Dissertation submitted in fulfilment of the requirement for the Masters Degree in Technology: Marketing, Durban University of Technology, 2011. / Abstract Over the past few years, higher education institutions (HEI’s) have experienced dramatic changes, in their structuring, funding and student numbers. The tertiary education sector in South Africa faces many new challenges, including, more recently, various mergers and the transformation of technikons into universities of technology. This transformation as not only brought about a change of status in these institutions, but also the mergers of intrinsically different institutions. The broadening of access to higher education under the present government policy has seen a growth in the number of international student applications to tertiary institutions. In an increasingly competitive market for international students, institutions need to provide an optimum service. International students’ perceptions of HEI’s facilities and services are becoming more important. It is apparent that there is a need to measure international students’ expectations and perceptions of service quality at the Durban University of Technology (DUT). The aim of this study was to investigate customer service quality at DUT. The objectives of this study were: to determine international students’ expectations of customer service at DUT; to evaluate international students’ perceptions of customer service at DUT; to identify any gaps between expectations and perceptions of customer service at DUT; and to identify customer service expectation and perception differences according to biographical variables. The instrument used to assess the international students’ expectations and perceptions of service quality was the SERVQUAL questionnaire, measuring expectations and perceptions according to the five quality dimensions. For the purposes of this study, a census was conducted. Hence, a survey was conducted among all international students enrolled in the 2010 academic year. One hundred and ninety two international students were surveyed using the SERVQUAL questionnaire. Data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistical techniques. Conclusions and recommendations were thereafter drawn from the literature and the findings of the study. The study shows that international students’ expectations of service quality exceeded their perceptions on the five service quality dimensions used in the SERVQUAL questionnaire. The smallest dimension gap score proved to be tangibles and reliability, both being equal, while the largest gap score of the study proved to be empathy followed by assurance and responsiveness. Therefore, it is recommended that DUT attend to these gaps and ensure that necessary strategies are implemented so that international students receive a high level of service quality in all areas of the service dimensions.

Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements of the Degree of Master of Technology: Marketing, Durban University of Technology, 2013. / Indications from the initial phase of this study suggest that key marketing fundamentals apparent in this business sector differ significantly from those generally recognisable in commodity, consumer product and industrial marketing. It is postulated that whilst these differences are probably symptomatic of particular professional service practice norms and business ethics the formulation, implementation and evaluation of effective marketing can be facilitated utilising appropriate contemporary marketing paradigms. This study explores the current marketing milieu in a multinational professional services organisation and attempts to identify factors relevant to marketing within the organisation. The objective of this study was to identify the critical factors that influence the successful marketing of professional services and to develop a framework to support these findings. In order to accomplish this objective, the study was undertaken from a phenomenological, rather than a positivist paradigm. An exploratory quantitative Likert-scale survey combined with the allowance for qualitative open-ended comments/ feedback was adopted. The quantitative study incorporated employees in managerial, middle and junior roles from the Specific Professional Services Organisation ‘SPSO’s’ national offices based in Durban, Johannesburg, Pretoria, and Cape Town. Marketing representatives from the ‘SPSO’s’ international offices were also included in the survey. It can be summarised that the main factors influencing the marketing of professional services can be grouped according to Strategy, Product/ Service, Price, Place, Promotion, Physical Evidence, People, Process, and Other. A framework was devised, comprising the nine identified groups of factors including correlating recommendations, as well as a tabular outlay of additional constructive qualitative comments recorded from respondents with recommendations.

Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Management Sciences: Marketing, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2015. / Achieving customer satisfaction has been the goal of every organisation. In recent times, the postal business world over has experienced a sharp decline in the volume of mail due to more efficient alternative channels of communication. The dwindling volumes of mail have necessitated that public postal operators diversify into financial services as one way of generating more revenue. The Malawi Posts Corporation (MPC) is faced with challenges ranging from cash scarcity, increasing competition from banks and other financial services players like mobile phone companies. At the same time, the customer in the modern age is well informed and demanding high quality service. As such, the MPC needs to ensure that customers remain satisfied with the quality standards being delivered in its network. The importance of achieving service quality and satisfaction are enormous. High quality service and customer satisfaction are tools for competitiveness, productivity and profitability. The aim of this study is to analyse service quality in the Malawian public postal service. A modified SERVPERF questionnaire was used to assess customers’ perception of service quality, customer satisfaction and customer loyalty. The service quality dimensions of tangibles, reliability, empathy, assurance and responsiveness were used to evaluate customers’ perception of service quality. The 400 respondents were selected using convenience sampling and the eight Post Offices where this research was conducted were selected using purposive or judgemental sampling. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse data. Spearman rho was used to ascertain the relationship between variables. Man-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used to compare differences between two independent variables. The findings of this study show that customers’ perception of service quality was generally good across all the five service quality dimensions and that all the dimensions of service quality have a positive relationship with customer satisfaction. In addition, the relationship between customer satisfaction and customer loyalty was found to be positive and significant. Recommendations are made in respect of improving the service quality dimensions because they have a direct impact on customer satisfaction which in turn affects customer loyalty.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2004. / The nature of work and its organisation has interest managers, economists and social scientists for as long as people have been employed by others to engage in productive activity. Managers have largely been interested in maximising output from available resources. During the last decade one approach has risen to outstanding popularity in this context: Total Quality Management. Total Quality Management is regarded as an approach which combines the technical and managerial side of management. Whereas the technical side of quality management is very much dependant on statistical control processes, the managerial side is more concerned with the people involved. A main focus point of this research report is the human side of quality management. By conducting an in depth literature review the author found that the human aspect of quality management had a great impact on the successful of quality assurance programmes. In this context the variable of motivation and satisfaction are reviewed in detail. It was discovered that the success of a business is largely dependent upon the ability of leaders to motivate workers to achieve the highest results. All leaders should understand motivation theory so that they can help ensure the success of their workplace. Only by taking into account the human aspects of an organisation and especially in the context of quality management programmes, the success of an organisation in the rapidly changing and extremely demanding times can be assured.

Submitted in fulfillment of the requirement for the Masters Degree in Technology: Marketing, Durban University of Technology, 2013. / South Africa is experiencing an expansion of pharmacy chains. Globalization and deregulations have increased competition within the retail pharmacy sector. In this highly competitive sector, the most important strategy for a pharmacy chain to obtain customer satisfaction and maintain market profitability is attributed to customer-focus. The pharmacy chain needs to ensure that the customer remains the cornerstone of their business strategy and that they are able to “delight†the customer. Customer satisfaction has many benefits for the pharmacy chain, such as higher revenues, higher customer retention and increased market shares. Superior service quality and customer satisfaction must be promoted and maintained in order for the pharmacy chain to be the pharmacy of choice. The aim of this study is to measure levels of customer satisfaction at a selected pharmacy chain within the greater Durban area. The instrument to assess the customer’s expectations and perceptions of customer satisfaction is the SERVQUAL questionnaire, measuring expectations and perceptions according to five quality dimensions. These quality dimensions include tangibles, reliability, responsiveness, assurance and empathy. Four hundred customers were surveyed using the SERVQUAL questionnaire. The respondents were selected using non-probability sampling within which convenience sampling was applied. Data is analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistical techniques. Conclusions and recommendations are drawn from the literature and the findings of the study. The study shows that customers’ expectations exceeded their perceptions on the five service quality dimensions used in the SERVQUAL questionnaire. Improvements are necessary in certain customer satisfaction dimensions. Therefore, it is recommended that the selected retail pharmacy chain attend to these gaps and ensure that necessary strategies are implemented in order to offer superior customer service in the face of growing competition. / M

Thesis (PhD (Business Management))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is not a new topic, but the advent of technology based CRM solutions has enabled companies to deal better on an individual level and more efficiently with their large customer base. Seeing the benefits of this competitive advantage many companies have implemented a CRM solution but with the result that many of them have failed to be successful. The problem is that these companies often do not know why they were not successful and other companies will make the same mistakes if these failures are not recognized. There is a great deal of literature and research analysing this phenomenon but they all focus mainly on detailed CRM issues and how they could be performed better. They do not take into account that CRM is a complex topic and that many reasons for failure interact with each other. Based on the need of many companies to implement CRM, the goal of this research is to provide a CRM insight perspective and a strategy to implement CRM more successfully. In contrast to existing CRM research, this study investigates twenty-one reasons for CRM failure in three knowledge areas and explains why each one could threaten the success of a CRM implementation. The first area determines the danger of every risk based on the likelihood of appearance and its potential to fail the complete CRM solution. The second area identifies when these risks are most likely to appear for the first time during a CRM project life cycle. The third area examines all relationships between the twenty-one CRM risks and how they influence each other. It is concluded that every CRM implementation approach will fail to be successful when problems are only addressed once they become visible. It is not possible to solve every CRM problem at the moment it appears. Many issues during the implementation of CRM have to be met before they become a problem because they influence each other and lead to barriers that could result in a complete CRM failure. Based on this perception and the research findings, which included 106 of the top 500 companies worldwide, this study develops a CRM strategy framework including a systemic CRM perspective for businesses.

