Good Example Of Dissertation On Advance Customer Experience At Dubai Industrial City

Methodology

Research approach and design
A quantitative approach was used. Quantitative research was defined by Burns and Grove as an objective, formal, and systematic processes to test and describe the relationship and examine effects, as well as causes among variables’ interaction. Explanatory and descriptive research survey may be used, but a descriptive survey method was applied for this survey as I is suitable for describing populations that are large to observe directly. Information from a sample of people is obtained by a survey through a mean of self-report, that is, an investigator poses a series of questions that are responded to. In this study, a self-administered questionnaire was used for data collection where the researcher personally distributed questionnaires to the subjects. The method accurately portrays the respondents’ characteristics, including their behaviors, beliefs, abilities, opinion and knowledge of a particular group. The design was chosen for meeting the study’s objective of identifying Dubai Industrial City’s customer experience and highly rated initiatives.

Sample

A population is defined as all elements that are meets the criteria for aspects to be investigated and the sample to be included in the study. The study used a population containing the companies operating within Dubai Industrial City. As elements, samples are selected with the intention of finding out aspects of the population they are taken from. The study involved a sample of 767 respondents. Those were the subjects that met the criteria for the suitable study elements selected by the researcher as representative of the Industrial city’s customers. In addition, the 130 is the number of the contacted respondents that responded to the survey.

Data collection

As data collection instrument, a questionnaire was chosen. A questionnaire is a self-report form that is designed to elicit information that can be gained from subjects written responses. The obtained information through a questionnaire is similar to the information obtained through an interviewed, but there is less depth in the questions. Questionnaires were used to aid in the collecting of the data with the following reasons leading to the choice of the best method to use:
A high response rate is expected as the respondents are supplied with the questionnaires to complete, and the researcher was to collect them personally.

Less energy and time is required to administer questionnaires.

Anonymity possibility is offered as the names of the subjects’ are not required on the completed questionnaires.
As their presentation is consistent, there is less opportunity for bias.
In the questionnaires, most of the items are closed making it easier to compare the responses to each item.
Apart from the listed advantages, questionnaires have their weaknesses; for example the existence of the question of validity and accuracy. In addition, the subjects might not be willing to reflect their true opinions but answer what they think will be pleasing to the researcher, further, the answers are very brief and may result in loss of valuable information. Mostly closed-ended questions are the one consisting the questionnaires and a few open-ended questions, as these provides more diverse detail. The subjects in the open-end questions were required to respond in writing, whereas closed-ended questions there were researchers determined options. As the subjects are allowed to respond to the questions in their words open-ended questions were included, and they provide more detail. Closed-ended questions, as they are easier to administrator and analyze, were included. In the sense that more closed-end questions can be completed by the subject they are more time efficient than open-ended items.
The questionnaires were written in English and for those who were not able to write or read, the researcher wrote and read their answers for them. They were assured that they would not be linked to the answers that they gave as the responses were guaranteed anonymity. The questionnaires focused on getting demographic data and the respondents’ views about the Dubai Industrial City’s service and performance. That could help the researcher during results interpretation, for example, guideline instructions were attached to the questionnaires to guide people as to whether to tick or circle the chosen response.

Procedure for Data Collection

Personal Distribution of the Questionnaires to respondents was personally done the researcher. Questionnaires were completed by each researcher and for those who could not read.

Reliability

Reliability is referred as the degree of consistency with which an instrument measures what it should measure. By minimizing sources of measurement, reliability can also be ensured since it reduces error like data collector’s bias. Bias in data collection was minimized by the researcher’s only administering the questionnaires, and exhibiting standardizing attributes of all respondents such as similar attributes. The psychological and physical environment where data was collected was made comfortable by ensuring confidentiality, privacy, and general physical comfort. Request to the subjects not to write their names on the questionnaires were made to ensure confidentiality.

