Customer Service and Store Atmosphere Impact on Customer Loyalty

This dissertation proposal investigates the impact of customer service and store atmosphere on customer loyalty through customer satisfaction, focusing on a case study of 'The Works,' a retail shop in Kingston upon Thames. The study aims to compare customer satisfaction levels between sales-assistant service and self-service options. Objectives include identifying the extent to which sales assistants' service impacts customer loyalty, determining the main factors influencing customer satisfaction, investigating customer perceptions of self-service practices, and assessing the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic. The research employs a deductive approach, utilizing both primary (questionnaires) and secondary (literature review) data collection methods with a sample size of 50 respondents. Data analysis will involve frequency distribution analysis to understand customer preferences and the effectiveness of different service approaches in fostering customer loyalty.

Dissertation proposal

Table of Contents
Title: The impact of customer service and store's atmosphere on customer loyalty through
customer satisfaction: a case study in a retail shop "The Works" in Kingston upon Thames.........3
INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................................................3
1.1 Background.......................................................................................................................3
1.2 The rationale of the study.................................................................................................3
1.3 Background.......................................................................................................................3
1.4 Aim...................................................................................................................................4
1.5 Objectives.........................................................................................................................4
Research questions.................................................................................................................4
1.6 Hypotheses ......................................................................................................................4
1.7 Literature review .............................................................................................................5
2 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY .................................................................................................6
4.4 ANALYSIS OF DATA.............................................................................................................8
4.5 RESEARCH ETHICS................................................................................................................8
3 RESOURCES AND PLANNING ..............................................................................................9
3.1 Gantt chart........................................................................................................................9
3.2 Budget ..............................................................................................................................9
REFERENCES .............................................................................................................................11

Title: The impact of customer service and store's atmosphere on customer loyalty
through customer satisfaction: a case study in a retail shop "The Works" in
Kingston upon Thames
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background
Customer service is defined as the act or process in which support and advocacy within
customer so that they can use sold product in optimal manner. This is an activity which
undertakes existing and prospective customers which is executed during and after purchase.
Customer loyalty is defined as the act of choosing one company's product or services over other
competitors (Alam and et. al., 2021). With the help of providing appropriate customer service
and customer loyalty customers may receive higher customer satisfaction. This could be helpful
for the company to enhance their survival opportunities. This research report is prepared in order
to examine role of self service and sales-assistant services within gaining customer satisfaction.
The research report is prepared with the background of "The Works" which is a discount retailer
situated in UK.
1.2 The rationale of the study
The major rationale of the study is to understand the concept of customer satisfaction
attained by an organisation after implementing self-checkout system. Besides this in current time
self-checkout system is one of the most prominent aspect that may lead the business to insert
customers in high manner and acquire market benefits as well. The significance of this research
study is to examine role of self-checkout systems within customer satisfaction and gaining of
customer loyalty as well. On the other hand this research is going to assist researcher in
enhancing various abilities at personal level such as research skills, critical thinking skills,
analytical skills and many more. Similarly the report is emphasised over understanding customer
preference and those factors which are influencing customer decision as well.
1.3 Background
The major significance of this report is to perform a market research in which inclination
of customers can be analysed in relation to self-checkout system. Under this research decisions
are going to be taken in relation to installing of self-checkout system which may lead into

developing customer satisfaction and repetition of customers within store (Dhisasmito and
Kumar, 2020). In recent time people are short of time so they need to solve their shopping issues
within short period of time. In this manner using of self-checkout system is helpful for customers
to meet their shopping needs and influence their buying decision as well.
1.4 Aim
To compare level of customer satisfaction between sales-assistant service and self-service
within retail shops. A study on "The Works".
1.5 Objectives
 To identify to what extend the sales assistants' service impact customers' loyalty through
customers satisfaction in the retail shop "The Works" in Kingston upon Thames
 To determine the main factors, influence customers' satisfaction in the retail shop "The
Works" in Kingston upon Thames
 To investigate customer perceives of the self-service practice in the retail shops.
 The influence of COVID-19 pandemic on customer satisfaction
Research questions
 What extent sales-assistant impact customer loyalty through customer satisfaction in
retail shop?
 What are the major factors, influence customers satisfaction in retail shop?
 What are the customers perceives of self-service practices within retail shop?
 What is the influence of COVID-19 over customers satisfaction?
1.6 Hypotheses
Hypotheses 1
 Increasing number of customers is a main extend of sales assistants and have service
impact on customer’s loyalty through their satisfaction in the retail shop "The Works" in
Kingston upon Thames
Hypotheses 2
 Good and effective service is a main factor that have direct influence customers on
satisfaction in the retail shop "The Works" in Kingston upon Thames
Hypotheses 3

