 History of Retail Industry2.6 Origin Of Retailing Concept2.7 Literature Review2.8 Milestones of Retail Outlets2.9 Classification of Retail Outlets2.10 How To Improve Retail Store3-16

3Research Design3.1 Research3.2 Research Design3.3 Research Methodology3.4 Method of Study17-18

4Analysis and Inference4.1 Graphs and Tables19-27

1. ABSTRACT Positive service encounter - Customers perception of service depends on service encounter. The subject is approached by a cross-sectional survey on a random sample of 30 customers after their service encounter with store employees in retail outlets. The findings indicate that responsiveness and assurance provided by the retail employees are the most important contributors of good service quality. Although competence is a better tool of customers measurement of service quality, appeal of the employees in terms of looks and personality are not found to effect customers perception of service quality. Results suggest that good service quality contributes to development of customer loyalty through customer satisfaction. The study would give an insight into understanding the importance of positive service encounter along with the implications of employees behaviour for customer loyalty in service setting. This study contributes to marketing practice by offering an understanding to acquire customer loyalty. It also emphasizes the need to understand a positive service encounter which impacts the service quality.

Human Transaction In the service sector, customers and the employees play an important factor. It basically focuses on satisfying the consumers needs. It builds brand preferences. The environment in which the service is assembled & in which the seller & customers interact combined with tangible commodities that facilitate performance or communication if service.

Human Sigma Human sigma is the process of improving and reducing variability in the engagement levels of employees and customers. The application human sigma was not chosen accidently. Human sigma, like its name sake six sigma, is concerned with reducing variability and improving performance. Human sigma reminds us of an important principle that is often overlooked inside the bedrooms and offices where business decisions are made. The world was built on relationships between human beings. Human sigma is essential reading for executives and managers everywhere. Essential reading for todays global business leaders. Human sigma shows how sales and service companies can flourish in the new global economy. It reveals a profitability different method for managing human systems for growth. Blending strategic analysis with hands-on, practical steps and advice, human sigma changes according to how you view your work, your employees and your customers.

2. INTRODUCTION

2.1 HUMAN SIX SIGMASigma is the Greek letter representing the standard deviation of a population of data. Six Sigma is a highly disciplined process that helps accompany focus on developing and delivering near-perfect products and services. It is a way of knowing where you are and where you could be. Six Sigma at many organizations simply means a measure of quality that strives for near perfection. Six Sigma is a disciplined, data-driven approach and methodology for eliminating defects (driving toward six standard deviations between the mean and the nearest specification limit) in any process from manufacturing to transactional and from product to service. The statistical representation of Six Sigma describes quantitatively how a process is performing. To achieve Six Sigma, a process must not produce more than 3.4 defects per million opportunities. A Six Sigma defect is defined as anything outside of customer specifications. A Six Sigma opportunity is then the total quantity of chances for a defect. The fundamental objective of the Six Sigma methodology is the implementation of a measurement-based strategy that focuses on process improvement and variation reduction through the application of Six Sigma improvement projects. Definition - Six Sigma "Human intervention is common practice in the service sector, which results in a lot of hidden factors. However, human resources are core to service companies". Managing Your Human Sigma - Of course quality is the measure that is essential in the success of any business, however unlike the manufacturing industry, where quality can be measured and asserted with the help of measureable tangible features, it is quite a task to do the same for the service industry process. The factory floor becomes the habitat of value creation in the retail industry value is created when an employee interacts with the customer. Quality improvement methodologies such as Six Sigma are extremely useful in manufacturing contexts, where ingredients with predictable properties are repeatedly combined in the same ways, but theyre less useful when it comes to the employee-customer encounter, with its volatile human dimensions. To address this problem of fit a quality improvement approach was developed called Human Sigma. Human Sigma is based on five new rules to bring excellence to the way employees engage and interact with customers:

RULE #1: E Pluribus Unum. Its important not to think like an economist or an engineer when youre assessing the employee-customer interaction. Emotions, it turns out, inform both sides judgments and behaviour even more powerfully than rationality does. Employee and customer experiences must be managed together not as separate entities.RULE #2: Feelings Are Facts. Emotions drive and shape the employee-customer encounter.RULE #3: Think Globally, Measure and Act Locally. Its possible to arrive at a single measure of effectiveness for the employee-customer encounter; this measure has a high correlation with financial performance. The employee-customer encounter must be measured and managed at the local level.RULE #4: There Is One Number You Need to Know. Employee and customer engagement interact to drive enhanced financial performance. And this interaction can be quantified and summarized with a single performance metric.RULE #5: If You Pray for Potatoes, You Better Grab a Hoe. This means that good intentions alone do not constitute a plan of action. Sustainable improvement in the employee-customer encounter requires disciplined local action coupled with a companywide commitment to changing how employees are recruited, positioned in roles, rewarded and recognized, and importantly, how they are managed.

2.2 POSITIVE SERVICE ENCOUNTERPositive service encounter is a key indicator to success for service industry. It results in high customer loyalty and further customer recommendation. A period of time during which a customer directly interacts with a service. Service encounter also termed as Moment of truth are resultants of interaction between a company's employees and its customers. Moment of truth (MOT) is the foundation or building block for customer satisfaction and service quality. Service encounters are first and foremost social exchanges that lead customers to judge service quality which is by and large based on their evaluation of personal experiences during the service encounter. Service encounter is a major determinant of customers behavior towards service. Rust and Oliver (1994) suggest that a single or prolonged set of service encounters leads to customer satisfaction or dissatisfaction. Organizations understanding of service encounter and customers perceptions of their employees behavior represent direct determinants of customer satisfaction. Service quality can be attributed to either tangible like perception of the store or through intangibles like service encounter.

Relationship between Service Quality and Customer Satisfaction Service quality is the consumers subjective assessment of service performance. It is the customers overall impression of the relative inferiority/superiority of the organization and its services. There are two dimensions of service quality: tangibles and process, the latter having a greater influence on satisfaction and loyalty. Positive service encounter in retail is the resultant of good service quality which is reinforced with employees behaviour towards the customers. Good service quality is a pre-emptive measure by the organizations to beat the competition by attaining customer satisfaction. Customer satisfaction is a correlate of employee performance and higher quality service. Study states that customer satisfaction would be more if employees are trained in their dealings with customers. Thus, there exist a strong relationship between employee attitudes, performance, and customer satisfaction. Bolton and Drew (1994) studied the relationship between customer satisfaction and service quality indicating that customer satisfaction depends on pre-existing or contemporaneous attitudes about service quality. Better the service quality better would be the customer satisfaction.

Relationship between Customer Satisfaction and Customer Loyalty Customer satisfaction is a fundamental concept in marketing and it pursuit an important goal for businesses. In todays competitiveness, customer satisfaction is considered to be a success tool. Customers perception plays a key role in their satisfaction in service industry. Organizations profitability and performance correlates directly with customer loyalty. Customer loyalty programs help the organizations to effectively reward their best or potentially important best customers. With increased competition in retail sector, there has been a shift in focus from attracting customers to retaining customers. Underlying this view is the belief that it is generally less costly to invest in programs designed to foster the retention of customers-by enhancing customer satisfaction, providing better value, or development of improved or expanded services than the costs associated with the acquisition of new customers. Service quality lends support on the favourable outcomes such as loyalty. It is found that satisfied customers do not necessarily demonstrate loyalty. Satisfaction influences relative attitude, repurchase, and recommendation but has no direct effect on store loyalty. Service firms tries to attain customer satisfaction and loyalty by delivering superior value, an underlying source of competitive advantage. For service firms the challenge is to identify the critical factors that determine customer satisfaction and loyalty.