Validity

The instrument`s validity is the degree to which it measures that which it should measure. Content’s validity is the extreme to which factors under study are represented by the instrument measures. Varieties of questions were included in the questionnaires to achieve content validity and on the knowledge of Dubai Industrial City services. Information gathered during the literature review is what the Questions were based on to ensure that they represented what respondents should know about Dubai Industrial City. In addition, validity of the content was ensured by consistency in giving the questionnaires and the researcher personally distributing all questionnaires to respondents. The questions were formulated simple language for ease and clarity of understanding. Subjects were given clear instructions and for those subjects who could not read, the researcher completed the questionnaires. Further, all the subjects filled the questionnaires in researcher`s presence. This was done to avoid subjects from giving questionnaires to other persons to complete on their behalf. The questionnaires for validation were submitted to a statistician for analysis. As a result, to ensure higher representativeness, adequate number of questions were used. To clarify some questions, rephrasing of them was done, and more alternative response choices were given to the closed-ended questions for provision of meaningful data analysis. There was also the assurance for External validity ha refers to generalization beyond the sample used to study findings. Every person approached to participate in the study was expected to fill the questionnaires. Generalizing the findings is, therefore, justified given the sample’s representation to all members of the population.
It can be difficult to seek subjects who are willing to participate in a study, especially if the study requires much time or other types of investment by the subjects. It is not easy to justify generalization of the findings if the number of the people approached to participate in a study declines. In order to increase participation, the study needs to be planned to reduce the investment requirements on subjects. The numbers of chosen respondents who decline to participate in the study were reported so as to help in judging the external validity’s threats. As those who decline to participate increases, the external validity decreases.

Analysis

After the data collection, its data was organized and analyzed. For the analysis of closed-ended questions, Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) was used. The system was used to generate results on basis statistics and measures. In addition, the analysis applied the Likert scale where responses were set on a scale of one to seven whom one representing the lowest form or the negative while he seven presented he higher forms of aspects and the highest positive. In the case of closed-ended questions was used. Descriptive statistics was used for drawing of frequency tables in which the data was presented in bar graphs. The quantitative content analysis by the researcher for open-ended questions was used with the aim of quantifying emerging concepts and characteristics. Analyzing verbal or written communications is by the concept analysis in a systematic way for variables quantitative measurements.

Findings and Analysis

Analysis of the online survey results for short listing the most relative and appropriate initiative related to the business model
The analysis can be classified into different aspects covered by the questionnaires including the following.
Response rate
Types of commercial felicities and heir use
Experience with the Dubai Industrial City
Likeliness of customers to recommend the city to others
Innovative business initiative
Companies plan for lease in next two years
Customers satisfaction level
Desired initiatives including; SSTs, touch points, account management and single window
The response to those aspects and their analysis is as summarized and interpreted in the following sections. The analysis and interpretation will be the basis of the choice for the suitable initiatives for the City to develop as a means of enhancing customer experience.

Response rate

The studies achieved a response rate of 15.65% with only 130 respondents out of the 767 participants. In that respect, he survey can be said to have gotten a relatively low response. The cause could be lack of a clear indication of what could have been expected from the respondents or an understanding of their participation’s importance.

Types of commercial facilities used a the city

Warehouse facilities are the most used facilities in followed by land lease for industrial purposes and hen accommodation. However, retail houses have the least use in the city.
The response was high for companies with more than 250 employees. While companies with the lowest number of employees had the lowest response rate of 1.54%.

Satisfaction considering respondents overall experience with Dubai Industrial City

The survey indicates a high level of satisfaction with the city given the respondents experiences with 33.08% of respondents being highly satisfied.

Customers likeliness to recommend Dubai Industrial City to friends, relatives or business associates in case they will need space

Given the high satisfaction level with the Dubai Industrial City, there is a high possibility of the respondents to recommend the city to another person. That is an indication that the city would have ease of marketing given the word of mouth with high number of people willing to recommend is to others.

