Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The medical scheme industry of South Africa has been exposed to fundamental changes during the last decade. We have been witness to various amalgamations and scheme closures as a result of financial pressure and changes to legislation. Never before has it been more important for medical scheme administrators to become more customer focused and find solutions for medical schemes to stay viable into the future. Relationship marketing, a widely acknowledged concept, has been recognised as an appropriate tool to manage relationships and improve customer loyalty over a long-term period. A number of studies have investigated the viability of relationship marketing strategies across different industries. No such studies have however been performed for the medical scheme industry of South Africa. The study therefore aims to investigate how loyalty between medical schemes and their respective administrators is currently maintained. It further aims to determine if the medical scheme industry would benefit from relationship marketing initiatives to encourage long-term loyalty. An in-depth literature study was performed. The underlying aspects under investigation include relationship marketing, customer relationship management (CRM) and customer loyalty. It is thus important to investigate the influence of these three components on the strength of relationships and customer retention. The second phase of the study consisted of in-depth semi-structured interviews with various scheme representatives from the industry. This study is based on an exploratory case and the qualitative data was analysed using pattern finding techniques and qualitative content analysis. The study investigated the factors that have an impact on loyalty in the medical scheme industry. It was determined that relationships between administrators and medical schemes are multilevel and although relationship marketing literature indicates that key account managers are essential for the successful use of relationship based strategies, it was evident that expertise needs to extend beyond only those in key customer management positions. It is evident from the findings of this study that the medical scheme industry of South Africa could benefit hugely from correctly implemented and well researched relationship marketing strategies. This study may therefore be useful to the medical scheme industry in that it provides insight into relationship marketing in the South African context.

近年來，服務業佔據台灣的 GDP 比例已超過一半以上，成為支撐台灣經濟的重要支柱。隨著服務業競爭越來越激烈，許多企業尋求提高顧客忠誠度以創造並維持其競爭優勢。 從 20 世紀末開始，許多針對轉換成本的研究都證明了轉換成本是影響顧客忠誠度的重要原因之一，轉換成本可分為主構陎和次構陎，主構陎分別是程序性轉換成本、財務類轉換成本與關係類轉換成本，而主構陎之下又可分為八個次構陎。在提高顧客忠誠度上，此八個次構陎可歸納為正向轉換成本與負向轉向成本，而這兩種轉換成本又分別影響著組成顧客忠誠度中不同的因子。本研究運用轉換成本與顧客忠誠度作為研究框架，並選定台灣服務業中具有代表性的企業作為研究對象，透過文獻、深度訪談、線上資料收集等方式收集資料，整理出個案公司執行轉換成本的方式後，透過檢視其執行方法提出參考建議以提高顧客忠誠度。 本研究訪談來自零售業與餐飲業的三家台灣本土龍頭企業，透過訪談了解企業在轉換成本上的實務做法，並經由受訪者了解受訪企業顧客在再購意願、主動推薦和價格容忍度上相較於競爭對手的比較。 在分析企業的轉換成本執行與其顧客忠誠度以後，本研究發現，個案企業在顧客忠誠度上皆有進步的空間。而在影響顧客忠誠度的正負向轉換成本中，個案企業都應以正向轉換成本的執行作為提高顧客忠誠度的方法，因此本研究在給予個案企業的建議上以正向轉換成本為主軸。 最後，本研究也歸納出以下研究發現：1.個案研究企業著重於經濟風險成本的建置 2.個案研究企業認為評估成本非首要考量 3.個案研究企業皆未使用金錢性損失 成本 4.個案研究企業皆認為流動率影響個人關係損失成本的建立 5.關係類轉換成本 與服務-產品連續性有關 6.個案研究企業在三大類轉換成本上皆有著墨。

