Reflective Journal: How Companies Satisfy Customer Needs: Analysis

This reflective journal analyzes customer satisfaction within the supermarket industry. The student explores the process of topic selection, problem definition, and research question formulation, detailing personal contributions and learning experiences. It covers the literature review process, including the search, summarization, and structuring of relevant articles. The assignment also discusses the research methodology, encompassing questionnaire design, data collection, and analysis. The student reflects on research experiences, insights gained, challenges faced, and the impact of teamwork. The journal highlights the importance of providing high-quality products and services to meet consumer needs and emphasizes the significance of customer satisfaction for business success. The student personally wrote the literature review section and gained skills in decision-making and leadership. The assignment draws on secondary data and addresses the challenges of limited funds and teamwork dynamics. The student gained insights into the importance of customer feedback and the need to prioritize customer satisfaction over profit maximization.

Reflective Journal

Table of Contents
TOPIC: “How Companies are satisfying the needs of the customers”............................................3
MAIN BODY ..................................................................................................................................3
1)My personal contribution to the topic selection, problem definition, research question,
writing of topic approval submission, and team charter. How I experienced this and what I
learnt from it...........................................................................................................................3
2) My personal contribution to the literature review report, i.e. search process, summarising of
relevant articles, designing the outline/argument/structure of the literature review, writing up
the literature review. How I experienced this and what I learnt from it.................................4
3) My personal contribution to the research methodology report, i.e. my role in discussions
about methods, sampling, questionnaire design, data collection, analysis and interpretation.
How I experienced this and what I learnt from it...................................................................4
4) My reflections on the research experience, insights I gained, and any issues, struggles,
challenges, synergies I experienced, individually and in the teamwork................................5
5) My statement indicating which sections of this research project I personally wrote and what
you learned from this experience...........................................................................................6
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................7

TOPIC: “How Companies are satisfying the needs of the customers”
MAIN BODY
1)My personal contribution to the topic selection, problem definition, research question, writing
of topic approval submission, and team charter. How I experienced this and what I learnt
from it
The main topic of research work is to identify companies which deals in supermarket and
satisfy requirements of consumers (Dominici and Palumbo, 2013). This is the project which was
performed by me and other group members. While we using beginning our project work, it was
very difficult for us to select topic though we did research and selected topic which is based on
current scenario of market. It is very important for organisation to provide high quality products
and services to their consumers in order to satisfy them in effective manner. The main problem
which I faced was to select companies which is dealing in supermarket and grocery market for
their business. Though, I searched a lot about companies and selected for collecting data and
information related with given topic in proper way.
After that, I had to prepared research question which was related to given topic of
research in effectual manner for reaching question. The questions related to research are: I) What
are the major factors of supermarket which attract customer most? ii) From Aldi, Coles and
Woolworths which supermarket satisfy customer need more effectively. When we selected the
topic for research work, we have to got it approval from out tutor as he has done some correction
in our provided topic so that we can research it in better manner and reach towards conclusion.
This was my first experience where I gave full contribution for selecting topic, their problem
identification and getting approval from tutor. Therefore, I felt happy and confidence to conduct
such type of research work for future time period in effective and efficient manner. I was the
leader of team and made each member of team to perform assigned work in order to complete
work within given time period and achievement of set aim and objective of task.
The data and information are collected from secondary sources as they provide relevant
information related with given project. This material has shaped my thinking and provided me
lots of knowledge and information about particular topic. While conducting research, there are
various new challenges which has faced by me for collecting data and information. The
researcher has chosen Coles supermarkets because there is lots of competition in supermarket

industry. In order to fulfils need and requirements of customers, it is very important to provide
high quality products and services in appropriate manner. Therefore, the respective organisation
produces high quality products and services for their customers for fulfilling their requirements.
2) My personal contribution to the literature review report, i.e. search process, summarising of
relevant articles, designing the outline/argument/structure of the literature review, writing
up the literature review. How I experienced this and what I learnt from it
After selection of topic, problem identification, I have to prepare literature review
(Gudem and et. al., 2013). This is performed by formulation of objectives and questions of
research work. All the asked questions in research should be reviewed by me. This is performed
by taking help of secondary data such as books, journals, newspaper, magazine, articles, opinions
of various authors and writersand so on. I have search each and every questions through different
search engine to find appropriate answer in an effective and efficient manner. As I have gone
through many articles and selected the best one in order to reach conclusion for appropriate
outcomes. After reading and choosing article, I have wrote literature review in proper structure.
This literature review helped me a lot to gain knowledge and idea about various topic that
enhance my skills and abilities (Sanuri Mohd Mokhtar, 2013). While doing literature review part,
I came to know about different types of research engine. If this part of research work is not
performed in proper manner they it will create difficulties in understanding given topic in
effective way. Through help of literature review, I build my skills, knowledge and abilities for
other projects. In case, if I get same types of project then I can easily perform it in best manner.
Literature review identify the main cause of problem and provide solutions for it. Here, main
cause is to find how organisation provide satisfaction to their consumers in best possible manner.
3) My personal contribution to the research methodology report, i.e. my role in discussions about
methods, sampling, questionnaire design, data collection, analysis and interpretation. How
I experienced this and what I learnt from it
This is the third part of research which is called research methodology that is very
important section which was conducted by me where various tools and techniques are used for
collection of data and information in an effective and efficient manner (Hill and Brierley, 2017).
The method which is used is qualitative and random sampling which provide in-depth
knowledge of study. I have prepared questionnaire in order to know about opinions of customer
regarding their satisfaction level and related with topic. I have collected all data and information