Companies plan for lease within the next 2 to 3 years

Many companies would be considering renewing their leases with the industrial city and maintaining heir existing sizes. The following category of 25 % of the firms willing o expands heir leases within the city have an indication of high preference for the city be the companies. In addition, there is a very low expectation for companies’ to switch the lease and seek space outside the city. That is an indication of the city’s competitiveness compared with other spaces that serve the same purposes.
Most of the companies considered in the study had other branches in other emirates. That is an indication that the city was subject o competing spaces and locations. However, the companies have low global presence being an indication that he high competition was from local spaces ha could feature relatively similar features in terms of location and environment.
Satisfaction and dissatisfaction with the services provided by the companies in Dubai Industrial City on a rating scale ranging from 1 to 7 where 7 means Completely Satisfied, and 1 means Completely Dissatisfied.
He services provided by the city have a high rate of customer satisfaction given the high 33.08% rate of respondents that rated their satisfaction a six out of seven in the satisfaction scale. In addition, 17.69% of the respondents were completely satisfied by the service. On the other hand, only a low percentage of 1.54 % was completely dissatisfied with he services. Ha is an indication of the city’s services suitability to the target segment.

Company plan within the next 2 to 3 years

Importance of introduction of self-service technologies (SSTs) Including online portal, online payment with a rating scale of 1 to 7 where 7 means Highly Important, and 1 means Least Important.
The response has an indication of high importance for the city to introduce the SSTs including an online portal. That is given the highest number of respondents 30.83% indicating the SSTs as highly importance compared with only 4.17% who rate them as being of least importance. That is an indication of the segments’ needs that the city should focus on to enhance customer satisfaction and attraction for news customers.
Importance of Introduction dedicated account manager to have better understanding of the businesses needs and requirements and act as a focal point of contacts with Dubai Industrial City. The importance was rated on a scale of 1 to 7 where 7 means highly important, and 1 means least Important.
With a 44.17% of the respondents indicating high importance for dedicated account manager to keep contact with the city while only a low 1.67% considers the need to introduce such a managers as least importance, the respondents indicated that it would be of high importance for the companies to introduce account managers with dedication o act as the focal point of contact with the city. That is an indication ha he businesses places a high priority and importance on their relationship with the city. That is an indication that the businesses realize he needs for a contact person having a good understanding of their businesses and requirements. That is because the understanding would enhance the relationship between the city and ability to present their needs for consideration in the city models development.
Importance of introducing Single Window gateway including government services such as visa renewal, trade license renewal with a rating scale of 1 to 7 where 7 means Highly Important, and 1 means Least Important.
The rating of a single window importance for Dubai Industrial City is high with a relatively high percentage of respondents; 45.83 % indicating customizers desire for he single window. In addition, the percentage of respondents ha rate he single window as less important is relatively low.
Importance of enhancing the different touch experience such as call centers, sales center, website using rating scale ranging from 1 to 7 where 7 means Highly Important, and 1 means Least Important.
Respondents indicated that the touch promise such as call center websites and sales centers being rated highly as highly importance for the business. Similarly, high rating follows that as the importance and a low rating for being less important. In that view, the touch points have been noted as being of great importance to an organization in serving is customers.

Initiatives from customer experience model to focus on the further and demonstrate the factors of success and challenges

With the increase in customer experience becoming important for the city ads indicated by the respondents, there is need to create good customer experience at all the touch points and levels of product or service life cycle. Thus, the city needs to choose clients high priority points as its focus. Customers experience has the possibility of acting as a competitive advantage by satisfying and retaining the City’s customers more than the competing brands. That is given that customer experience is all about co-creating value to customers by encompassing customers in designing and delivery of products and services. In that view, a number of initiatives should be focused on to improve customer satisfaction and relationship with the Dubai City customers.

Innovative business initiative

The rating of the initiatives by the respondent is an indication of the importance that they place on each. In that respect, he following is the summary of the findings as deduced from the data.

SSTs

Those, who values SSTsas having high importance, are relatively low compared o he or invites ha have the highest importance being above the 30.83%. In addition, SSs have a relatively high number of respondent who takes it as least important as indicated by the small scale values.