<p>Title: Strategies for competition – a study of the Swedish contact lenses market.</p><p>Authors: Pernilla AArskog and Annika Lange.</p><p>Background: As a market gets more mature and the competition increases, it is more important for a company to apply the right strategic perspective. There are four fundamental strategic perspectives for a service-oriented business: a core product-, a price-, an image- and a service perspective. This study is a about service management and take its point from the theories from the Nordic School about strategies for competition, customer value, perceived customer quality and customer loyalty.</p><p>Purpose: The main purpose with this study is to analyze and evaluate how the actors at the Swedish market of contact lenses should compete to gain further competitive advantages.</p><p>Method: The study includes four qualitative interviews with two traditional opticians and two Internet based businesses, but also a survey with 106 contact lens users is included.</p><p>Analysis: In the analyse part of this thesis it was concluded that the traditional opticians conception about their customer not agrees with what the customer evaluate as important. Many of the customers have thought about changing their optician, and besides that do not recommend their optician, and can there for not be categorize as loyal customers. The Internet based businesses conception about their customer is more in line with the customer groups about the company and their service. These customers do recommend their optician.</p><p>Result: In the result it can be concluded that the traditional opticians should change to a service perspective as their comprehensive strategic perspective, which means that the relation with the customer is the most important for the company. The Internet bases businesses should continue working from a price perspective since they have huge economy of scales.</p><p>Keywords: Customer value, strategies for competition, perceived customer quality and customer loyalty.</p> / <p>Bakgrund: Allteftersom en marknad mognar och konkurrensen ökar blir det än viktigare för ett företag att välja rätt strategiskt perspektiv. Det finns fyra grundläggande strategiska perspektiv för ett tjänsteföretag, kärnprodukt-, pris-, image- och tjänsteperspektivet. Detta arbete handlar om service management och utgår från den nordiska skolan med teorier kring konkurrensstrategier, kundvärde, kundupplevd kvalitet och kundlojalitet.</p><p>Syfte: Syftet med detta arbete är att analysera och utvärdera hur företag på den svenska kontaktlinsmarknaden bör agera för bli vara konkurrenskraftiga.</p><p>Metod: Undersökningen bygger på fyra kvalitativa intervjuer med två traditionella optiker och två företag verksamma på Internet samt en enkätundersökning där 106 kontaktlinsanvändare medverkade.</p><p>Analys: I analysen framkom att de traditionella optikernas uppfattning om sina kunder inte överensstämmer med vad kunderna uppfattar som viktigt. Många av dessa kunder har funderat på att byta optiker och de rekommenderar heller inte sin optiker, de kan därför inte heller anses lojala. Nätföretagens uppfattning om sina kunder överensstämmer bättre med vad kunderna tycker om företaget och dess service. Dessa kunder rekommenderar sin optiker.</p><p>Resultat: I resultatet framkom att de traditionella optikerna bör ändra till ett tjänsteperspektiv som sitt övergripande strategiska perspektiv som innebär att relationen med kunden sätts i fokus. Nätföretagen bör fortsätta arbeta utifrån ett prisperspektiv eftersom de har stora skalfördelar.</p>

Purpose The purpose of this thesis is to examine if sustainable investments is important for customers in the banking sector in Sweden. Design/methodology/approach This thesis is a quantitative study, which is based on a service-perspective. Since the purpose of this study is to examine if sustainable investments are important for customers in the banking sector, banking customers are chosen to be the respondents of this study. This is a deductive study and theories have been developed and result in four hypotheses. The empirical data is based on a survey of 186 respondents.   Findings The result of the study show that the majorities of the respondents prefer and think it is important that their bank is working for sustainability and sustainable development. However, the results show that more information, from the banks, is needed for words to become actions and for customers to be more aware of what the banks do for a sustainable development. The study also shows that sustainable investments are important to customers, but at the same time, it is not something that in the end creates value for the customers and it is not a criterion that makes the customer feel more loyal. This is another sign which tells us that the bank must be better in informing and reach out to their customers about their work for a sustainable development, for example through sustainable investments in funds. Then, the demand of these sustainable investments can increase and this may turn into a loyalty criterion in the future. Research limitations/implications In order for the result to be applicable to the whole population, banking customers in Sweden, further research is required in this specific subject. For example in form of a larger study with a larger random sample selection. Originality/value Sustainability and sustainable development is a subject in time. The banking sector is facing a major challenge in relation to other industries, when it comes to understanding the customers and their perception and opinions on sustainability issues. This study can therefor contribute to banks’ sustainability work, by helping this industry to understand what their customers really demands and how the bank, through information, can help their customers to choose more sustainable products and in turn, contribute to a sustainable development.