Thesis (MEcon)--Stellenbosch University, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: With heightening competitive pressures in the retailing environment, customer satisfaction and customer loyalty have become barometers of retailer performance. Determining the relationship of all the controllable elements that encourage or inhibit consumers during their contact with a retailer, defined as the Total Retail Experience (Berman and Evans, 1998: 19), with customer satisfaction and customer loyalty, formed the basis of this study. The dimensions ofTRE that were applied in this study were five controllable components, namely personal interaction, merchandise value, internal store environment, merchandise variety and complaint handling. The empirical study was applied specifically to a retailer dealing in health, home and beauty products. Data for this study was gathered via questionnaire from 34 000 of the most loyal card holders which participated in the loyalty program offered by the health, home and beauty retailer. The results of the data study indicated that the TRE instrument was a valid instrument to measure the success of providing a positive TRE for their consumers. Further, the instruments used to measure customer satisfaction and loyalty were deemed highly reliable. Of the five elements of TRE, enhancing the quality of personal interaction should be the primary focus in improving customer satisfaction, and it is significant that this retailer's management need only focus on improving these five dimensions of TRE to enhance customer satisfaction, given that almost three-quarters of customer satisfaction was accounted for by the five TRE dimensions. Results indicated that in contrast to customer satisfaction, customer loyalty was primarily driven by product related issues, with merchandise value being the strongest predictor of loyalty. Again, it was noted that more than half of the retailer's customer loyalty could be accounted for by the five TRE dimensions. Thus, efforts to improve any of the five TRE dimensions would enhance customer loyalty within this retailer's cardholder base. The varying importance of the specific TRE dimensions to both customer satisfaction and customer loyalty allow this retailer to identify the driving forces behind each of these concepts and allow for prioritizing strategies to optimize satisfaction and loyalty within their consumer base. By analyzing the responses of the individual items (questions) that measure each of the TRE dimensions as they appeared in the questionnaire, this study enables the retailer to focus on very specific aspects that influence each dimension of the TRE experience. Overall, it must be noted that respondents had positive experiences at the health, home and beauty retailer, which provides the retailer with a useful indicator of current satisfaction and loyalty levels and a point of comparison in determining the impact of the strategies employed to heighten satisfaction and loyalty. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Toenemende druk van mededinging in die kleinhandelomgewing veroorsaak dat klientsatisfaksie en -lojaliteit barometers van kleinhandelprestasie word. Die basis van hierdie studie is daarin gelee om vas te stel wat is die verwantskap tussen al die beheerbare elemente wat verbruikers se gedrag tydens kontak met 'n kleinhandelaar aanmoedig of inhibeer, gedefinieer as die Totale Kleinhandelervaring (TKE) (Berman en Evans, 1998: 19), en klientsatisfaksie en -lojaliteit is. Die dimensies van TKE wat in hierdie studie toegepas is, is vyf beheerbare komponente, naamlik persoonlike interaksie, handelsware waarde, interne winkelomgewing, handelsware verskeidenheid en klagte hantering. Die empiriese studie is spesifiek toegepas op 'n kleinhandelaar wat handel dryf in gesondheid-, huis- en skoonheidsprodukte. Data vir die studie is ingesamel met behulp van 'n vraelys wat aan 34 000 van die mees lojale kaarthouers wat lid is van die lojaliteitsprogram van die gesondheid-, huis- en skoonheidsprodukte kleinhandelaar, gestuur is . Die resultate van die studie toon dat die TKE instrument 'n geldige instrument is om die sukses te meet indien 'n positiewe TKE vir kliente aangebied word. Voorts is ook bevind dat die instrumente wat gebruik is om satisfaksie en lojaliteit te meet, hoogs betroubaar is. Die verbetering van persoonlike interaksie tussen kliente en personeel blyk die primere fokus te wees indien klientsatisfaksie verbeter wil word. Die vyf dimensies van TKE is verantwoordelik vir byna driekwart van kliente se satisfaksie. Die