Account management

Account Management has one of the higher ratings as being highly important being only second to a single window. However, the variation between the percentage ah rates it highly and those who give it a value of six is significant hence an indication of a high standard deviation. In addition, it has relatively high rating of being least important compared to a single window and the touch point initiatives.

Single window

Single window has the highest percentage of rating as highly important with 45.83%. In addition, the initiative has a relative low rating as least importance hence giving It a beer rating than the other initiatives.

Touchpoint

It has a high rating as being highly importance with the least variation in the highest rating of 31.67% and the second rating of 30%. That is an indication of low variance hence more reliability of the results compared to the other initiatives. The initiative also has a low rating as least importance.

Comparison between reality scenario and the literature review

SSTs
Liraure review explored that there are different types of SSTs differing in their use, but the service companies mainly use three kinds of SSTs for the purpose of; service of the customers, transactions, and self-help. Thus, the introduction of SSTs have been noted o provide various benefits to businesses in cases such as; requirement of less labor and accessibility to new markets, as well as new segments. However, it has been identified to have some major disadvantage for companies in that they fail to develop and maintain interpersonal communication with customers which hence affecting the customers experience because of absence of the social bond. From he analysis results, SSTs have been identified as crucial and highly important for customers. Ha is in line with he literature review.

Account management

According to the literature review, relationship management is crucial for enhancing the experience, satisfaction and loyalty of the customers. The authors have stated that achieving excellent customer experience, needs interaction between customers and the business employees. Different studies have indicated that the cooperation developed had a great impact on customer experience. In view of the analysis, preference for the introduction of account management context has been identified as a recognition of the importance of interaction between a business model and is customers both in development and delivery of services.

Single window

Literature review shows that there is a need for businesses to embrace more integrated services as a means of enhancing customer attraction and retention. That owes to accessibility of many services a single points that enhances customer relationship and loyalty. In view of the analysis results, there have been identified high rating of the initiative to introduce a single window for the city hence providing access to more additional services that increases convenience to customers. Thus, the results confirm the literature review findings in a real life situation.

Touchpoints

Literature review found out that, attaining the appropriate level of customer experience entails careful and effective management of a business touch points for customers. In that process, touch points have been found o refer to all the activities which can satisfy customers and ultimately lead to effective customer experience. On the other hand, the surveys respondents have identified touch points for the city as being crucial and of high importance hence would increase their customer experience.

Correlated interrelation of the survey output and participated company demography

Participants’ demography plays a great role in determining the results validity and reliability. That is because demography determines survey participants’ qualities and characteristics that suit or fails to suit them as good representatives of his population under study. In that respect, the interaction between the responded companies and he results can be summarized as follows.

Conclusions

Brief recap of the main problem, literature review recommendation, final analysis and findings
Customer experience has been defined as the experience of customers in heir interaction with organizations and its services and employees. Evaluation of the customers’ experience is done by matching expected experience and reactions that are received by organizations on all the touch points. The literature review has also identified that customer experience is about co- creation of value with co-creation playing an important role in the development of customers’ experience. In addition, customers are considered as co-creators creating the value in services. Thus, when organizations adopt the co-creation approach with an aim of attaining effective customer experience, they engage customers in various activities such as designing and delivery as well as consumption of products and services. At the initial stage, the organizations should identify and analyze the problem and areas where improvement value can be created. External factors that influence customer experience and ha needs the select initiatives address to include social environment , availability of self-service technologies (SSTs) , branding, customer experience as well as customer experience management strategies and customer experience dynamics.
In respect to the analysis, although the response rate was low at 15.6%, the analysis findings have been identified as being valid given the similarity in the characteristics and trends identified in response to various questions regarding different aspects of the customer experience. In that respect, the results are suitable for use in establishing the suitable initiatives for the city. In addition, the use of basic statistical measures such as a standard deviation is crucial in evaluating the initiatives appropriateness.