Frågeställningar:                  Vilket tillvägagångssätt används för att samla in relevant information för värderingen? Finns det en generell metod för varumärkesvärdering eller använder sig företag inom bankbranschen av olika metoder? Hur redovisas kostnaderna för varumärket i årsredovisningen?   Syfte:                                     Syftet med studien är att jämföra två företag inom banksektorn med internt upparbetade varumärken genom att studera likheter och skillnader i hur de värderar sitt varumärke.   Metod:                                   Metoden som använts i denna studie är en kvalitativ metod med en deduktiv ansats. Både sekundärdata och primärdata har använts till denna studie. För att samla in den primärdata som behövdes för att besvara de frågeställningar som tas upp i denna studie har det genomförts tre semistrukturerade intervjuer. Två av dessa intervjuer skedde via mail. Den tredje var en telefonintervju.   Slutsats:        Både SEB och Länsförsäkringar Södermanland mäter kundlojalitet och kundnöjdhet genom att göra undersökningar där frågor till konsumenter ställs om deras uppfattning av varumärket. Dock finns det skillnader i hur de värderar sitt varumärke genom val av metod vilket främst beror på att Länsförsäkringar Södermanland är ett onoterat företag och att SEB är börsnoterat

Purpose: The effects of deceptive advertising practices on customer loyalty towards mobileservice providers have been investigated empirically by this study. The main contribution ofthis study is to investigate the perceived deception-customer loyalty relationship under themoderating effect of corporate image and mediating effect of customer trust. The study is done in the context of Pakistan’s telecommunication sector.Existing literature is insufficient to explain perceived deception and customer loyalty relationship. We proposed a model to test and explain the interrelationship of deception,trust, loyalty and corporate image. Research Methodology: we have adopted quantitative research method, according to needof our study. A total sample of 232 respondents has been achieved with the help of selfadministeredquestionnaire. Measurement scale for perceived deception were taken fromChaouachi &amp; Rached (2012) and for corporate image, customer trust and customer loyaltyhave been found from Aydin &amp; Özer (2005). Analysis &amp; Findings: Descriptive and inferential statistical tools were used for analysis.Correlation analysis, simple and multiple regression analysis were conducted under theinferential statistical part. The findings have rejected the proposed hypothesis that perceiveddeception is negatively associated with customer trust and loyalty. We found customer trustas a mediator between perceived deception and customer loyalty while corporate imagemoderates the relationship between perceived deception and customer trust. Research Limitations: the study could not achieve highly representative sample of overallpopulation as Facebook was selected to conduct survey due to time constraint. Implications and future research: The study shows that deception in advertising perceivedby customer does not affect trust and loyalty in a negative way which suggests that there areadditional factor that can explain the relationship further. A comparative study withqualitative focus could be revealing in this context.

Background: Due to the deregulation of the European airline industry within the 1980’s, competition between airlines has intensified greatly. The emergence of low-cost carriers has given rise to the competition on price. However, meeting customer demands and delivering high-quality service, beyond the mere price factor, is still crucial for an airline’s survival. Previous literature has focused on the interactive marketing aspect between employees and passengers when it comes to service quality and customer satisfaction. Today, there is a gap between what management does to satisfy its employees. This research will evaluate what should be done by management in order to meet customer expectations and perform an excellent service.   Purpose: The purpose of this study is to determine how Germania’s management inhibited its employees in delivering superior service quality and how distributed communication within the Service Marketing Triangle negatively affects the Internal Marketing Model. The study’s empirical findings contribute to existing internal marketing literature and result in an extension of the Internal Marketing Model according to Ahmed and Rafiq (2002).   Method: A qualitative method consisting of semi-structured interviews with four former airline employees and two focus groups of 13 students was applied. This setup gives insight into both the consumer and employee perspective. Additionally, to handle the great amount of data, a thematic analysis was applied.   Conclusion: This study shows how Germania inhibited its employees from performing their work and deliver the service quality that was expected by customers. These inhibitions were mainly found in the tools that the company provided. The shortcomings can be found within the Service Marketing Triangle and an extension of the Internal Marketing Model is concluded from these. The findings and existing theory prove, that employee motivation, job satisfaction and employee empowerment are crucial aspects when it comes to meeting customer expectations and hence, delivering excellent service. The degree of the employees’ empathy, competence, and professionalism determine, whether the customer is satisfied and whether they are loyal to the airline.