2.3 HUMAN TRANSACTIONWe transact with others on a continuum of trust and power. On one end of the spectrum, what we receive from the transaction cannot be differentiated from a gift. On the other end, it is a product of force and power applied to another. One relationship relies on human intuition to be profitable; the other is a product of brute calculation. As individuals in a generic situation we chose to transact on that basis that we expect to yield the more favourable result. That decision is a product of our personality and experience. When transacting with other humans with whom we have no prior experience, we proceed according to a characteristic bias. In the service sector, customers and the employees are important factors. The performance and service quality depend on customers expectations and how efficiently the firm serves the customers. The service quality aspects are to enhance customer service interactions and loyalty among customers. The role of employee or retailer is important in building relationships with customers. The expectations and satisfaction of customers depends on service personnel's interactions with customers.

2.4 RETAIL INDUSTRYRetail is a sale of goods and services from individuals or businesses to the end-users. The retail industry is responsible for the distribution of finished product to the public. The retailer sector comprises of general retailers (managed by individual/families), departmental stores, speciality stores and discount stores. Retailing refers to a process where the retailer sells the goods directly to the end-user for his own consumption in small quantities.

2.5 HISTORY OF RETAIL STOREThe origins of retail are old as trade. Barter system was the oldest form of trade. For centuries, Most of the goods were sold in market place or by peddlers. Medieval markets were dependent on local sources for supplying perishable goods because the Journey was too far to travel and inadequate transport facility. However, customer did travel for specialty items. The peddlers were the ones who provided people with the basic goods and necessities. Peddler travelled long distances to bring products to locations which were in short supply. They are early entrepreneurs who saw the opportunity in serving the needs of the consumers Later retailers opened small shops and stocking of necessary goods.

History of retail industry in IndiaThe retail industry in India is the largest, with an employment of around 8% and contributes over 10% of the countrys GDP. Retail industry is expected to rise 25% yearly due to strong income growth, challenging lifestyles and favourable demographic patterns. The retail industry in the year 2016 will be worth US dollar 175-200billion. The retail industry in India is one of the fastest growing industries with expected revenue in 2007 amount to US dollar 320 billion and is increasing at a rate of 5% yearly. A further increase of 7-8% is expected in the retail industry by growth in consumerism in urban areas, rising incomes, and steep rise in rural consumption.

Shopping in India has witnessed a revolution with the change in consumer buying behaviour and formatted with some alterations. It has become modern and can be seen that there are multi-stored malls, huge shopping centres and sprawling complexes which offer food, shopping and entertainment all under the same roof. Indian retailers prefer to expand in other regions and to increase the number of their outlets in a city. In the Indian retailing industry, food is the most dominating sector and it is growing at 12% annually. The branded food industry is trying to enter the Indian retail industry and convert Indian consumers to branded food. At present 40% of the Indian grocery basket consists of non-branded items. Retail industry is progressing well and for this to continue, retailers as well as the Indian government will have to make combine effort.

2.6 ORIGIN OF RETALING CONCEPT 1900s:Local culture there were Corner Store, local corner stores which dominated the retail market in this period. People walked to the store to get the basics goods. Choice was limited in these stores. In some of the bigger cities, you could find more of these stores, but goods were limited.1900 1940:Mass modernization culture - also known as the department store. While the automobile came into existence in the 1920s, it wasnt used until the 1940s. The automobile were the mainstream. People could go further and carry more of goods. At the same time, in-home refrigeration allowed shoppers to stock more. Retail moved from local corner stores to general merchants and department stores.

1970 1990:Consolidation culture Big Box stores: From the 1970s to the 90s, the big box player burst onto the scene. You saw an explosion of value players, club stores, and category killers. These stores drove a lot of the smaller local merchants out of business.1990-2013Present It is digital culture where E-commerce is been adapted by all consumers. Perhaps we should call this the Amazon era, but the emergence of E-Commerce has shaken the retail world to its core. In this era people prefer to buy at malls and buy through internet making their work easier and save time by purchasing online. Malls are preferred as the have wide variety of products available at one place and hence consumers save on time by buying products from one place rather than going to many places to buy different products.

