The engineering consulting industry in South Africa witnessed an overwhelming growth before the 2010 Fifa World Cup. The country had a lot of infrastructural development that needed the services of consulting engineers. A lot of people saw the challenge as a business opportunity and started their own consulting engineering companies. The demand for consulting engineering services was high before the 2010 Fifa World Cup; this changed after the completion of projects that were due for the world cup and some had to close or retrench staff due to scarcity of projects. The completion of 2010 Fifa World Cup projects is not the only challenge faced by the engineering consulting sector; government policies such tendering and procurement procedures that do not acknowledge performance, lack of funding etc. It is therefore important that companies look for better ways of gaining competitiveness in order to get more projects. These companies must not only rely on government projects but do marketing on the private sector as well. The purpose of the research is to assess and develop a marketing strategy for Company X Consulting engineers. A literature study on most successful marketing strategies employed by other service oriented companies was conducted. The literature study also comprised of the perception of marketing amongst consulting engineering companies. From the literature study mentioned above; questionnaires were drawn towards the development of a marketing strategy for Company X consulting engineers. The findings of the questionnaires were analysed and recommendation were made for the development of a marketing strategy for Company X.

The main objective of this study was to critically investigate the mediating role that the use of mobile technology plays in the linkage between customer satisfaction and customer loyalty in a semi-urban environment. The research problem focused on the application of mobile technology in the linkage between customer satisfaction and customer loyalty in the clothing industry in King Williams Town. In accomplishing this objective, this research study hypothesised that mobile technology plays a mediating role in the linkage between customer satisfaction and customer loyalty of customers of clothing retailers in South Africa. Multiple regression was conducted to test for the first hypothesis. The first secondary objective aimed at establishing if there is disconfirmation between customer expectations and the performance of clothing retail outlets in King Williams Town. In exploring this objective, it was hypothesised that there is negative disconfirmation between customer expectations and performance. A paired sample test was conducted to test for this hypothesis. In addition, the influence of service quality and customer satisfaction on customer loyalty was explored. To accomplish these, it was hypothesised that both service quality and customer satisfaction have an influence on customer loyalty. Pearson’s Correlation and the Chi-Square Test were applied to test the influence of service quality and Customer satisfaction on Customer loyalty. Data was analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) statistical software. Regression analysis, chi-square tests, Paired sample tests and correlation reports were used to analyse data inferentially. Reliability and validity of the research was also tested using Cronchbach’s alpha test. The results show that mobile phones have become a basic necessity for customers and that mobile technology plays a mediating role in the linkage between customer satisfaction and customer loyalty; however, the mediation is partial. The results also show that there is positive disconfirmation between customer expectations and retailer performance; that both service quality and customer satisfaction have a positive correlation with customer loyalty and that mobile technology enhances customer loyalty. Finally, the results show that the total service experience of customers is favourable vii because the five components of service quality were rendered at a high level of service quality. The study offers several managerial recommendations. Firstly, retail managers should make strategic investments in mobile technology and use this technology to the full to reap the benefits of technologically advanced mobile communication. Secondly, managers should be creative in their use of this mobile technology to enhance customer satisfaction and, hence, customer loyalty. Thirdly, managers should prioritise the improvement of all five components of service quality in order to enhance customer loyalty. Finally, managers should provide a customer-centred service experience that exceeds customer expectations for service quality and mobile communication, one that maximises customer satisfaction and loyalty. The implementation of these recommendations could result in clothing retailers providing a customer-focused service experience in all five aspects of service quality. To successfully implement these recommendations, clothing retailers should: ensure that expectations created, could be accomplished or exceeded to build and enhance customer satisfaction; create expectations that are realistic to avoid negative disconfirmation and hence customer dissatisfaction; implement innovative and creative mobile communication strategies to build and enhance customer loyalty; and finally, improve loyalty programmes to enlarge the customer base.

M.Comm. / Previously the engine components industry relied on being in the game by competing on product availability, product quality and pricing. The cost of not having customer driven strategic plans created certain drawbacks. These include: the use of crisis management (companies being reactive rather than proactive), diverse directions being taken and redundancy, loss of competitive edge and openness to outside influences. Local component manufacturers have to reduce their dependence on OEM manufacturing alone. This means that they will have to move into the after market, locally and overseas, and export more to foreign OEMs and component producers. Those who do not make the transition will have to diversify or close their doors. The result is that South African engine component companies do not only have to adapt to the reality of pricing pressure of intense competition, but also have to adapt to the increased service expectations of customers on all levels. Service quality can be defined as the extent of discrepancy between customers' expectations and their perceptions (Zeithaml, et al, 1990: 19). The question arises whether engine component companies in the current climate are basing their competitive advantage on a customer-orientated culture with an inner driving force. Service quality is an abstract and elusive concept, because it is intangible, heterogeneous and inseparable from production and consumption. In the process of growing towards customer retention and moving away from the initial concept of just providing customer satisfaction through product availability, product quality, basic service and pricing, superior service quality must be obtained. The measurement of perceived service quality within the engine component industry has not received much attention up till now. This dissertation addresses the problem of measuring the current quality of service (in the engine component industry), and provides guidelines on closing existing gaps. The objectives of the study can be summarised as follows: To assess the service expectations of engine component suppliers' customers. To assess customer perceptions of the performance of the engine component suppliers. To assess which customer - orientated strategies are perceived to be employed by engine component suppliers. To assess how engine component suppliers can narrow or eliminate the customerprovider gaps that exist.