For fashion online stores loyal customers are as important as they are for traditional retail stores. Through a high amount of loyal customers a company can reduce operational costs and increase its overall profitability. Finally a company can gain more benefits from retaining existing customers instead of acquiring new ones. Therefore it has become more important to win customer share than market share. To figure out how loyalty can be created a company needs to occupy itself intensively with the concept of Customer Relationship Management. There exist different types of loyalty and not every customer can be turned into a loyal customer. The company has to enter into a relationship with its customers that has to grow like the courtship. At best case the bond will end up in a satisfied win-win relationship that contains benefits for both the customer and the company. The longer the relationship will last, the higher the customer value will get and the more the company can profit from it. The same rules and principles also count for the online business. Because of higher costs for attracting new customers, high competition in the market and highly demanding customers treating your existing customers well and turning them into loyal customers is the key to success. E-Loyalty drivers give the company an indicator about what generates e-loyalty for company’s website. Why does a customer return to a website and why does he stick to a certain online shop? One of the most crucial factors to create loyalty in an online business is trust. Only when a customer trusts the vendor he will hand out his personal data, will return to the vendor and will recommend the online shop to others. When it was taken a further look at how online shops tackle the question of loyalty it became clear that the customer is put in the centre. The online shops heavily attempt to keep up with the latest ecommerce trends in order to win over customers. Through Social Commerce the companies have totally new possibilities to interact with the customers and to gain customer insight. In this way it has become much easier to understand the customer and to respond to his individual needs and preferences in order to build up a relationship with him. / Program: Magisterutbildning i fashion management med inriktning modemarknadsföring

A brand has to communicate to its customers in a consistent way to achieve a strong position and to distinguish from competitors on today’s market. Many companies operate and offer their products and services on the current market in physical and virtual environments. Therefore the issue to communicate in a consistent appearance within all channels is an increasing challenge. This thesis work studies the matter of how companiesare working with brand consistency in their business in physical and virtual environments. This was done to analyze the consequences of the problem when a brand isinconsistent in its messages to the customer and in its operations. For this work the qualitative research method and a case study have been chosen. The case study includes observations of three physical Stadium stores, located in the centre of Gothenburg, Sweden and Stadium’s website. This was chosen to analyze this matter in real life in both environments. The theoretical framework consists of two main areas: These are branding and relationship marketing, which support this research. Brand includes the theories of brand identity and brand image, and relationship marketing comprises the theories of customer loyalty, brand communities and additional value. These areas have been used throughout the whole work as tools to research the issue of brand consistency. The empirical data has also been recorded according to these areas. As the conclusion, the findings of the thesis work have shown that brand consistency builds an important part in a company’s communication channels. For the case of Stadium it can be stated that it has positive approaches in working with brand consistency but also points out parts that are lacking and indicating inconsistency. / Program: Magisterutbildning i Fashion Management