2.7 LITERATURE REVIEW Human Sigma shows how sales and service companies can flourish in the new global economy. It reveals a profoundly different method for managing human systems for growth. Blending strategic analysis with hands-on, practical steps and advice, Human Sigma will change how you view your work, your employees, and your customers forever.Six Sigma is based mainly on understanding the customer needs and expectation, and responsible approach to managing, improving and establishing new business, manufacturing and service processes. The Human Sigma approach combines a proven method for assessing the health of the employee-customer encounter with a disciplined process for improving it. It is based on five new rules to bring excellence to the way employees engage and interact with customers. Companies that follow these principles are outpacing their competition by 26% in gross margin and 85% in sales growth.Understanding of the six sigma method allows organizations to better support their strategic directions, and increasing needs for coaching, mentoring, and training. The Six Sigma method is a complex and flexible system of achieving, maintaining and maximizing the business success. People are the hardest thing to fix. So Human Sigma was developed as a response to the lack of effectiveness of Six Sigma methodology for increasing productivity from people. This literature review first discusses Human Sigma in depth and then covers key aspects of employee engagement and customer engagement to provide a background of relevant literature on these subjects. Human Sigma focuses on reducing variability and improving performance.

Every interaction an employee has with a customer represents an opportunity to build or diminish that customers emotional connection to the organization. Work groups whose employees are positively engaged have higher levels of productivity and profitability, better safety and attendance records, and higher levels of retention (Wagner & Harter, 2006).Not surprisingly, they are also more effective at engaging the customers they serve. Companies that make employee engagement and customer engagement a priority have a positive shift in the overall business success.

