Brand Loyalty and Customer Relationship Management

Running head: DISSERTATION
Brand Loyalty and Customer Relationship Management
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author’s Note:

1DISSERTATION
Acknowledgement
Thank you to all of those who have helped listened and encouraged me throughout this study.
I am indebted to my supervisor ......................... whose guidance, advice and patience
have been immeasurable. My sincere thanks to all members of the............... [Mention your
university/college name], both staff and students, whose continuous support have made this
thesis possible.
I would like to thank all of the participants in the study: students, teachers and Local
Education Authorities, for the time and help given throughout. Without their participation,
this research would not have been possible. In this context, I am also thankful to them, whose
research work helped me to execute this paper well.
Finally, I thank my family, without whom this thesis would not have been started or
completed! Your encouragement and support have never faltered; thank you.

2DISSERTATION
Abstract
The aim of the research is to investigate whether the name of the brand, quality of the
vehicle, price and customer relationship management that includes brand promotion and
service quality have an influence on the brand loyalty of the customers. One of the major
challenges that are identified in respect to brand loyalty is getting the customers on board
because the customers might not perceive the brand in the same way the brand perceives
them. Another problem that emerges when it comes to brand loyalty among the customers is
establishing and building trust. Even the smallest mistake leads to the development of
negative feeling and experience that acts as stimuli for a major setback. Hence, when the
relationship with the customers is ineffective and interrupted, the loyalty of the customers
towards the brand is also compromised largely leaving negative impact.
From the data analysis, it can be seen that brands can achieve and develop loyalty towards
them if the customer relationship management is highly effective. The different factors
affecting brand loyalty considered for this study are brand name, brand promotion, service
quality and after sales service are found to be positively as well as strongly associated with
each other. Hence, it can be inferred that customer relationship management is strongly
correlated with brand loyalty. From the values obtained from the regression analysis, it can be
seen that the p-value obtained is .000 that is less than 0.05. Based on the values, it can be
inferred that the null hypotheses are rejected and the alternate hypotheses are accepted.
Hence, effective customer relationship management facilitates brand loyalty and similar is the
case of automobile industry of UK.

3DISSERTATION
Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Introduction..............................................................................................................9
1.0 Overview.....................................................................................................................9
1.1 Problem statement............................................................................................................9
1.2 Research aim..................................................................................................................10
1.3 Research objectives........................................................................................................10
1.4 Research questions.........................................................................................................10
1.5 Research rationale..........................................................................................................11
1.6 Structure of the dissertation...........................................................................................12
1.7 Summary........................................................................................................................13
Chapter 2: Literature review....................................................................................................15
2.0 Overview........................................................................................................................15
2.1 Concept of brand loyalty................................................................................................15
2.2 Factors affecting brand loyalty.......................................................................................16
2.2.1 Brand name.............................................................................................................16
2.2.2 Brand promotion.....................................................................................................19
2.2.3 Service quality.........................................................................................................21
2.2.4 After sales service...................................................................................................22
2.3 Benefits of brand loyalty................................................................................................23
2.4 Challenges of brand loyalty.......................................................................................26

4DISSERTATION
2.5 Methods of overcoming brand loyalty challenges.........................................................28
2.6 Customer relationship management...............................................................................29
2.7 Factors affecting customer relationship management....................................................30
2.7.1 Interdependence......................................................................................................30
2.7.2 Communication.......................................................................................................30
2.7.3 Conflict resolution...................................................................................................31
2.7.4 Competence and friendliness..................................................................................31
2.8 Role of customer relationship management in retaining customers..............................32
2.9 Investigate the impact of branding in influencing customers........................................32
2.10 Conceptual framework.................................................................................................33
2.11 Summary......................................................................................................................33
Chapter 3: Research Methodology...........................................................................................34
3.0 Overview........................................................................................................................34
3.1 Research Outline............................................................................................................34
3.2 Research Philosophy......................................................................................................35
3.2.1 Justification of selecting positivism philosophy.....................................................36
3.3 Research Approach........................................................................................................36
3.3.1 Justification of selecting deductive approach.........................................................37
3.4 Research Design.............................................................................................................38
3.4.1 Justification of selecting descriptive design............................................................38
3.5 Research Strategy...........................................................................................................39

5DISSERTATION
3.5.1 Justification for selecting survey research strategy.................................................39
3.6 Sampling Technique and Sampling Size........................................................................40
3.6.1 Justification for selecting systematic sampling technique......................................40
3.7 Data Collection Technique.............................................................................................40
3.7.1 Justification for selecting primary data collection technique..................................41
3.8 Data Analysis Technique...............................................................................................41
3.8.1 Justification for selecting quantitative data analysis technique..............................41
3.9 Ethical Considerations...................................................................................................42
3.10 Summary......................................................................................................................42
Chapter 4: Data analysis...........................................................................................................43
4.0 Overview........................................................................................................................43
4.1 Survey procedure...........................................................................................................43
4.2 Descriptive analysis.......................................................................................................44
4.4 Correlation analysis........................................................................................................47
4.5 Regression analysis........................................................................................................49
4.7 Summary........................................................................................................................53
Chapter 5: Discussions.............................................................................................................54
5.0 Overview........................................................................................................................54
5.1 Interpretations................................................................................................................54
5.2 Summary........................................................................................................................57
Chapter 6: Conclusion and recommendations..........................................................................58

6DISSERTATION
6.0 Objective findings..........................................................................................................58
6.1 Significance of the study................................................................................................59
6.3 Recommendations for future research...........................................................................60
References................................................................................................................................61
Appendices...............................................................................................................................71
Appendix 1...........................................................................................................................71
Survey questions..............................................................................................................71
Appendix 2...........................................................................................................................75
Gender..............................................................................................................................75
Appendix 3...........................................................................................................................76
Age group.........................................................................................................................76
Appendix 4...........................................................................................................................77
Monthly income...............................................................................................................77
Appendix 5...........................................................................................................................78
Brand loyalty and customer relationship management....................................................78

7DISSERTATION
List of Figures
Figure 1: Conceptual framework.............................................................................................33
Figure 2: Gender......................................................................................................................44
Figure 3: Age group.................................................................................................................45
Figure 4: Monthly income........................................................................................................46
Figure 5: Brand loyalty and customer relationship management.............................................47