Abstract Background: The financial sector is under constant development and the massive digitalization has changed the banking sector. The banking industry is nowadays characterized by self-service solutions and customers can solve their problems from everywhere and at any moment. The banking industry is highly competitive since all banks offer homogenous products and services that easily can be duplicated. Therefore it is of major importance for the banks to distinguish themselves from the other banks, offering the same products and services. The only way to distinguish oneself in today’s competitive environment is by either price or quality.  Hence customer satisfaction, which leads to customer loyalty, can be seen as a potential tool to gain a strategic advantage in the highly competitive environment.   Purpose: The purpose of this thesis is to examine marketing strategies for bank companies work in reaching corporate customer loyalty concerning digitalization, decision-making and service quality towards their corporate customers in the modern banking industry.   Method: This thesis builds on primary sources in the form of semi-structured interviews. Three key persons carefully selected within SEB have been chosen to get an insight of how the bank works towards shaping long-term relationships and loyal customers. Respondents were chosen after their competence concerning corporate customer loyalty.   Conclusion: The banking sector was examined and it showed to be highly homogenous and the products and services offered are basically the same. In that, three important conclusions were highlighted. First, there is a need for banks to distinguish oneself through high service quality, which will result in customer loyalty. The importance of being easy, credible and secure in order to keep existing customers and acquire new ones was fundamental. However being predictable and transparent in their reasoning is a necessity to shape a loyal clientele. Second, providing high service quality and reducing the gap between the customer expectations and delivered service will enhance the customer loyalty and also the bank’s profitability. Significant since it is cheaper to keep loyal customers than to acquire new ones. Third, as digitalization has changed the banking landscape, the future customers will consider themselves as loyal, but they will be loyal with more actors at the same time. This is due to the fact that competitors will only be a click away and that the digitalization will make it easier for customer to increase their probability by switching bank, as they will be offered more different available alternatives. / Abstrakt   Sammanfattning: Den finansiella sektorn är under konstant utveckling och den massiva digitaliseringen har ändrat den mycket de senaste åren. Banksektorn kännetecknas numera av självbetjäning där kunderna kan lösa sina problem var som helst och när som helst. Bankindustrin är en väldigt konkurrensutsatt marknad eftersom alla produkter och service är homogen och kan lätt kopieras. Därför är det extremt viktigt för banker att utmärka sig från sina konkurrenter, som erbjuder samma produkter och service. Det enda sättet att utmärka sig från andra banker i dagens konkurrensutsatta sektor är genom pris eller kvalitet. Därför kan kundnöjdhet, som leder till lojala kunder, ses som ett verktyg för att få en strategisk fördel i den konkurrensintensiva omgivningen.   Syfte: Syftet med detta examensarbete är att undersöka marknadsstrategier i universalbankers arbete mot att uppnå kundlojalitet, beträffande digitalisering, beslutstagande och servicekvalitet mot deras företagskunder i den moderna bankindustrin.   Metod: Denna uppsats bygger på primära källor i form av semi-strukturerade intervjuer. Tre nyckelpersoner noga utvalda inom SEB har valts för att få en insikt i hur bankerna jobbar med att skapa långsiktiga relationer och lojala kunder. Respondenterna valdes utefter deras kunskap när det gäller lojalitet mot företagskunder.    Slutsats: Banksektorn undersöktes och den visade sig vara väldigt homogen och produkterna och servicen som erbjuds är likvärdig. Det gjordes tre viktiga slutsatser av detta. Först och främst så finns det ett behov för banker att urskilja sig själva genom hög servicekvalitet, vilket resulterar i kundnöjdhet.  Vikten av att vara enkel, trovärdig och säker för att behålla sina kunder och få nya är grundläggande. Även vikten av att vara förutsägbar och transparant i deras resonemang är en nödvändighet för att skapa en lojal kundkrets. Den andra slutsatsen som drogs var att förse kunderna med hög servicekvalitet för att reducera gapet mellan kundens förväntningar och den levererade servicen som i sin tur kommer att öka kundlojaliteten och även bankens lönsamhet. Detta är viktigt eftersom det är billigare att behålla lojala kunder än att skaffa sig nya. Den tredje slutsatsen som drogs var att eftersom digitaliseringen har ändrat banksektorn så kommer framtidens kunder se sig själva som lojala, men de kommer vara lojala med fler aktörer samtidigt. Detta är eftersom konkurrenter bara kommer att vara ett klick bort och digitaliseringen kommer göra det lättare för kunderna att öka deras lönsamhet genom att byta bank, eftersom de kommer bli erbjudna fler alternativ.