2.8 MILESTONE OF RETAIL OUTLETS2013Food hall, the premium lifestyle food destination was first launched in Pune.First batch of Future India Fellowship program started with 5 selected fellows across the country. The fellowship aims to create thought leaders of tomorrow.Future Group successfully introduced 'Big Bazaar Direct' an assisted shopping concept where franchises will sell Big Bazaar products through a catalogue on a 'tablet'.Big Bazaar introduced an exciting occasion for shopping 'April Utsav'.Future Group officially launched India's largest State of the Art Logistical Distribution Hub at Nagpur.Big Bazaar introduced a unique customer membership program 'Big Bazaar Profit Club.'Food hall, the premium lifestyle food destination launched in New Delhi.Future Sharp, the Future Group arm that trains and develops the skills of youth opened its new skill centre in Nashik.2012Food hall the premium lifestyle food destination launched its second store in Bengaluru on 4th May 2012.Big Bazaar redefined the concept of customer service with the launch of the Rajajinagar Family Centre in Bengaluru with its unique Seva initiative on 24th February 2012.Future Sharp Skills Ltd. launched its first skill centre in Kolkata with a vision to train and provide sustainable livelihood to five lakh youth of West Bengal by 2022.Pantaloons became the first retailer to introduce a reality hunt as it set out on a countrywide search for their next Fresh Face.Pantaloons launched its first store in Ludhiana, Visakhapatnam and Bilaspur.Future Group started with Aadhaar Franchise.Future Supply Chains Express Logistics business became the fastest profitable Express Business in India.Keeping pace with the ongoing trends Fashion at Big Bazaar decided to reposition itself as FBB.Pantaloons joined hands with PAYBACK. Being India's largest and one of the strongest loyalty programs in Europe, PAYBACK offers were made available to all Pantaloons customersBig Bazaar launched its home delivery services in Mumbai.2011Future Group entered elite gourmet retailing with the launch of its first gourmet food chain Food hall in Mumbai on 26th May 2011.Pantaloons launched its revamped Green Card Loyalty Programme.Pantaloons forayed in Coimbatore, Durgapur and Vizag.Big Bazaar completed 10 glorious years and came up with a new brand identity and tagline Naye India ka bazaar.Big Bazaar opened its first store in Himachal Pradesh on 21st May 2011.2010Future Value Retail Limited is formed as a specialized subsidiary to spearhead the group's value retail business through Big Bazaar, Food Bazaar and other formats.Pantaloons opened its 50th flagship store in New Delhi on 27th November 2010.Pantaloons embarked on its "next gen" journey with the launch of its new 'avatar' stores.Big Bazaar introduced Family Centre in Kolkata on 27th March 2010.Big Bazaar opened its first store in Jalandar and Amravati.Pantaloons forayed in Allahabad, Bhopal and Aurangabad.Future Group launched 'The Great Indian Shopping Festival'.Future Group announced the launch of mobile telephony services under the brand name T24 on the GSM platform.2009Big Bazaar initiated Maha Annasantarpane program at its stores in South India a unique initiative to offer meals to visitors and support local social organizations.Big Bazaar captured almost one-third share in food and grocery products sold through modern retail in India.Pantaloons Retail celebrates its first Shopping Festival across all retail formats in key Indian cities.2008Big Bazaar crosses the 100-store mark, marking one of the fastest expansions of the hypermarket format anywhere in the world.2007Big Bazaar launched its 50th store in Kanpur.Big Bazaar partnered with Futurebazaar.com to launch India's most popular shopping portal.Big Bazaar initiated the Power of One campaign to help raise funds for the Save The Children India Fund.Pantaloons Retail wins the International Retailer of the Year award at US-based National Retail Federation convention in New York, and Emerging Retailer of the Year award at the World Retail Congress held in Barcelona.2006Big Bazaar launched India's most popular shopping festival: Sabse Sasta Din on 26th January.Big Bazaar launched Shakti, India's first credit card program tailored for housewives.Navaras the jewellery store launched within Big Bazaar stores.Home Town, the home building and improvement products retail chain, is launched along with consumer durables, Ezone and Furniture Bazaar.2005Big Bazaar launched a unique shopping program: the Big Bazaar Exchange Offer, inviting customers to exchange household junk2004Pantaloons Retail launches India's first seamless mall, Central, in Bangalore.2003Big Bazaar entered Tier II cities with the launch of its store in Nagpur2002Food Bazaar, the supermarket chain was launched.2001Pantaloons Retail launches three Big Bazaar stores within a span of 22 days in Kolkata, Bangalore and Hyderabad.1997Pantaloons Retail enters modern retail with the launch of the first 8000-sq. ft. store Pantaloons in Kolkata.1994The Pantaloons Shop started with exclusive menswear store in a franchisee format which was launched across the nation. The company starts distribution of branded garments through multi-brand retail outlets across the nation.1991Company's name changed to Pantaloons Fashions (India) LimitedBARE, an Indian denim brand was launched.

