Investigating Customer Service

This report investigates customer service in the context of the case study of Marks and Spencer Company. It explores different research methods and monitoring techniques to improve customer service.

INVESTIGATING
CUSTOMER SERVICE

Table of Contents
Table of Contents.............................................................................................................................2
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
Task 1...............................................................................................................................................3
Research methods to improve customer service..........................................................................3
Monitor customer service progress..............................................................................................4
Monitoring methods in contrasting businesses............................................................................5
Research to improve customer service........................................................................................7
Indicating of improving customer service...................................................................................8
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................8
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................10

INTRODUCTION
Investigate customer service denoted to analysis the services company cater to its
customers. This report is based on the case study of Marks and Spencer Company in respect to
customer service. The organisation is established in the year 1884 by the founder Michael Marks
and Thomas Spencer. Company is currently catering its services under the retail market.
Organisations business locations are approximately 15000 in numbers. This report will discuss
about the customer service in context to the business entity. Henceforth, report will emphasis
over the different research methods business entity will explore in process to achieve best level
of customer services. Different ways that can contribute the business entity to monitor the
customer services of business entity will also demonstrate in this project. Furthermore, project
will discuss the indicators that demonstrate the customer service in context to business.
Task 1
Research methods to improve customer service
Research methods are demonstrated as the techniques or the methods that can support the
business entity to construct the research. Research methods are off different types that are
demonstrated as quantitative and qualitative type of researches. Both the methods allow
researcher to achieve the proper learning outcomes that will favour the researcher to achieve
business objectives. Following are the methods that is used to achieve best level of outcomes
against research entertained.
Primary research
Primary research is the most prominent type of research that is used. Under the primary
type of research individual efforts are put to reach the overall objectives and aim set behind the
study. This will involve doing personal interviews, asking questions through questionnaire
methods and other such techniques are used to collect the views and opinions of customers. The
views of customers are keep on changing element which required the business entity to collect
proper information that denote latest aspect about the information and views of customers.
Especially in respect to the customer’s opinions and views always change which required
researcher to collect opinions and views over a continuous basis (Alhelalat, Ma’moun and
Twaissi, 2017). Under the primary study Marks and Spencer Company took all the necessary
steps such as asking questions, taking interviews, collecting opinions over email and other such

ways that can allow the business to coordinate with customers in order to collect best level of
information. Primary research over customer behaviour always dominate the market. This favour
the Marks and Spencer Company to collect direct and latest information that demonstrate the
views and opinions associated with the customers in market. The key advantage of doing this
study is that the information generated is modified and do not influenced with any of the external
element which possibly can influence the information customer can provide against the customer
behaviour topic or the interview process. Primary study will favour the company to identify all
possible areas that seek improvement and development in respect to attract customer behaviour.
Secondary research
Secondary research is also a prominent research method that is used to deliver a
meaningful study. This study allows the business entity to improve the level of customer services
with support of existing researches. Under this existing studios like research, books, journals,
articles and all other documents study by the business entity to assess all potential sources or
ways to develop the services of business entity. Secondary method is time saving and cost
efficient way to develop the services used by business entity (Almohaimmeed, 2017). In context
to business entities continuous improvement in services and products offer by business entity is a
key to achieve success in respective market. Management of Marks and Spencer Company utilise
this technique of study where they get to use existing sources of information for delivering
precise research to achieve best level of practices of business entity. Under the secondary
research method technique, the aim is to collect all possible information related to improving
customer services.
The above two methods are used prominently by the Marks and Spencer Company when
it comes to collect information to cherish customer expectations. At once the organisation try to
analysis the practices and identify all key areas that seek development (Torlak, Demir and Budur,
2019). Based on the notified areas company research based on primary and secondary to address
the respective issues. Based on the available time company chooses one of the method or may be
in many cases both methods of research are used and explored.
Monitor customer service progress
Management at the Marks and Spencer Company are very keen to assess the
development they could address against the services deliver to the consumers. Company usage
the following technique to monitor the improvement in customer service company could gain.