 Inter-customer’s interactions are effective customer perceives of the self-service practice
in the retail shops.
Hypotheses 4
 There is a negative influence of COVID-19 pandemic on customer satisfaction
1.7 Literature reviewWhat extent sales-assistant impact customer loyalty through customer satisfaction in retail shop?
According to the viewpoint of Dhisasmito and Kumar, (2020) There are several impact of
sales assistant on customer loyalty through customer satisfaction. Therefore in retail shop if sales
assistant effectively communicate with the customers and focus on understanding their issues
than customers are highly attracted towards shop and retain for longer time period. As sales
assistant are essential resource at retail shop who directly connect with customers to satisfy them
with the shop culture, products and services. In this sales assistant also delivers the right
information about products to customers that impact positively on the customer satisfaction
power and their loyalty at retail shop which is more essential to survive at marketplace. Ethical
behaviour of salesperson is very crucial to create satisfy customers because sales assistant
present organisation culture. This also helps in developing loyal customers at retail shop which is
highly essential to survive for longer time period.What are the major factors, influence customers satisfaction in retail shop?
As per the viewpoint of Satyendra, (2019) there are several factors that highly influence
satisfaction of customers at retail shops such as:
Good and effective services- It is major factor that influence customer satisfaction at retail shops.
Retail shops emphasis on offering services in friendly, polite and warm manner so that
issues of customers is to be resolved. Due to this customers are really satisfied with firm and
retain for longer time period. Therefore many consumers need convenient and intuitive
customer service that means they got in in that manner which they actually want this highly
satisfy them with retail shop for longer time period.
Proper navigation- customers are highly satisfied with those shop whose navigation is done
straightforward. This helps people to easily get the shop without facing any issue in any
place. Id navigation is not proper than it frustrate customers due to which retail shop loose
their potential customers.What are the customers perceives of self-service practices within retail shop?

According to Neussner (2021), Self-service within retail is defined as shopper may pick
up their needed products from shelves. Inter-customers interactions are the manner in which
better service opportunities can be given to shoppers and in this manner overall experience of
shopper can also be enhanced. In the context of retail shop consumers are preferring to be at
store which has self service system as this is time saving in nature and could be helpful for
shoppers to enhance their shopping experience. In this manner using self-checkout system could
be beneficial for businesses to acknowledge their customers and attain success over their
competitors.What is the influence of COVID-19 over customers satisfaction?
According to Sharma, Ueno and Kingshott (2021), its been more than a year businesses
are working in some different manner and in this manner high support of customers are needed
by the businesses in order to grow and sustain. In this time gap businesses have faced various
issues related with change of condition and acquiring of customer satisfaction as well. In this
manner in current time customers are searching for getting assistance in huge manner so that to
gain customer satisfaction as well. These aspects are associated with providing such constraints
in which overall satisfaction can be gained by customers.
2 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Research methodology is defined as set of actions that are undertaken within research in
order to attain research objectives in appropriate manner. Using appropriate research
methodology will lead into framing research path in most appropriate manner so that in
significant manner research objectives can be attained specifically. Research methodology is
associated with such activities and plans which are helpful in gathering and analysing
information regarding research topic. Research onion method is being used within research
methodology as this will lead in generating most impactful aspect related with research. There
are various research methods which can be used within research which are elaborated as under:
Research Philosophy: Research philosophy is regarded as such set of beliefs in which data is
being gathered and analysed in appropriate manner (Esch, Cui and Jain, 2021). With the help of
research philosophy research may be provided as a system in which reliable information and
knowledge regarding some object can be obtained. This term is providing such set of values
which an investigator may use to manage their goals. Research philosophy is classified into two