2.9 CLASSIFICATION OR TYPES OF RETAIL OUTLETS Department StoresA department store is a set-up which offers wide range of products to the end-users under one roof. In a department store, the consumers can get almost all the products they want to shop at one place only. Department stores also provide them a wide range of options to the consumers and thus help them to fulfil all their shopping needs. MerchandiseAre almost similar to department store but the products here are available at a cheaper price. The products in this include. Electronic Appliances, Apparels, Jewellery, Toiletries, Cosmetics, Footwear, Sportswear, Toys, Books, Cds, Dvd. Examples - Shoppers Stop, Pantaloons.Discount StoresDiscount stores also offer a huge range of products to the end-users at a discounted rate. They generally offer a limited range and quality in certain cases might be a little inferior when compared to the department stores. Wal-Mart currently operates more than 1300 discount stores in United States. In India Vishal Mega Mart comes under discount store. SupermarketA retail store which generally sells food products and household items, which are properly placed and arranged in specific departments is called a supermarket. A supermarket is an advanced form of the small grocery stores and caters to the household needs of the consumer. The various food products (meat, vegetables, dairy products, juices etc) are properly displayed at their respective departments to attract the customers and pick any merchandise depending on their choice and needs. Warehouse StoresA retail format which sells limited stock in bulk at a discounted rate is called as warehouse store. Warehouse stores do not bother much about the interiors of the store and the products are not properly displayed. Mom and Pop Store (also called Kirana Store in India)Mom and Pop stores are the small stores run by individuals in the nearby locality to cater to daily needs of the consumers staying in the surroundings. They offer selected items and are not properly organized. The size of the store would not be very big. They wouldnt offer high-end products. Example: Eggs, Bread, Stationery, Toys, Cigarettes, Cereals, Pulses, Medicines Speciality StoresAs the name suggests, Speciality store would specialize in a particular product and would not sell anything else apart from the specific range. These stores sell only selective items of one particular brand to the consumers and primarily focus on high customer satisfaction. Example -You will find only Reebok merchandise at Reebok store and nothing else, thus making it a speciality store. You can never find Adidas shoes at a Reebok outlet. MallsMany retail stores operating at one place form a mall. A mall would consist of several retail outlets each selling their own merchandise but at a common platform. E-TailersNow days the customers have the option of shopping while sitting at their homes. They can place their order through internet, pay with the help of debit or credit cards and the products are delivered at their doorsteps. However, there are chances that the products ordered might not reach in the same condition as they were ordered. This kind of shopping is convenient for those who are busy and who do not have much time to go to retail outlets. In this kind of shopping; the transportation charges are borne by the consumer itself.Example - EBAY, Rediff Shopping, Amazon, Flipkart, Big Basket etc. Dollar StoresDollar stores offer selected products at extremely low rates but here the prices are fixed.Example - 99 Store would offer all its merchandise at Rs 99 only. No further bargaining is entertained. However the quality of the product is always in doubt at the discount stores.

2.10 HOW TO IMPROVE THE RETAIL STOREMost every retail shop needs effective strategies for improving sales, marketing, management and operations. The importance of operating at peak performance is never more important than in a down economy when retail dollars are tight. Understanding your customers and their shopping habits as well as trends in the retail marketplace is a key element in building an important foundation on which to construct a plan for improvement.

ManagementFinding the right talent and clearly defining the managers role is key to success in a retail business. Managers face pressure from a range of responsibilities such as increasing sales, controlling inventory, hiring, training and managing employees, minimizing payroll, engaging customers and monitoring shrinkage, so working with the manager to establish priorities is critical. In addition to increasing productivity, the process of setting priorities will give insight into a managers strengths and indicate whether the manager has what it takes to be effective. There are five dimensions of management talent as motivation, influence, work style, relationship and thought process.TechnologyTechnological advances in retail equipment have led to better inventory control, reduction of shrinkage, greater accuracy and higher levels of efficiency and customer service. Point of sale (POS) systems have become sophisticated tools that can track sales and inventory and reduce human error, and additional software capabilities can provide you with valuable tools such as customer loyalty programs, gift registries, detailed sales histories, ticket histories, back orders, website hosting and training modules.ConversionThe three ways to increase sales are to encourage more potential customers to visit your store, increase your ticket average and increase your conversion rate -- that is, turning people who visit your store but dont purchase anything into customers. You can address the first two goals through advertising and promotional strategies, but to address the issue of conversion, you must track the traffic going through your store -- non-buyers as well as buyers. Tracking conversion rates will help you monitor your progress and refine your strategies. Conversion rate is calculated by dividing sales transactions by the total number of people coming into the storeCustomer ServiceTo improve customer service, you must be able to evaluate the customers experience. While speed and availability of assistance are universal, there are other factors that can turn a shopper into a loyal customer. It is not enough for employees to be motivated and care about the products they sell; consistency in personnel is also critical. Turnover in managers and sales staff undermines customer loyalty. Look for empathy, patience and consistency when hiring sales staff. While experience is important, it sometimes means youll be faced with bad habits, cynicism or attitudes that can be either pedantic or condescending. Too little experience can mean an inability to cope or effectively deal with sensitive situations.