Recommendations for the final qualified initiative to be considered by the management and expected results

In that respect, the proposed customer experience roadmap is as follows
Sep 1
Analyzing the organizations different segments of customers and their perception and experience
Step 2
Identify and analyze the opportunities where co-creation is possible
Step 3
Analyzing and implementing the mapping tools in the organizations to enhance the customer experience
Step 4
Attaining appropriate level of customer experience is careful and effective management of he relationship and Implementing suitable metrics like net promoter score for measuring the customer experience

Step 6

Ensuring that customers have the same level of experience across different channels and services
Step 7
Identifying and analyzing requirements for the customers at the different stages of the relationship lifecycle
Step 8
Develop consistent communication programs for the brand and hen analyze and implement the mapping tools in the organizations to enhance the customer experience. The mapping tools like; process mapping, customer activity cycle, and service blueprinting and customer firm touch point analysis is very effective in analyzing the different opportunities, areas of improvement, re-engineering of activities and many more

Key Performance indicators to measure the success of the proposed initiatives

With the proposed initiative being development of a single window and introduction of the account management, the performance indicators will include the level of interaction and coordination achieved between the business and the customers in developing services. It would also entail the number of added services and government agencies involved in the city’s operations as in the single window context. The measures will help in identifying the level of success that the initiatives will have achieved. In addition, they will act as guides to the necessary adjustments for attainment of the set goals.

Recommendations

Description of the shortlisted initiatives to improve customer experience in Dubai Industrial City
The initiatives can be ranked with the most appropriate being the single window, hen account management to touch point to SSTs. That is based on customers rating for their importance. Hus, focusing on the initiatives in that priority would be key to enhancing customer experience and improving the experience that failed to have the higher rating as completely satisfied.
Additionally, business models should seek initiatives to capture new customers hence a need for flawless customer service that would help to retain existing customers. That would be easily achieved with the account management initiative that would entail considering he customer in service delivery and development. That is because he initiative would enhance he city’s ability o tailor is model o is key market segment needs.
In respect to the single window initiative, effective customer experience should be holistic in nature, and is affected by various factors that are under the business control as well as those beyond is control. The holistic model is effective in analyzing the customer experience and is Conceptual Model. Literature review has identified several determinants of customer experience by reviewing different research studies. Those determinants have been noted to include social environment, the service interface, the assortment price and promotion, as well as the retail atmosphere. Thus, in competitive environment, customer experience may vary from different channels hence experience from one channel could affect experience in the other. In that view, implementing a single window concept to attract all government agencies in the Dubai Industrial City would be a key initiative to enhance customer experience.

Rational and hypotheses behind disqualify these initiatives

The initiatives disqualification has been done with reference to the standard deviation of the analysis results. In that respect, the initiative with high standard deviation has been considered as having unreliable results hence cannot be relied upon regardless of getting the highest rating by respondents on a single scale.

Implication of the selected initiatives in term of financial and efficiencies expected to be achieved

In line with the literature review, the business should deploy best customer experience models ha seeks to ensure longer term customer loyalty, increase in sales as well as market share while achieving better efficiencies. That would entail reducing its operational cost while improving is customer experience. In that respect, the following are the financial efficiencies expected with the different initiatives.
Single window: The in initiative would enhance he business provision of more services hence increasing the city’s attractiveness to customers owing to the increased convenience.
Account management: Account management would enhance he business relationship with is customers hence increase the customers’ retention rate. That owes to the initiatives ability to enhance services development with a better view of the customers need through coordination with the account managers.
Touchpoints: The initiative will play a great role in enhancing customer experience owing o service convenience. That would enhance customer loyalty and retention hence enhancing income generation.
SSTs: The initiative would play a great role in reducing the city’s operational costs by enhancing customers in self-service. That would provide a crucial financial benefit to the city.