kleinhandelaar se bestuur behoort dus slegs te fokus op die verbetering van die vyf dimensies van TKE. In kontras met satisfaksie, blyk lojaliteit primer veroorsaak te word deur produk verwante kwessies, met handelsware waarde as die sterkste voorspeller van lojaliteit. Meer as die helfte van die lojaliteit aan die kleinhandelaar word teweeggebring deur die vyf dimensies van TKE. Dus, pogings om enige van die vyf dimensies van TKE te verbeter, sal lei tot 'n verhoogde klientlojaliteit onder die kleinhandelaar se lojaliteit-kaarthouers. Die varierende belangrikheid van die verskillende TKE dimensies vir beide klientsatisfaksie en -lojaliteit stel die kleinhandelaar in staat om die dryfkragte agter elkeen van hierdie konsepte te identifiseer en maak die prioritisering van strategiee om satisfaksie en lojaliteit te maksimeer, moontlik. Die ontleding van die response op die individuele items (vrae) wat elkeen van die TKE dimensies meet soos wat dit in die vraelys voorkom, maak dit vir die kleinhandelaar moontlik om op spesifieke aspekte wat elke dimensie beinvloed, te fokus. Globaal gesien is bevind dat respondente positiewe ervarings by die gesondheid-, huis- en skoonheidsprodukte kleinhandelaar gehad het en hierdie kan as 'n nuttige indikator gebruik word van bestaande satisfaksie- en lojaliteitsvlakke en ook as 'n punt van vergelyking vir die bepaling van die doeltreffendheid van strategiee wat aangewend word om satisfaksie en lojaliteit te verbeter.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Relationship Marketing can be defined as an ongoing process of identifying and creating new value with individual customers, and then sharing that value over a lifetime of business association. The definition incorporates a number of key concepts such as long-term commitment, open and ongoing communication, trust and interdependence, collaboration and cooperation, as well as total organisational commitment. A wide range of models and strategies describe the processes and underlying constructs and clearly distinguishes between an organisational process and a behavioral process. The organisational approach focuses on the key organisational processes, technology, culture and values as well as corporate commitment needed to make this a success. The behavioral approach focuses on the key behavioral constructs needed for successful relationship management between buyer and seller, or manufacturer and retailer, for example ongoing communication, joint planning and performance evaluation, and trust and commitment. Customer satisfaction is highlighted as a key driver of the relationship management process and a number of cases clearly indicate that satisfied customers are needed for successful Relationship Marketing. It is not only about the wining and dining, but more about adding real value that will make customers commit their lifetime business. Relationship Marketing in a monopolistic market is discussed and the question is asked why any business should implement a relationship management process when that business is dominating the market. It is quite obvious that the benefits of a relationship marketing approach will drive customer value and satisfaction to higher levels and that the future lies in retaining customers and not recruiting new customers all the time. Even in monopolistic market situations organisations will try to increase or protect market share and developing long-term relationships with customers might just provide that competitive edge needed. Relationship Marketing is clearly not only about behavioral issues ,or on the other hand about organisational systems. It is an integrated approach incorporating all key organisational processes and systems which needs to be cemented in the corporate culture and values of the business. It is also an approach that advocate very specific behavioral constructs for example trust and commitment. - Any organisation that plans to incorporate a relationship marketing approach, needs to focus on the behavioral as well as organisational aspects of business. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: "Relationship Marketing" vertaal as verhoudingsbemarking word gedefinieer as 'n deurlopende proses van waarde toevoeging vir individuele kliente oor 'n lewenslange periode van besigheidassosiasie. Definisies van hierdie benadering beklemtoon 'n aantal belangrike konsepte soos onder andere langtermyn verbintenis, twee-rigting kommunikasie, vertroue en interafhanklikheid, en samewerking. 