M.Comm. / The objectives of this study are : To determine customers' perception of service quality of international telecommunications carrier services delivered by Telkom in the business-tobusiness relationships with carriers in Europe; To establish whether differences in service quality exist among the selected business customers; To identify and examine customers' needs and expectations regarding the service delivery by Telkom; To assess how well Telkom is currently performing relative to specific customer needs and expectations; To determine some of Telkom's strengths and weaknesses

In this thesis, we consider how service platforms can provide personalized service to incoming consumers in order to improve ease and convenience for their users, or to enhance their own revenues. With an increasing trend toward digitalization, there is now a massive amount of data that can be leveraged to accomplish this goal. In this thesis, we explore how to leverage feature data about the consumers and products, as well as the way consumers interact with the platforms, in order to make better operational decisions, such as pricing, ranking, and recommendations of products and services. In Chapters 1 & 2, we study platforms in which consumers' purchasing decisions are strongly influenced by reviews that are posted by previous consumers. In Chapter 1, we consider how a platform can learn from the choices that consumers make, as well as the reviews they leave, in order to form increasingly accurate estimates about product quality and consumer preferences, so that the platform can provide better personalized product rankings. In Chapter 2, we focus on platforms where each consumer forms an impression of a product by browsing the available reviews in a chosen order following a cascade click model. We consider how to rank the reviews as well as how to price a product given the reviews, in order to maximize short- and long-term revenue. In Chapter 3, we study a platform that offers a menu of memberships of different durations to a pool of heterogeneous consumers. A consumer's choice depends on both the menu prices and his personal intended usage time. The platform wants to maximize the long-term revenue while considering the choices made by heterogeneous customers. We show insights into the optimal solution of each problem when all the parameters are known. For the case where some parameters are initially unknown, we propose a joint learning and optimization algorithm, and provide theoretical guarantees for its performance.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / Relationship marketing is still in its infancy as a mainstream marketing concept, although it has established itself as an underlying paradigm in modern services marketing. Its importance is recognised to a growing extent with a call for organisations to move from a short-term transactional approach to a long-term relationship one (Kotler, 1992; Grönroos, 1994). From the interviews, it is clear that the directors support the findings in respect of the literature review that service marketing should be centred on the key concept that quality should form an integrated component of every step of the development and delivery of a service bundle and should be based on long-term customer relationship development. From the literature review, and with specific reference to the seven P’s marketing mix and relationship marketing approach, it can be delineated that service marketing practices are the combination of service-bundle development, pricing, process, promotion, place, people, physical evidence and the management of the relationship with the customer through the various relationship marketing practices. This conceptual framework will enable the Firm to categorise its marketing objectives and also to provide a clear description of how the marketing objectives identified will be achieved within a stated timeframe. Therefore, quality within the conceptual framework of marketing is measured through the perception of the customer primarily during two occurrences. The first is during any contact session between the customer and service provider or with one or more of the service provider’s employees and the second is when the service bundle is utilised. In the first instance referred to above, customer contact sessions provide the service provider with the opportunity to engage the customer by way of an interactive process in a social context, thus enhancing social bonds through relationship marketing. It has been accepted in the marketing industry that the relationship component is firmly underpinned by mutual trust. Where a service provider maintains strong trust relations with their customers, the relationships involved generally culminate both in the retention of the customer and in long-term profitability. The second determinant of service-bundle quality (product quality) requires from the service provider the skill and ability not only to develop a service bundle that meets the quality expectation of the customer, but which further extends to the ability of the service provider to ensure the recruitment of employees with the appropriate interpersonal skills, aptitude and service knowledge and to provide them with continuous training, leadership, coaching, development programmes and communication to ensure that they retain the skills and expertise to develop a professional service-bundle offering that meets the customers’ expectations. Consumers make judgements and deliver perceptions of the service provided based on that which is provided by those employees with whom they interact. Consequently, employees drive service value which, in turn, drives customer satisfaction and loyalty, resulting in increased revenue and profit (Hanna & Newman, 2007). It is, therefore, submitted that relationship marketing and quality control in development of the various service bundles by the professional service provider are essential if the Firm wants to obtain a form of competitive advantage over its competitors.

published_or_final_version / Business Administration / Master / Master of Business Administration

published_or_final_version / Business Administration / Master / Master of Business Administration

published_or_final_version / Urban Planning and Design / Master / Master of Housing Management

The thesis concerns quality of service in the context of business advisory services. The economic rationale for improving any quality standard is based on the theory that by creating customer satisfaction and a perception of service quality, an organisation can retain its existing customers and attract new business, thus improving market share. This argument is based on the assumption that by improving the quality of the service delivered to customers, product offerings can be differentiated in such a way as to improve customer value. This is a customer defined approach to quality and assumes that the provider has understood and responded to customer requirements. In order to achieve this it is necessary to understand the particular situational characteristics of this market and the criteria customers use to assess the service they receive. In order to investigate service quality in business advisory services, the public relations industry in Scotland is considered as a specific case. Public relations is a business advisory service concerned with the management of image or reputation. However it is not a homogeneous product and is made up of a number of specific functions that equate to two main product variants. Based on these product variants, the research identifies three main purchaser groups in Scotland. However, although outcome expectations are consistent across purchaser groups, there are different expectations of the process of delivering the service according to the product variant purchased. The research concludes that when purchasers are buying a task level service their perceptions of quality are based upon tangible, measurable service features, whilst purchasers of a managerial product variant are concerned with process factors that lead to developing a relationship of trust. There are also a number of 'bottom-line' expectations, common across purchaser groups, which are essential to a perception of quality. Service quality, in the business advisory service context, is dependant on recognising what constitutes the core product and tailoring the process of delivery to satisfy purchaser expectations. The implications of this research are that an understanding of context is essential when considering service quality, in order that customer expectations and provider delivery combine to achieve added value. Secondly, that product definitions are required in determining the expectations associated with performance quality; and thirdly, that customer segmentation based upon product variant is a viable proposition in business advisory services.