Reasons behind disqualify other initiatives

Initiatives have been raised on the basis of respondent's perspective on their importance. However, the responses feature differences in terms of measures of central tendency with over having greater variation than others hence presenting unreliability. In that respect, the standard deviation has been used for qualifying and disqualifying the initiatives as follows. The single window and account management; both that have high rating by respondents have relatively low standard deviation being an indication of their results relative higher reliability.

Implication of the organization in case of any restructuring is required

The needs to address customer changes in terms of expectations and service needs would have to be accompanied by the change. That change would entail strategies and operational shifts that seek to position his city in a position to effectively address the customer needs. In that respect, the changes necessary for the initiatives can be summarized as follows.
Propose the required organization structure changes including IT technology to implement Account Management model. Enhance all touch points Review the results after 12 months of the implementation, Communicate changes to customers on a continues basis
It will require implementing suitable metrics like net promoter score for measuring the customer experience. The next step is that the organizations need to ensure that the customers are having same level of experience across different channels. The organizations need to integrate multiple channels where the customers interact to avail the products or services with the help of both the management personnel and staffs. After this step, there is a need to identify and analyze the requirements of the customers at the different stages of relationship lifecycle because the demands of the customers may vary at different stages along with this, it is also important to identify the segmentation of the customers.

KPI and measure of the success of the initiatives

There is a room for improvement given ha he business rating as completely satisfied had a less percentage than the preceding satisfied rating. Thus, there is need for measures of customer satisfaction as a means of identifying improvement and success in customer experience.
Key Performance Indicators helps organizations in defining and measuring progress toward organizational goals. With the identification of an organization’s mission, all its stakeholders, and defined goals, here is a need for a way to measure progress towards the goals. Thus, those measures are the Key Performance Indicators and which will be applied in measuring achievement two initiatives’ goals. It will include customers’ acquisition, reunion and efficiency in serving customers.

Acquisition

It is the ability of he organization to increase its customers base while retention is the ability to keep and grow the customers base he organization already has. On the other hand, efficiency allows an organization to achieve more with less.
Generating more Opportunities will be the major challenge of the acquisition with the more opportunities being expected o be generated by the single window in terms of increased number of customers. The business will benefit from having a well respected and recognized brand hence being highly visible as well as creating great customer experiences.
Increasing Brand Equity will be a key objective for the Industrial city. Increasing Brand Equity will build corporate value, and influence customer measurements and key sales such as increasing the average value of transactions, driving higher revenues and enhancing customer conversion rates.
Increase in Market Share ha will provide the brand with sustainability, pricing power and growth. In addition, the increased market share will lead overall better financial performance for the Industrial City.

Retention

Retention will focus on how he brand will keep its customers and reducing churn while increasing their lifetime value. There are three major challenges associated with retention:
Creating Customer Loyalty: Loyal customers are those who resist switching to other brands or conducting business with other brands. In his case will involve hose which will resist finding space from other places and remaining as the city’s customers. .
Driving advocacy is desired results that go beyond loyalty. Advocacy is becoming a key component of businesses in the social age hence a key success measurement. Customer advocate will involve hose which will refer their friends, colleagues or family to the City for space as they enjoy the experience.
Increasing Share of Wallet for each customer that will drive higher profits. Expanding of sales will be expected with the introduction of account management context. The sales expansion each customer is a great and one of the most profitable approaches for increasing revenues.

Efficiency

Efficiency will focus focuses on carrying out the right operational activity for delivery of the desired results at lower cost for the business. There will also be three business challenges and measures related to efficiency.
Increase in Return on Invested Capital (ROIC) and the Economic Value Added (EVA), will both be key measures of the brands’ efficiency. Increases in those areas will indicate strengthening of the brand’s financial position.
Another major measure and challenge will involve traditional accounting of expenses associated with customer interaction and decrease of operations cost. These expenses are those costs that will be associated with servicing of the customer base before or after transactions.
Employees will also entail a significant cost as the account management context will require more staff for the purpose of coordinating with customers account managers. However, the impact expected in terms of value creation will be worth the cost of improvement of customer experience.