Customer feedback form
Marks and Spencer Company follow the technique which allow business entity to ask
feedback from customers to identify potential level of development business could address.
Customer feedback is an approach where company collect views and opinions of customers over
the quality of services business deliver. Customers are free to share their opinion under this
technique. This practice is executed by collecting views of 100 of customers in market. On the
basis of the customer feedback company try to interpret the views and opinions stated by the
customers over the quality of services business deliver and level of customer satisfaction it c
could achieve (Duarte, e Silva and Ferreira, 2018). This practice is very effective as critical
opinions are collected and analysed. AS customers are free to share their opinion so this practice
do not contain any form of biasness. Company also get opportunity under this technique to
collect the actual view and opinions related to the customers over the practices and services
deliver by the Marks and Spencer Company. With support of this technique a path is formulated
by the company that can lead the business entity to a direction where it can analysis about the
level of improvement and development business entity could address. The feedback form not
only comprises the already taken steps to approach customer service improvement but also the
possible solutions that can lead to better services on behalf of Marks and Spencer Company. This
practice is effective and allow company to analysis about the areas that seek development and
also the ways to achieve higher customer satisfaction level.
Monitoring methods in contrasting businesses
Marks and Spencer Company is associated with the retail sector. There are other
competitors also who are giving healthy level of competition to the company. Techniques like
customer satisfaction survey, net performance score, social media monitoring and other such
techniques are explored (Solimun and Fernandes, 2018). Monitoring customer services play
dominating role in respect to business entity as it empowers the organisation to improve its
services and growth possibilities.
Customer satisfaction survey: Customer satisfaction survey is approached by many business
entities in which company try to collect information about how much the customer is happy. This
approach is used to collect data and information over customer happiness against undertaking
services of business entity. The data clearly demonstrate the views and opinions stated by
customers on an average basis. This survey is used by many companies like Tesco, Sainsbury

and many other. The aim of the survey is to get an eye over how much the customer is happy
against the services deliver by the respective business entity. This survey provided significant
benefits to business entities such as it could allow company to gain valuable feedback against the
business practices deliver. This also allow the business entity to under the need and demand of
customer in respective target market (Gloor and et.al., 2017). It also provides business entity the
perspectives undertaken by customers. It also favours organisation to not only retain existing
customer base but also to grow the consumer scale by attracting new potential customers for
entertaining services of business entity. This also provide a scope to business entity to track
changes under the feedback. It can be stated that this practice is undertaken as a strategic choice
where business entity capable enough to address different needs and requirements associated
with business entity.
Net promoter score: Net promoter score is a strategic technique used to deliver the overall
objectives behind business operations entertained. This is the score indicate that what is the
percentage of customers retaining the likelihood that can favour the company to get
recommended by customers. Net promoter score in simple term indicate that how positive
chances are of company to get recommended by the business entity. The score is also generated
through research or survey of customers in market (Hammoud, Bizri and El Baba, 2018). The
key advantage associated with the net promoter score is that it measures the likelihood of
respective brand. It also provides a clear overview about the brand value company hold in
respective market. This technique is useful for every business area irrespective of the sector as it
directly allows the company to gain an idea about how many customers actually prefer products
offer by respective business entity. It also provides a strategic direction to business entity
towards the area of improvement. This technique further allows business entity to track the
respective change. Net promote score is a technique that is majorly used by business entities to
identify the effectiveness of the operations. Also this method allows the company to gain an idea
about the possible areas of improvement or development as a business entity. Businesses such as
Tesla, Tata and many other are utilising this practice to identify the level of customer satisfaction
business entity is approaching.
Social media monitoring: Social media monitoring is a system used to monitor about the level
of customer satisfaction business entity is addressing. This practice is delivered with support of
different techniques like Hootsuite, Google Alerts, Hootsuite Insight Powered by Brandwatch,

Talkwalker, Reddit Search, Reputology, Synthesio, Mentionlytics, Hootsuite RSS Syndicator,
Review Trackers, ReviewInc, Net Base, Crowd Analyzer, Nexalogy and Tweepsmap. All these
are the different technologies that is used under the social media monitoring. Under this
approach monitoring is conducted over social media platform. Setting up streams is also a part of
the approach. This technique is reliable and allow company to gain direct opinions and views of
customers in respective target market. Social media monitoring is used by many brands such as
Facebook, Instagram, Netflix and many such companies (Nobar and Rostamzadeh, 2018). This
approach provides a clear view about the effectiveness of the services deliver business entity.
Company also get a clear idea about the possible areas that seek an improvement. The biggest
advantage with this technique is that it provides a clear view and opinions of customers in
market. This technique is effective enough to guide the business entity to get develop in a
specific area to meet all its business objectives.
The above mentioned practices indicate that how company can reach to its best level of
customer satisfaction and service excellency in respective target market. These techniques are
also capable enough to approach high growth possibility under the respective target market.
Research to improve customer service
Research are conducted in different ways one is qualitative way and the other one is
quantitative way. Approach used to deliver a certain study create a direct impact over the success
and failure of research.
Qualitative research
Management of Marks and Spencer Company utilises the qualitative technique to achieve
best level of customer satisfaction. This method consumes all kinds of information such as
theoretical models, approaches and all other key information about working practices, strategies,
customer trend and all other key areas of practices. This type of research study significantly
allows the business entity about the information related to core areas that seek improvement and
development as a business entity (Sampaio, Ladeira and Santini, 2017). Qualitative study also
consumes statistical form of information about customers, sales of company, product demand
and all other areas that can provide a clear view in respect to product demand of business entity.
This research approach is prominently used by businesses to achieve all different objectives
behind the business operations entertained by company. This technique allow company to
address learning outcome in respect to theoretical information and also about the statistical