'n Aantal modelle en strategeë onderskei baie duidelik tussen 'n organisatoriese benadering en 'n gedragsbenadering tot verhoundingsbemarking. Die organisatoriese benadering beklemtoon die belangrikheid van stelsels, prosesse, waardes en kultuur, en implementering op totale organisatoriese vlak. Die gedragsbenadering definieer verskeie gedrags konsepte onderliggend aan 'n suksesvolle verhoudingsbemarking proses. Klientbevrediging as 'n sleutel suksesfaktor word bespreek en die stelling word gemaak dat ongelukkige kliente nie hulle lewenslange besigheid sal toevertrou aan 'n verskaffer wat nie hul behoeftes bevredig nie. Verhoudingsbemarking in 'n monopolistiese mark word bespreek en die voordele van hierdie benadering word uitgelig. Enige organisasie, ongeag die markaandeel, poog voortdurend om verder te groei en 'n verhoudings benadering kan daardie addisionele voordele bied. Ten slotte, word uitgewys dat verhoudingsbemarking beide 'n organisatoriese sowel as 'n gedragsbenadering insluit en enige maatskappy wat poog om hierdie konsep te implementeer, moet beide inag neem.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2001. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: A business cannot exist without a customer. The most important aspect of any business is understanding its customers' needs. For a business to succeed in highly competitive markets, it must supply products an~ services which satisfy its customers needs and wants. Supplier firms must continually examine, reinforce and personalise customer relationships. Customer Relationship Management (CRM) focuses on providing solutions which brings together information and people across the client and service provider spectrum using computer technologies, especially the Internet. The growing demand for electronic interactions between customers and suppliers has led to the rapid development of CRM. Although e-Commerce is expected to become the norm in business activities, people-to-people interactions will, however, be most important in providing exceptional customer service and satisfaction. In future, however, business will be defined more by their relationships with their clients than by their products. Good customer relationships and customer satisfaction are directly related to increased profits. Satisfaction is generally conceptualised as an attitude-like judgement following a purchase act. Conformation or disconformation of pre-consumption product standards is the essential determinant of satisfaction. A number of models have been developed to enhance the understanding of satisfaction and to predict if a product or service will meet or exceed customer expectations. As a result of the many different attributes that contribute to customer satisfaction, models to predict customer satisfaction were often too simplistic to provide a comprehensive overview of all determinants that exert an influence <Incustomer satisfaction. It is, however, recognised that the customer is the key factor in delivering sustained and profitable growth. The rapid development of Information Technology (IT) has therefore been a major factor driving the rapid progress of CRM, which focuses on understanding the drivers of current and future customer profitability, and using this understanding to influence the allocation of resources across all areas that affect customer relationships. In future, CRM will have a profound impact on how business is conducted by enabling suppliers to reach their customers with products and services faster and more efficiently. However, the conventional principals including, product, pnce, distribution and promotion used for developing a marketing strategy still apply and are all part of the CRM process. The aim of the study project was to identify critical success factors (CSF's) for determining customer satisfaction in the interior and exterior plantscaping industries. Thereafter, The Office Plant (TOP) and Real Landscapes (RL) were evaluated in terms of meeting client expectations for interior and exterior plantscaping products and services respectively. Salient aspects of the research findings showed that people who worked in office environments thought that plants were essential factors III improving the quality of the workplace; customers outsoureed plantscaping services to reduce the "worry factor" associated with maintaining plants and gardens; that customers receive value for money from their respective plantscaping contractors; and that the most important criteria for selecting a plantscaper contractor included "price and value for money for the service" and "good quality service". Of 22 service-related attributes that were