3. RESEARCH DESIGN3.1 RESEARCHIn common sense research is a scientific and systematic search for pertinent information on specific concept or fact. It may be termed as the application of scientific method and study of problems.The Chambers Dictionary of English states the meaning of research as A careful search, investigation, systematic investigation towards increasing the sum of knowledge. C.V Good defines, Research as careful, critical, disciplinary inquiry, varying in techniques and methods according to the nature and conditions of the problem identified and directed towards the clarification and resolution of problem.

3.2 RESEARCH DESIGNResearch design is a logical and systematic plan prepared for directing a research study. It specifies the objectives of the study, methodology and techniques to be adopted for achieving the objectives. It continues the blue print for the collection, measurement and analysis of data. It provides a systematic plan of procedures for the researcher to follow. The research design enables the researcher to arrive at certain meaningful conclusion at the end of proposed study.According to David J. Luck and Ronald S. Rubin, A research is a determination and statement of the general research approach or strategy adopted the particular project. It is the heart of planning. If the design adheres to the research objective, it will ensure that the clients needs will be served.3.3 RESEARCH METHODOLOGYIn research methodology we study the various steps that are generally adopted by a researcher in studying his research problem along with the logic behind them. It is necessary for the researcher to know not only the research methods/techniques but also the methodology. Sampling - In Statistics and survey methodology, sampling is concerned with the selection of a subject of individuals from within a population to estimate characteristics of the whole population. Statistical Analysis Statistics is the study of the collections, organisations, analysisand interpretation of data. Statistical methods can be used for summarizing or describe a collection of data

3.4 METHOD OF STUDY

RANDOM SAMPLING TECHNIQUEIn statistics sample is a subject from a population for investigation a random sample is one chosen by a method involving an unpredictable component. Random sampling is the purest form of probability sampling. Each member of the population has an equal and known chance of being selected. When there is very large population, it is often difficult or impossible to identify every member of the population, so the pool of available subjects becomes biased.Random sampling is a technique where we select a group of subjects for study from a large group. Each individual is chosen entirely by chance and each member of the population has a known, but possibly non equal, chance of being included in the sample. By using random sampling, the likelihood of bias is reduced.

TOOLS OF DATA COLLECTIONQuestionnaireA questionnaire is a research instrument consisting of a series of questions and other prompts for the purpose of gathering information from respondents. Although they are often designed for statistical analysis of the responses, this is not always the case. The questionnaire was invented by Sir Francis Galton. Questionnaire have advantages over some other types of survey, in that they are cheap, dont require so much effort from the questioner as verbal or telephone survey, and often have standardized answer that make it simple to complete data.

SAMPLE SIZE A sample is a subset population. Typically the population is very large making the census or a complete enumeration of all the values in the population impractical or impossible. The sample represents a subset of a manageable size. The sample size of this study has been restricted to 30 respondents only.

4. ANALYSIS AND INFERENCE

4.1 Graph and table showing which age group the respondents fall.Under 200

20-3519

35-4010

50-651

Inference - The above graph and table shows most of the respondents fall in the age group 20-35 as these respondents are working men/women and students because most of this age group will influence the buying behavior compared to the other age group of under 20, 35-40, 50-65.Hyper Market1

D-Mart9

Reliance6

Big Bazaar7

Nilgiris2

M.K.Retail5

4.2 Graph and table showing frequently visited retail outlets by respondents.

Inference - The above graph and table shows most of the respondents do their shopping from D-Mart as it gives best discounts and offers compared to other retail outlets such as Big Bazaar, Hypermarket, Nilgiris, M.K Market, Reliance.

4.3 Graph and table showing how often respondents shop from retail outlets.Once a week7

Once a months17

Twice a month6

Once a day0

Inference - The above graph and table shows most of the respondents go shopping to the retails outlets once a week because these respondents are people who are studying and working and hence prefer to shop in bulk monthly to save time.

