Graduate Diploma Mini Project: Improving Customer Service in NZ Store

This project focuses on improving customer service and sales within a New Zealand convenience store. It begins with an executive summary highlighting the need for enhanced customer service to retain customers and attract new ones. The project employs both primary and secondary data collection methods, including surveys of employees and customers, to identify key areas for improvement. The research reveals that the store struggles with inadequate customer service, stemming from factors like insufficient staff training, poor store layout, lack of product knowledge, and outdated technology. The project then provides detailed recommendations to address these issues, including improving technical support, optimizing store layout, fostering cultural awareness among staff, and enhancing product knowledge. The methodology section outlines the data collection process, project limitations, and ethical considerations. A literature review explores the retail sector, store layout, technology, and the importance of staff knowledge and cultural awareness. The discussion and analysis section delve into the findings, followed by a conclusion summarizing the key insights and recommendations for the store's improvement.

Running head: IMPROVEMENT OF CUSTOMER SERVICE WITH SALES IN NZ
Improvement of customer service with sales in New Zealand Woodlands Park Convenience
Store
Name of the student:
Name of the University:

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Part 1
Executive Summary
This particular project depicts the crucial necessity of implementing a better and
improved customer service for the regular and new consumer as well. This project is developed
and documented to accomplish the academic degree successfully. Both primary and secondary
data sources are utilized to conduct this research work. Primary survey was conducted among the
employees and consumers as well. it has been determined that based on the survey response
proper improvement strategies are needed to be developed and implemented by the store to
deliver a better service to retain customers.
Based on the survey result it has been identified that the customer services delivered to
the consumers are not at all accurate and profitable for the consumers. After analyzing the
primary and secondary information gathered it has been defined that both technical and non
technical supports are essential for improving the overall customer service. In order to deliver
imposing services to customers training and cultural awareness are required. The response also
implied that lack of training, experience, skill and knowledge among the staffs are the reason
causing decreasing sales rate.
Recommendation: In the below section some recommendations are elaborated and it has
been expected that this list will help Woodland Park Store to deliver sufficient consumer
services.
 To improve technical support in Woodland park store for functional and
operational activities

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 To improve the current store layout
 To develop and improve cultural awareness among the working staffs
 To improve the product knowledge among the staff members

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Table of Contents
Part 1................................................................................................................................................1
1. Define and plan of the project, Introduction and Aim.................................................................4
Project aim...................................................................................................................................4
Objectives....................................................................................................................................4
Introduction..................................................................................................................................4
Store background information.....................................................................................................5
Research problem and introduction of the company...................................................................5
Part 2: Methodology........................................................................................................................5
Data collection.............................................................................................................................5
Project limitation.........................................................................................................................6
Ethical consideration...................................................................................................................6
Part 3................................................................................................................................................7
Literature review..........................................................................................................................7
Retailing and small businesses....................................................................................................7
Store layout and technology........................................................................................................8
Product knowledge among staff and enhance cultural awareness.............................................10
Part 4..............................................................................................................................................11
Discussion and Analysis................................................................................................................11
Part 5..............................................................................................................................................22
Conclusion.................................................................................................................................22
Finding.......................................................................................................................................22
Recommendations......................................................................................................................23
References......................................................................................................................................23

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1. Define and plan of the project, Introduction and Aim
Project aim
The aim of the project is to consider primary and secondary resources and use those
accurately for gathering information successfully. It is determined that the store is failing to meet
the client’s expectation. Therefore, the store is required to develop and implement appropriate
customer services to ensure that the store is gaining commercial profit and competitive
advantages as well. Successful implementation of this project will help the store to grab new
customer and also retain existing consumers. Besides this, the working staffs are required to have
proper knowledge about the services and products offering by the store for their consumers.
Objectives
 To improve technical support in Woodland park store for functional and
operational activities
 To improve the current store layout
 To develop and improve cultural awareness among the working staffs
 To improve the product knowledge among the staff members
Introduction
If appropriate consumer service is being implemented then it will help the company to
gain commercial advantages and competitive advantages as well. The New Zealand based
convenience store that is nominated for this project is Woodland Park Store. The store is located
in Hobson street Auckland.