rated by customers, 20 were found to be statistically equally important and were classified as CSF's. In terms of ranking, the most important attribute was "honest and professional in their business dealings". Thereafter, "timely response to requests", "cleanliness of plants", "provide delivery on time" and "using well informed and trained staff', were included in the highest five scoring attributes. Overall results showed that none of the seven interior plantscapers identified in the survey equaled or exceeded customer expectations in terms of service. For exterior plantscaping services, Plants @ Work were the only contractors, which met customer expectations, of six firms identified in the survey. Plants @ Work were identified as the best service provides for both interior and exterior plantscaping services. For interior plantscaping services, TOP's results were not significantly different from Plants @ Work. However, RL's results were significantly lower than Plants @ Work for exterior plantscaping services. To improve service levels to meet customer expectations, TOP and RL must develop and implement strategies to deliver service on time with comprehensive first time delivery completion, fix problems no matter what and handle administrative problems on invoicing more effectively. TOP and RL must create customer value by delivering "a customer experience" with each encounter. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: 'n Besigheid kan nie sonder kliënte bestaan nie. Die mees belangrike aspek van enigge besigheid is om sy kliënt se behoeftes te verstaan. Vir 'n besigheid om te oorleef in hoogs mededingende markte, moet dit produkte en dienste lewer wat aan die kliënt se behoefstes voorsien. Verskafferfirmas moet deurgans kliëntverhoudinge ondersoek, ondersteun en verpersoonlik. Kliëntverhoudingbestuur fokus op die verskaffing van oplossings wat inligting en mense dwarsoor die kliënt en diensverskafferspektrum verenig deur middel van rekenaartegnologie. Veral met die internet, het die groeiende behoefte vir elektroniese interaksie tussen kliënte en verskaffers gelei tot die vinnige ontwikkeling van kliëntverhoudingbestuur. Alhoewel verwag word dat e-handel die rigsnoer sal word in besigheid, sal mense-tot-mense interaksie egter mees belangrik bly in die verskaffing van uitstaande kliëntediens en bevrediging. Besighede sal dus gedefinieer word meer deur hulle verhouding met kliënte as deur hulle produkte. Daar is bevind dat goeie kliëntverhoudinge en kliëntbevrediging regstreeks verband hou met meer wins. Bevrediging word in die algemeen beskou as 'n benadering-tipe oordeel wat volg op 'n aankoopaksie. Bevestiging of ontkenning van voor-gebruik produkstandaarde is die noodsaaklike beslissende faktor van bevrediging. 'n Aantal modelle is ontwikkel om bevrediging beter te verstaan en te voorspel of 'n produk of diens kliëntverwagtinge bevredig of oortref. As gevolg van die menige verskillende einskappe wat bydra tot kliëntbevrediging, was modelle wat kliëntbevrediging voorspel dikwels te eenvoudig om 'n vattieende oorsig van alle beslissende faktore wat 'n invloed op kliëntbevrediging uitoefen, weer te gee. Dit word, nogtans, erken dat die klient die sleutelfiguur is in die lewering van voortdurende en winsgewinde groei. Die vinninge ontwikkeling van die Inligting Tegnologie (IT) is dus 'n vername faktor wat strukrag verleen aan die vinnige ontwikkeling van kliëntverhoudingbestuur, wat fokus op begrip vir die dryfkrag agter huidiger en toekomstige kliëntwinsgewindheid, en hierdie insig te gebruik om toewysing van hulpbronne dwarsoor alle spektrums wat kliëntverhoudings beïnvloed. In die toekoms sal kliëntverhoudingsbestuur 'n diepgaande invloed hê op die manier waarop besigheid gedoen word deur verskaffers in staat te stel om hulle kliënte vinniger en meer effektief te bereik met produkte en dienste. Nietemin, die konvensionele bemarkingsbeginsels wat produk, prys, verspreiding en reklame insluit en gebruik word om 'n bemarkingstrategie te ontwikkel, geld steeds, en is alles deel van die kliëntverhoudingbestuurproses. Die doel van die studieprojek was om die kritiese sukses faktore (KSF) te identifiseer wat kliëntbevrediging in die binne en buitemuurse plantuitlegindustrië bepaal. Daarna was The Office Plant (TOP) en Real Landscapes (RL) geevalueer in terme van kliëntverwagtinge met betrekking tot binne en buite produkte en dienste onderskeidelik. Opvallende aspekte van die navorsing se bevindinge het gewys dat mense wat in 'n kantooromgewing werk, gedink het dat plante noodsaaklike faktore was in die