4.4 Graph and table showing whether the respondents are satisfied with the services provided by retail outlets.Extremely satisfied6

Dissatisfied0

Satisfied20

Not very satisfied4

Inference - The above graph and table shows most of the respondents are satisfied by the services provided by the retail outlets because people with membership are provided with additional discounts and regular offers.

4.5 Graph and table showing the factors those are missing/lacking by the employees in the retail industry. Positive behavior2

Helpful nature11

Positive attitude4

Share correct product information13

Welcome frequent customers by greeting them0

Inference - The above graph and table shows most of the respondents feel that the employees in the retail industry lack in providing correct information about the product as employees itself are not aware about how the specifications of the product.

4.6 Graph and table showing whether retail outlets provide customer service helpline.Yes12

No18

Inference - The above graph and table shows most of the retail outlets provide customer service helpline. As in to get feedback about the products and services offered and improve on their services if there are any complaints by the consumers.

4.7 Graph and table showing whether the products frequently purchased by the respondents have adequate supply. YES26

NO4

Inference - The above graph and table shows most of the respondents have stated that the products purchased by them are adequately available in the retail outlets as demand for the product purchased by them is high.

4.8 Graph and table showing whether these retail outlets provide respondents good quality foodYES28

NO2

Inference - The above graph and table shows most of the respondents feel that these retail outlets provide quality food and hence customer prefer buying from these outlets again and again as they have used them before.

4.9 Graph and table showing whether the respondents are provided with the exchange services in the retail outlets.YES26

NO4

Inference The above graph shows us that most of the respondents are provided with exchange services. If the there is any defect in the product it can be returned to the stores within a particular time after purchasing the product.

4.10 Graph and table showing whether the products provided in the retail outlets are priced reasonably.Reasonable22

Very Reasonable3

Not reasonable2

Not sure3

Inference: The above graph and table shows most of the respondents feel the products provided in the retail outlets are reasonable and hence customers prefer buying from these outlets again and again.

4.11 The graph and table showing whether respondent personally make influence or participate in any purchases on the internet during the previous month.YES4

NO26

Inference: The above graph and table shows most of the respondents feel that they did not take part in any purchases on internet during the previous month. Hence most of the retail outlets do not provide internet purchasing facilities to their customers.

4.12 Graph and table showing the type products purchased on internet by the respondents.Software3

Books or Magazines1

Music CDS3

Home electronics14

Clothes5

Accessories1

Others1

Inference - The above graph and table shows most of the respondents purchase Home electronics from internet. Consumers fine wide range of products with different brands in one place and hence it becomes easier for consumers to compare and purchase.

4.13 The graph and table showing mode of payment preferred by the respondents.Cash18

Debit card9

Credit card3

Others0

Inference - The above graph and table shows most of the respondents prefer cash payments rather than other mediums of payment. As they find it more convenient to pay through cash.

4.14 Graph and table showing whether the retail outlets provide respondent membership card through which they can redeem their shopping points into cash.YES28

NO2

Inference - The above graph and table shows most of the respondents have a membership card through which they can avail discounts and cash benefits. By having membership cards they are provided with additional benefits.

4.15 Graph and table showing the satisfaction level of respondents in content with how retail outlets encounter and handle their new customersSatisfied17

Dissatisfied0

Neutral12

Not very satisfied0

Inference: The above graph and table shows most of the respondents feel satisfied the way the retail services encounter their new customers. As they feel welcomed by them and like to visit the place again.

10 Minutes4

20 Minutes1

30 Minutes1

1 Hour16

2 Hour7

3 to 4 Hour1

4.16 Graph and table showing time spent by the respondent with their retailer in order to get to know about the new products which have been launched.

Inference - The above graph and table shows most of the respondents spent maximum an one hour in order to get to know about the new products which have been launched. As customers to a detailed analysis on which products they buy because the price of these products high.

4.17 Graph and table showing whether respondents think that the services offered by retail service encounter should be more customized.Yes21

No9

Inference - The above graph and table shows most of the respondents whether think that the services offered by retail service encounter is more customized.

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