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Store background information
Due to lack of technical support and security measures the store is recently facing certain
operational and functional challenges that are needed to be resolved sooner. In addition to this,
the other challenge that is interrupting the regular success of the store includes lack of cultural
awareness among the staffs, inappropriate store layout, and improper product knowledge among
the working staffs. Therefore, it is much essential for Woodland Park Store to improve their
current functional and operational activities.
Research problem and introduction of the company
The research demonstrates significant commercial loss and decreasing sales rate that
woodland Park store is facing due to lack of product and service awareness and technical
support. The store serves western men and women wearing (it includes winter and summer
collections). The store does not follow any particular development policy, training and awareness
program. Therefore, the store requires keeping focus on theses aspects. In addition to this,
precisely the issues associated to the customer services are also needed to be understood by the
regular employees and other associates.
Part 2: Methodology
Data collection
Primary data collection
Primary data are first hand data or raw data generally collected from different primary
resources like survey, questionnaire etc. However, primary data requires clarification on its
reliability and validity.

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Secondary data collection
Whereas; in case of secondary data are used as widening the research topic. Mostly the
primary data are used to collect raw data and already published data are analyzed with the help
of secondary data collection.
The primary data collection process includes direct interaction and secondary data are
collected through secondary sources like journals, books, websites, articles, blogs and other.
In order to record narrative form of information qualitative date are much helpful because
it is identified that qualitative data can give much specific and details description regarding the
research topic of customer service process and improvement. For incorporating theoretical
prcatices in the practical applications qualitative data collection process is very essential.
Project limitation
The project limitations those have been identified in this project are as follows:
Reliability: The researcher needs to ensure that the involved respondents are not
involved in any sort of pressure and influence but manager and other members those are
involved in the process can be completely biased which may affect the research findings.
Time constraints: Time limitation is another factor that have been occurred due to the
cross sectional nature of the study. In addition to this, many details of the study are there which
were not at all analyzed for the cross sectional nature of the research topic.
Budget constraints: The researcher may face few limitations because of the limited
budget. In order to enhance project quality financial limitation is needed to be avoided.

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Ethical consideration
While conducting the research work some ethical aspects are also needed to en
considered by the researcher:
Data application: Information gathered through primary and secondary research sources
are helpful to understand the current consumer’s trends and requirements. The commercial
application of information would be completely avoided to keep the research work limited within
the academic boundary only.
Involvement of respondents: The researchers should make sure that all the external
influences are completely avoided during the decision making period.
Anonymity: During the research on customer service improvement process, the
researchers are also needed to ensure that no such external mental or physical harassment are
taking place among the respondents.
Part 3
Literature review
Retailing and small businesses
According to Navimipour and Soltani (2016), retail sector is referred to as one of the
most crucial sectors as it directly deals with the customers. The retail and small business includes
small groceries, kiosks, supermarket chains, shopping malls which sells products directly to the
customers o fulfill both the house hold needs and personal requirements as well. In order to
gather information for such retail sector both primary and secondary resources are useful.

