Problems with the Statistical Analysis
Analyzing the rates of customer satisfaction is a rather complicated task, as quantifying the data that is supposed to be qualitative by its nature is a very challenging process. Although the calculations of the population standard deviation, the mean and the variance are not that complicated, operating with the data that needs to be converted from textual into quantitative is very difficult. Herein the key problem with the information represented in the paper under analysis lies; the accuracy of the numerical data represented in the paper can hardly be verified.
Apart from the problem mentioned above, the issue regarding the number of participants and samples taken in the process of research deserves to be mentioned. Particularly, some light must be shed on the fact that the number of samples used in the calculation of the standard deviation and the identification of the rest of the data reached thousands in every case. As a result, the variance of the samples considered in the course of the research could not be high. Moreover, the variance of the data used in the research approaches zero. As a result, the data sets regarding the customer satisfaction calculated for the first and the second year of the company’s operations are barely different from each other. Because of an extraordinarily large number of samples chosen for the research, the research cannot possibly show the areas, which the organization needs to pay special attention to; on the contrary, the standard deviation of the data analyzed shows that the company is relatively low.
More importantly, because of the number of samples used in the analysis, the standard deviation calculated for Year 1 (9.1 (1.1)) is practically identical to the one estimated for Year 2 (9.1 (1.2)). Thus, the report does not allow for a detailed analysis of the changes, which the organization has undergone in terms of customer satisfaction provision. It is assumed, therefore, that the sampling method used by the company in question should be readdressed. As far as the data in the Region 3 is concerned, given the above-mentioned considerations regarding the average approaching a doubtfully high mark, Southwestern sales clearly need to be addressed Given the fact that the method of data analysis chosen by the organization leads to a possibility of overrating the company, low indices are obviously a reason for concern.
The problem mentioned above is likely to affect both the Delivery Processes and the Phone-Based Representatives since the rates in customer satisfaction depend on both communications with the company’s representatives and the speed of the delivery. It is, therefore, suggested that the company’s logistics and communication processes should be improved.
Improving the Communication, Analysis and Logistics Issue
The problems related to the domain of logistics, statistical analysis and especially communication need to be resolved as soon as possible; otherwise, the company will be incapable of functioning properly in the contemporary environment of the global economy. To locate the factors that may affect the development of the problems identified above and, therefore, create the strategy that will help cope with the specified issues, one will have to consider additional data. The more information the organization has and the more angles it uses to evaluate the data retrieved, the more efficient the coping method is likely to be. Consequently, it is desirable that the information such as the number of delays, the number of refunds, the percentage of packages that get damaged in the process of transportation, the average speed of the product delivery, and the existing options concerning the choice of the transportation modes must be reviewed as well. The information concerning the issues in question will have to be represented in the form of quantitative data; thus, new statistical data regarding the time taken to deliver the product, the number of customers’ complaints concerning broken or damaged packages, the number of instances, in which the communication process did not deliver the necessary results or led to a conflict between the customer and the company, etc. will have to be collected, quantified and analyzed (Barner, 2012).
Much like in the specified case, the mean and the standard deviation for 2014 and 2015 will have to be calculated. The sampling process, however, will have to be different this time; in order to approach the process properly, one will have to consider the method of probability sampling, as it helps locate the predictability of random events and compare the latter to the actual outcomes in a proper manner (Bryman & Bell, 2015). Defining the type of probability sampling that will have to be used for the study, a multi-stage cluster should be viewed as one of the most reasonable options, since the data that the organization will retrieve is most likely to be very diverse and incorporate information on a range of subjects. In addition, the fact that the study will have to be carried out online will have to be taken into consideration (Cummings, Butler & Kraut, 2014).
Problems and Their Origin
As it has been stressed above, communication and the issues related to quality assurance in general and the transportation of the product to the end customer, in particular, will have to be considered in the course of the research. Getting to the bottom of the issue, one must admit that the communication concerns raised above may have been triggered by a vast variety of factors, starting from the flaws in the company’s communication design down to the culture clash between the company representatives and the Southwest states. Each of the scenarios above, however, requires that the communication methods should be redesigned completely. First and most obvious, the corporate values and the organizational behavior principles should be evaluated carefully. Perhaps, the lack of decent corporate ethics may have caused the current issues with the communication between the staff and the customers; for instance, the clients may be reluctant to give feedback to the company due to the lack of proper communication strategies and conflict-solving skills of the staff. Te issues regarding the quality of the end product may be attributed to the choice of cheap transportation options as a means of saving money. Each of the scenarios suggested above requires a detailed analysis of the company’s ethics and values and the following redesign thereof.
Meaning and Implications of Variation
As it has been stressed above, variation is one of the key tools for carrying out a quantitative analysis of the company’s performance and its efficacy in collecting feedback from its customers. By definition, variation will allow for an assessment of the differences in the data retrieved from the customers; to be more exact, the correlation between the negative and the positive reviews, as well as the extent, to which these reviews differ from each other in terms of their appreciation of the firm’s services, can be identified. Based on the specified date, the company managers will be capable of locating the key problems in communicating with specific customer sand, therefore, meet the needs of a rather diverse group of people. Hence, the larger the population standard deviation is the more information can be retrieved from the information sampled from the existing set of data.
Therefore, keeping an eye on the changes in the population standard deviation rates is essential for the company’s performance and further relations with customers. Moreover, carrying out regular researches involving surveys and interviews conducted among the company’s customers is essential for identifying dents in corporate ethics and the approach towards customer relationships.
Despite the fact that the problem exists currently in one region, it is possible that it may spread to other regions as well. Since the issue is most likely to be related to the flaws in the design of the strategy for customer relationships in the organization, the issue may emerge in other regions, including the ones, in which the company has been doing outstandingly well, within a comparatively short amount of time. Because of the availability of modern information technologies, dissatisfied customers in the Southwest regions may affect the choices of buyers in other areas of the US. Therefore, a rearrangement of corporate values and ethics is essential for the firm at present. As soon as the principles for customer relationships are established and the staff realizes the necessity to keep clients satisfied, the company is likely to improve its score in the Southwest.
References
Barner, C. (2012). Social media and communication. Journal of Communications, 45(8), 99-110.
Bryman, A. & Bell, E. (2015). Business research methods. Oxford, England: Oxford University Press.
Cummings, J. N., Butler, B., & Kraut, R. (2014). The quality of online social relationships. Communications of the ACM, 45(7), 103-108.