types interpretivism and positivism. Under this research positivism research philosophy will be
used as this is associated with analysing research topic in appropriate manner.
Research approach: Research approach is defined as one of the greatest dimension in within
research onion as this will be helpful in describing processes and plans those are linked with
investigation as well. This manner pre-defined research objectives can be attained in specific
manner. These are the processes which are linked with analysing process of making decisions so
that in various plans execution can be made in effective manner. These decisions are linked with
gaining such information so that in-depth information can be collected. Research approaches of
two types such inductive, deductive and abductive. Under this research deductive approach will
be followed so that to understand research objectives and aligning of research in attaining the
same.
Type of investigation: In order to reach out to research objectives this is imperative to hold such
degree in which data can be collected in such a way that appropriate insights can be seen. An
investigator may gather such information using differential techniques and this may lead into
attaining research objectives in most appropriate manner. As according to requirement technique
of investigation can be used so that to attain research objectives. With the help of primary
information directly from source information can be sued whereas in secondary aspect already
gathered information will be used. Under this research using both the methods information will
be used. In terms of primary information using questionnaire information is gathered whereas in
terms of secondary information literature review is used.
Research choice: Research choice is defined as such type of research methodologies method of
gathering data will be selected in which objectives of the dissertation can be attained in specific
manner. Research choice is having prominent significance within attaining research objectives in
significant manner. There are three types of research choice such as mono, mixed and multi
method. In this research mono methods are used in which quantitative methods are used. Using
this research choice will lead into gaining several insights within research so that in appropriate
manner research objectives can be attained.
Time horizon: Time horizon is defined as such methodologies which are associated with
examining such factors in order to accomplish overall research objectives. Time horizon is
something in which detailed examination of time is mentioned so that overall activities can be
completed in proper time frame. There are two types of time-horizon such as cross-sectional and

longitudinal. Under this research cross-sectional time horizon is used as this type of time horizon
is covering multidimensional approach.
Data collection: Under this method methods for data collection are used as primary and
secondary. The sample size under this research is taken as 50 which are of age above than 18 and
they are belonging with several social class. There are two methods within sampling such as
probabilistic and non-probabilistic sampling. Under this research random sampling is used under
which respondents are selected at random basis without undertaking of any specifications.
4.4 ANALYSIS OF DATA
Data analysis is defined as the method which is helpful in gathering data in most effective
manner. There are various methods which can be used within research in order to execute
research in most appropriate manner. With the help of frequency distribution analysis
information can be analsyed in systematic manner by using such aspects within research. In the
context of above research using Microsoft excel data is being gathered and analysed specifically.
4.5 RESEARCH ETHICS
Research ethics are defined as such practices which are adopted within research so that
overall research objectives can be attained with higher efficiency and authenticity. These
practices are helpful in minimising risks within research so that barriers can be eliminated. The
major research ethics are related with offering such protection to participants so that high level of
security can be exerted within research. Informed consent is required to be taken so that all the
associated party may get higher degree of confidentiality can be maintained. Data protection is
regarded as another concept in which investigator may access to research path.

3 RESOURCES AND PLANNING
3.1 Gantt chart
3.2 Budget
Particular Amount
Printing paper £ 30
Travelling £ 20

Stationary £ 20

REFERENCES
Books and journals
Alam, S.S. and et. al., 2021. Customer satisfaction in online shopping in growing markets: An
empirical study. In
Research Anthology on E-Commerce Adoption, Models, and
Applications for Modern Business (pp. 1878-1892). IGI Global.
Dhisasmito, P.P. and Kumar, S., 2020. Understanding customer loyalty in the coffee shop
industry (A survey in Jakarta, Indonesia).
British Food Journal.
Dhisasmito, P.P. and Kumar, S., 2020. Understanding customer loyalty in the coffee shop
industry (A survey in Jakarta, Indonesia).
British Food Journal.
Esch, P.V., Cui, Y. and Jain, S.P., 2021. Stimulating or intimidating: The effect of AI-enabled
in-store communication on consumer patronage likelihood.
Journal of
Advertising. 50(1). pp.63-80.
Neussner, W., 2021. Management and Measuring Customer Loyalty in Digital Marketplace—
Analysis of KPIs and Influence Factors in CLTV. In
Developments in Information &
Knowledge Management for Business Applications (pp. 151-176). Springer, Cham.
Sharma, P., Ueno, A. and Kingshott, R., 2021. Self-service technology in supermarkets–do
frontline staff still matter?.
Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services. 59. p.102356.
Online
Satyendra, 2019.
Factors influencing Customer Satisfaction and Customer Loyalty. [Online].
Available through: <https://www.ispatguru.com/factors-influencing-customer-
satisfaction-and-customer-loyalty/>