information over customer satisfaction. Many changes company has conducted like launching e-
commerce mode of trading was a big change Marks and Spencer Company conducted as a result
of qualitative type of research.
Quantitative research
Quantitative type of research is another crucial study conducted to identify potential areas
to deliver best level of customer satisfaction. This study delivers statistical form of information
about the ways to improve the customer services of organisation. Under this technique Marks
and Spencer Company identify the actual facts about the service quality, tools like SPSS are also
used to identify the level of services company is delivering to its potential customers under
respective target market (Schirmer and et.al., 2018). Information generated through this study is
in form of statistical facts and figures that will further provide a strategic direction to company in
such a way that it can approach to best level of improvement in company’s services.
The above mentioned research studios are prominent approaches Marks and Spencer
Company utilise to conduct study over ways to develop customer service. These ways are the
best possible approaches company ca consume against the operations entertained to achieve best
level of customer satisfaction.
Indicating of improving customer service
There are many indicators that denote that company need to improve its customer service.
These indicators comprise with different segments such as customer satisfaction score, net
promoter score, first response time, customer retention rate and many such aspects. These
practices clearly demonstrate business entity to get an idea about the areas that seek
improvement. Indicators are the factors demonstrate about the level of improvement business
entity seek in its practices (Setiawan and Sayuti, 2017). Marks and Spencer Company also utilise
these systems to understand the level of improvement or development business entity needed to
achieve all its different business objectives. Customer service become one of the major element
or factor that support the organisation in gaining competitive advantage in the respective market.
Company also make changes based on the results of all these different indicators.
CONCLUSION
Customer satisfaction is a concept demonstrate that the response of customers against
taking services of business entity. This involve improving the services of company over a
continuous basis. Continuous service improvement is a core technique or method that is used to

entertain best level of customer satisfaction rate in associated target market. There are different
research methods such as quantitative and qualitative to approach the best level of service
improvement in context to the business entity. Different practices like customer satisfaction
score, net promoter score, first response time, customer retention rate practice by business entity
to achieve best level of practices to entertain service improvement in respect to business entity.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Alhelalat, J. A., Ma’moun, A. H. and Twaissi, N. M., 2017. The impact of personal and
functional aspects of restaurant employee service behaviour on customer
satisfaction. International Journal of Hospitality Management. 66. pp.46-53.
Almohaimmeed, B. M., 2017. Restaurant quality and customer satisfaction. International Review
of Management and Marketing. 7(3).
Duarte, P., e Silva, S. C. and Ferreira, M. B., 2018. How convenient is it? Delivering online
shopping convenience to enhance customer satisfaction and encourage e-
WOM. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services. 44. pp.161-169.
Gloor, P. and et.al., 2017. The impact of virtual mirroring on customer satisfaction. Journal of
Business Research. 75. pp.67-76.
Hammoud, J., Bizri, R. M. and El Baba, I., 2018. The impact of e-banking service quality on
customer satisfaction: Evidence from the Lebanese banking sector. SAGE Open. 8(3).
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Nobar, H. B. K. and Rostamzadeh, R., 2018. The impact of customer satisfaction, customer
experience and customer loyalty on brand power: empirical evidence from hotel
industry. Journal of Business Economics and Management. 19(2). pp.417-430.
Sampaio, C. H., Ladeira, W. J. and Santini, F. D. O., 2017. Apps for mobile banking and
customer satisfaction: a cross-cultural study. International Journal of Bank
Marketing.
Schirmer, N. and et.al., 2018. The link between customer satisfaction and loyalty: the moderating
role of customer characteristics. Journal of Strategic Marketing. 26(4). pp.298-317.
Setiawan, H. and Sayuti, A. J., 2017. Effects of service quality, customer trust and corporate
image on customer satisfaction and loyalty: An assessment of travel agencies
customer in South Sumatra Indonesia. IOSR Journal of Business and
Management. 19(5). pp.31-40.
Solimun, S. and Fernandes, A. A. R., 2018. The mediation effect of customer satisfaction in the
relationship between service quality, service orientation, and marketing mix strategy
to customer loyalty. Journal of Management Development.
Torlak, N. G., Demir, A. and Budur, T., 2019. Impact of operations management strategies on
customer satisfaction and behavioral intentions at café-restaurants. International
Journal of Productivity and Performance Management.
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