verbetering van die werkplek; kliënte het plantuitlegdienste uitgekontrakteer om die 'kommerfaktor' wat geassosieer word met die instandhouding van plante en tuine te verminder; dat kliënte waarde vir geld kry van hulle plantuitlegkontrakteurs onderskeidelik en dat die mees belangrike maatstaf vir die keuse van 'n plantuitlegkontrakteur "prys en waarde vir geld vir die diens" en "goei kwaliteit diens' insluit. Van 22 diensverwante eienskappe wat deur kliënte geëvalueer is, is bevind dat 20 statisties ewe belangrik was, en is geklassifiseer as KSF. In terme van rangskikking was die mees belangrikke eienskap "eerlik en professioneel in hulle sakeondernemings". Daarna volg "fink reaksie op versoeke", "netheid van plante", "stiptelike leweringsdiens", en "goed ingeligte en opgeleide personeel" onder die vyf hoogs aangeskrewe eienskappe. Algehele resultate het getoon dat geeneen van die sewe binnemuurse plantuitleërs wat in die opname geidentifiseer is, kliëntverwagtings in terme van diens geewenaar of oortref het nie. Vir buitemuurse plantuitlegdienste was Plants @ Work die enigste van ses firmas wat geïdentifiseer is in die opname, wat aan kliëntverwagtings voldoen het. Plant @ Work is geïdentifiseer as die beste diensleweraar vir beide binnemuurse en buitemuurse plantuitlegdienste. Vir binnemuurse plantuitlegdienste, was TOP se resultate nie beduidend anders as Plants @ Work s'n nie. RL se resultate was nietemin beduidend laer as Plants @ Work vir buitemuurse plantuitlegdienste. Om diensvlakke te verbeter om kliëntverwagtinge te bevredig, moet TOP en RL strategieë ontwikkel en verwesenlik om stiptelike diens te lewer met omvattende eerste keer aflewering wat volledig is. Probleme moet opgelos word ongeag wat, en administratiewe probleme in verband met fakturering moet effektief hanteer word. TOP en RL moet kliëntwaarde skep deur 'n kliëntervaring" met elke ontmoeting.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The aim of this report was the evaluation of the current theoretical knowledge base and to use that to create and evaluate a technique or method to optimise the decision making processes at play in customer relationship management. The report contains much theory and discussions where attempts are made to address the primary problems that often come in the way of successful transformations. Rather than present empirical evidence in an attempt to prove one thing or the other, the focus is more conceptual in nature, but at the same time it is hoped that conceptual arguments put forth, stimulate lateral thought in this field. Initially the report supplies research on the global practises in use on the different dimensions that are relevant to customer relationship management. These dimensions, and the elements therein, are discussed in some transformation plans, which are then evaluated. By means of a survey under South African companies, the alignment between the national, and the international approaches to customer relationship management are discussed. Finally, an attempt is made to supply the reader with the valuable lessons that have already been learned, accompanied by a proposal on how a successful transformation can be managed. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doelstelling van hierdie verslag was om die teoretiese kennisbasis wat tot dusver ontwikkel is in oënskou te neem en dan 'n tegniek of metode te ontwikkel en te evalueer om die besluitnemingsproses met betrekking tot die kliëntverhoudingsbestuur transformasie te optimaliseer. Die verslag bevat deurgaans 'n aansienlike hoeveelheid teorie en bespreking waar gepoog word om die primêre probleme wat op die weg van 'n suksesvolle transformasie lê, aan te spreek. Eerder as 'n suiwer empiriese studie wat poog om die een of ander teorie te bewys, is die fokus ietwat meer konseptueel van aard, maar daar word terselftertyd vertrou dat die konseptuele argumente wat aangevoer word, laterale denke sal stimuleer in hierdie veld. Die verslag doen aanvanklike navorsing oor die globale uitkyk op die verskillende dimensies wat op die kliëntverhoudingsbestuur veld van toepassing is. Hierdie dimensies, en die elemente daarin vervat, word dan in 'n paar transformasie planne geplaas en ge-evalueer. Deur middel van 'n ondersoek onder Suid-Afrikaanse maatskappye, word die belyning tussen die nasionale en die internasionale beskouings van kliëntverhoudingsbestuur bespreek. Daar word ten slotte gepoog om die waardevolle lesse wat reeds geleer is aan die leser beskikbaar te stel, tesame met 'n voorstel van hoe 'n suksesvolle transformasie bestuur kan word.