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According to Chuang and Chiao (2015), retailing in the stores and retailing outside stores are two
main groups that organize a retail sector. Again Bukhari and Kazi (2016) stated that, retailing
stores act as a social economic system that helps to bring people all together. It helps to match
people requirements. According to Dong, Liao, Chuang, Zhou and Campbell (2015), mostly
people thinks that, for selling goods retails stores are activated whereas; retailing also includes
ale of different service. In numerous manners the process of retailing can be successfully
differentiated.
In case of retailing there is a chance of direct interaction with the end user. Goodman,
(2019) stated that it is the only value chain that offers platform for commercial promotions.
However, location is referred to as a critical factor for retail business. In daily lives the retail
store plays various functionalities. Beside this there are also some other factors on which the
retailers need to focus include time utility, shape utility, place utility and ownership utility.
Retailer helps to make any product available while it is required by the customers. In other
words, retailer acts as an agent to keep the customers engaged to the store’s services. The
retailers can be classified based on ownership, level of services, location and operation methods.
Store layout and technology
According to Chuang, Liu and Chen (2015), store layout is referred to as an important
factor that impacts the critical determinant and behavior of the consumers onwards store
creation. The in store pattern of the traffic, shopping behavior, operational effectiveness and
shopping atmosphere are strongly influenced with well organized design layout. Whenever such
inconsistency occurs some of the consumers will dump the establishment in search of other one
which offers convenient as well as better service faster. Scherer, Wünderlich and Von
Wangenheim (2015) stated that, strategic approaches will help to increase the rate of consumer’s

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loyalty by boosting up the sales and rate of employee turnover also. Zaheer, Wei, Nabi, Attia,
Khan and Rashid (2016) opined that the store owners and the working employees both are
required to be aware of the impact of convenience stores. For successfully accomplishing the
project objectives qualitative research is needed to be conducted. For the convenience stores self
administrative questionnaires are much helpful than the others. Kang Alejandro and Groza
(2015) stated that, the store layout is a critical factor that drives consumer’s elaboration and
customer retailing. Store layout supported by technology helps to improve the overall
performance of retail through information processing, retail establishment, purchase intension
and retail establishment. Customer focused store layout results greater positive customer
outcomes and much customer elaboration. Day by day the environments of retail stores are
changing. The store layout factor is characterized through intensifying competition rate and
consumer expectation (Heirati, O'Cass, Schoefer & Siahtiri, (2016). The experience of the retail
store involves much than regular non retail service experience. Under the context of retiling and
marketing the consumer’s purchasing behavior, store layout and convenient stores are
successfully defined.
According to Chen, Zhu and Zhou (2015) the concept of store layout is an effortless
movement for the users based on which store give maximum exposure of goods and services.
The store layout includes merchandise placement, music, shelf orientation, interior decoration,
staff attitude, location of the loading facility etc. On the other hand, the purchasing behavior of
the customers is referred to as a process through which each individual can search, select,
purchase, use as well as dispose for the needful goods and service to satisfy the consumers. Oud
and Genzinger (2016) stated that, the social and cultural environment of a store can influence this

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particular process. Convenience store is a very small and self service store whose store sells are
always quite limited.
Besides store layout the other concept that has to be considered is technology. According
to Assimakopoulos, Papaioannou and Sarmaniotis (2017), Customer Relationship Management
(CRM) system is an essential technology that has to be used by the store owners and others to
make sure that the business is meeting the requirements and all the demands of the consumers. In
order to establish a greater relationship with clients CRM technology is very beneficial. CRM
technology helps to forge a much better and stronger connection as well as deep relationship
along with both the new and regular customers. In addition to this, the CRM technology also
helps to improve the ability of cross sell (Santouridis & Veraki, 2017). If any such functional and
operational issues occur then those can also be successfully solved with this technical
involvement. Collaboration among the team members is other benefits that are obtained from
CRM technology. Apart from team collaboration proper business strategy implementation is
another thing on which the business owners are required to keep their focus. In traditional days,
the owners used to use manual information management system which was quite time
consuming and costly as well. However, with changing time period businesses have started using
the concept of automated data management system (Navimipour & Soltani, 2016). The
automated data management system will help to improve the relationship between the clients and
the service providers. It will also reduce the process cost and processing timing as well. The
CRM system is used to keep the personal and financial records of the clients and keep use those
while required. Retrieving stored data from the CRM system is always easier and time saving.
Therefore, it can be said that all the current businesses are required to use this kind of
technologies to improve the overall business process and services (Diffley, McCole & Carvajal-