from the opinion of respondents and analyse them for doing interpretation in effective manner.
The sample size taken for research work is 30. The questions were prepared for issue of store
identification or satisfaction Vs product satisfaction. As there are many respondents who said
product satisfaction is more important than store identification. The users pay money for their
satisfaction level rather than store identification. We have focused on qualitative approach rather
than quantitative for collection of data and information in an effective and efficient manner.
From questionnaire, it has also concluded that retail business can drop their prices for products
and services so that maximum gain can be achieved. There are also other parts which are
included in research methodology for conducting research in appropriate manner in order to
reach to given topic.
As whole section was performed by me so I gained good experience related with research
methodology (Sirota and Klein, 2013). The given topic of research was to identifying satisfying
level of consumer related with supermarket or grocery business. There are various tools through
which customer feedback can be taken for their satisfaction level. While I provided
questionnaires to respondents, I found that each of them has their own opinions and views related
with given topic. This also helped me in rating the things which are more required to consumer
which makes more happy and satisfied with given products. It is the important section of
research work which helps in collection of data and information in effective manner with help of
different tools, techniques and methods.
4) My reflections on the research experience, insights I gained, and any issues, struggles,
challenges, synergies I experienced, individually and in the teamwork
There are many things which are experienced by me for the first time while conducting
research work out of them some are positive aspects and others are negative (Sjödin and
Kristensson, 2012). The topic selected by me was not difficult but to collect data and information
related with particular topic was challenging issue for me. Though I tried my best to gather
information to reach to conclusion in an effective and efficient manner. Apart from this, I also
faced struggle which was in terms of funds to carry out project work. The provided funds was
very limited to perform different activities for research work in appropriate manner. The other
issue which has been faced by me is team work. There were many people who were working in
team but out of them one of the member was less active and not responsible for performing work
in order to achieve goal and objectives of project work. In order to solve such issues, we had

discussed with our leader and he told us to delegate task to him and check assignment before
submitting it.
Both the team and me faced funding challenges for our research work. In order to
conduct research and collect data and information, money is required without which objectives
cannot be reached. We also faced timing problem as limited time period was provided to us to
complete our research work which was to measure customer satisfaction level related with
supermarket products. Though I experienced a lot because within that limited time period and
funds have collected data and information and reach to conclusion in an effective and efficient
manner. Through the questionnaire filled from consumers, I felt that many of the organisation
focus on earning maximum profits and gains rather than improving quality and increasing
satisfaction level of users. In order to survive in market, it is very important to provide high
quality products and services so that maximum profits and gains can be earned along with
enhancement of brand value and goodwill at marketplace.
5) My statement indicating which sections of this research project I personally wrote and what
you learned from this experience
Literature review is regarded as the significant section which was written by me
personally (Tajeddini and Trueman, 2012). I have chosen this topic because I want to learn new
and different things which are required for gaining experiences and enhancement of skills and
knowledge. While I was conducting this research, I experienced several things which are actually
required within every individuals. The literature part helped me a lot to improve my skills related
with decision making, leadership and so on. As I have gone through many article while
conducting research work of literature review. I have used various search engine in order to
collect data and information in effective manner to reach to final aim and objectives.
My experienced related with this research work is very good and helped me to learn new
things and perspective of different customers about their satisfaction level regarding products
and services provided by supermarket (Womack and Jones, 2015). Therefore, I tried my best for
this research work and in case if I get an opportunity to perform similar type of work then I can
do it without any issues or problems and collect all relevant data and information in effectual
manner.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Dominici, G. and Palumbo, F., 2013. How to build an e-learning product: Factors for
student/customer satisfaction. Business Horizons. 56(1). pp.87-96.
Gudem, M. and et. al., 2013. Redefining customer value in lean product development design
projects. Journal of Engineering, Design and Technology. 11(1). pp.71-89.
Hill, N. and Brierley, J., 2017. How to measure customer satisfaction. Routledge.
Orcik, A., Tekic, Z. and Anisic, Z., 2013. Customer co-creation throughout the product life
cycle. International Journal of Industrial Engineering and Management. 4(1). pp.43-49.
Sanuri Mohd Mokhtar, S., 2013. The effects of customer focus on new product performance.
Business Strategy Series. 14(2/3). pp.67-71.
Sirota, D. and Klein, D., 2013. The enthusiastic employee: How companies profit by giving
workers what they want. FT Press.
Sjödin, C. and Kristensson, P., 2012. Customers' experiences of co-creation during service
innovation. International journal of quality and service sciences. 4(2). pp.189-204.
Tajeddini, K. and Trueman, M., 2012. Managing Swiss Hospitality: How cultural antecedents of
innovation and customer-oriented value systems can influence performance in the hotel
industry. International Journal of Hospitality Management. 31(4). pp.1119-1129.
Urde, M., Baumgarth, C. and Merrilees, B., 2013. Brand orientation and market orientation From
alternatives to synergy. Journal of Business Research. 66(1). pp.13-20.
Womack, J. P. and Jones, D. T., 2015. Lean solutions: how companies and customers can create
value and wealth together. Simon and Schuster.