Customers Satisfaction Towards Sony Television

The prestigious history of Indian television has envisioned the development of audio visual media in the nation. In recent times, Indian television is said to be in close amalgamation with the private channels that offers all kinds of entertainment and educational shows in a perfect dazzling presentation. The Indian television or the small screen has achieved strata of indispensability. Life without the audio visual media is imagined to be a standstill one. The glamour packed soaps and serials, reality shows, talk shows and other entertainment packages encompass a major section of Indian lifestyle. The main objective of the study is to find out the customer satisfaction towards Sony television. The present study is based purely on primary data. Data were collected using the personal contact approach. Questionnaires were distributed to a sample of 100 respondents in Salem city were surveyed. Simple random sampling method is to be adopted for the present study. The conclusion will be given.

Key words: Customer satisfaction, Sony, Television

A STUDY ON CUSTOMERS SATISFACTION TOWARDS SONY TELEVISION

IN SALEM CITY

Introduction

The prestigious history of Indian television has envisioned the development of audio visual media in the nation. During the 1980s Indian small screen programming began and at that time there was only one national channel Doordarshan, which was government owned. Television in India has been in existence for about four decades. For the first 17 years, it spread haltingly and transmission was usually in black and white. The thinkers and policy makers of the country, which had just been liberated from centuries of colonial rule, though television to be a luxurious element that Indians could do without. In 1955 a Cabinet decision was taken disallowing any foreign investments in print media which has since been followed religiously for nearly 45 years.

In recent times, Indian television is said to be in close amalgamation with the private channels that offers all kinds of entertainment and educational shows in a perfect dazzling presentation. The Indian television or the small screen has achieved strata of indispensability. Life without the audio visual media is imagined to be a standstill one. The glamour packed soaps and serials, reality shows, talk shows and other entertainment packages encompass a major section of Indian lifestyle.

Customer Satisfaction: What Is It?

Recent interpretations in the consumer domain now couch satisfaction as a fulfillment response. Fulfillment implies that a consumption goal is known, as in basic motives of hunger, thirst, and safety. However, observers of human behavior understand that these and other goals can be and frequently are modified and updated in various ways. Thus, consumer researchers have moved away from the literal meaning of satisfaction and now pursue this concept as the consumer experiences and describe it. In Oliver (1997, p. 13), the following definition has been proposed as being consistent with the conceptual and empirical evidence to date: Satisfaction is the consumer’s fulfillment response. It is a judgment that a product or service feature, or the product or service itself, provided (or is providing) a pleasurable level of consumption-related fulfillment, including levels of under- or over-fulfillment.

Sony – Company Profile

Sony found its beginning in the wake of World War II. In 1946, Masaru Ibuka started an electronics shop in a bomb-damaged department store building in Tokyo. The company had $530 in capital and a total of eight employees. The next year, he was joined by his colleague, Akio Morita, and they founded a company called Tokyo Tsushin Kogyo (Tokyo Telecommunications Engineering Corporation). The company built Japan’s first tape recorder, called the Type-G. In 1958 the company name was changed to Sony (see also Origin of name, below).

In the early 1950’s, Ibukatraveled in the United States and heard about Bell Labs’ invention of the transistor. He convinced Bell to license the transistor technology to his Japanese company, for use in communications. Ibuka’s company made the first commercially successful transistor radios. According to Schiffer, Sony’s TR-63 radio “cracked open the U.S. market and launched the new industry of consumer microelectronics.” By the mid-1950s, American teens had begun buying portable transistor radios in huge numbers, helping to propel the fledgling industry from an estimated 100,000 units in 1955 to 5 million units by the end of 1968.

Sony co-founder Akio Morita founded Sony Corporation of America in 1960. In the process, he was struck by the mobility of employees between American companies, which was unheard of in Japan at that time. When he returned to Japan, he encouraged experienced, middle-aged employees of other companies to re-evaluate their careers and consider joining Sony. The company filled many positions in this manner, and inspired other Japanese companies to do the same. Moreover, Sony played a major role in the development of Japan as a powerful exporter during the 1960s, 70s, and 80s. It also helped to significantly improve American perceptions of “made in Japan” products. Known for its production quality, Sony was able to charge above-market prices for its consumer electronics and resisted lowering prices.

Sony began a life insurance company in 1979, one of its many peripheral businesses. Amid a global recession in the early 1980s, electronics sales dropped and the company was forced to cut prices. Sony’s profits fell sharply. “It’s over for Sony,” one analyst concluded. “The company’s best days are behind it.” Around that time, Norio Ohga took up the role of president. He encouraged the development of the Compact Disc in the 1970s and 80s, and of the PlayStation in the early 1990s. Ohga went on to purchase CBS Records in 1988 and Columbia Pictures in 1989, greatly expanding Sony’s media presence. Ohga would succeed Morita as chief executive officer in 1989.

Under the vision of co-founder Akio Morita and his successors, the company had aggressively expanded into new businesses. Part of its motivation for doing so was the pursuit of “convergence,” linking film, music, and digital electronics via the Internet. This expansion proved unrewarding and unprofitable, threatening Sony’s ability to charge a premium on its products as well as its brand name. In a bid to provide a unified brand for its global operations, Sony introduced a slogan known as “make.believe” in 2009.

Despite some successes, the company faced continued struggles in the mid- to late-2000s. It became known for its stagnancy, with a fading brand name. In 2012, Kazuo Hirai began as CEO and president.

Customer Satisfaction Surveys

Surveys and questionnaires are the most common marketing research methods. Typically, they are used to: assess the level of customer satisfaction with a particular product, service or experience; identify factors that contribute to customer satisfaction and dissatisfaction; determine the current status or situation of a product or service; compare and rank providers; estimate the distribution of characteristics in a potential customer population; or help establish customer service standards.

Objective of the Study

To know customer opinion about Sony Television Models.

To analyse the level of satisfaction towards Sony Television.

To study the performance of Sony Television.

To find out problem faced by customers.

Scope of the Study

The need of the study is to identify the attitude of the customers dealing with Sony Television in Salem city. The study focuses on various views and expectations of the customers. So, the study will increase our service according to the needs of the customers. In this study the customers has shared their practical problems and views with us.

Needed to find the relationship between the customer and company.

It helps to understand the need of the customers and their expectations from the company.

It determines the overall performance of the company.

Needed for a specialized strategy to introduce something new, such as new product planning, entering new markets or trying a new strategy to fix an existing problem.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Sample and Questionnaire

The present study is based purely on primary data. Data were collected using the personal contact approach. Questionnaires were distributed to a sample of 100 respondents in Salem city were surveyed. Simple random sampling method is to be adopted for the present study. The statements/items for the questionnaire were formed after consulting relevant literature and some relevant research conducted in the area. Besides attitudes scale, the survey questionnaire also included a section to capture the general profile of respondents. They were asked about their demographic background including age, education level, marital status, job level, year of experience, and type of ownership.

RESULT AND DISCUSSION

Table – 1

Selected Respondents Demographic Profile

Age

Below 30

10 (10)

31 – 35

24 (24)

36 – 40

40 (40)

Above 40

26 (26)

Total

100 (100)

Gender

Male

72 (72)

Female

28 (28)

Total

100 (100)

Marital Status

Married

84 (84)

Unmarried

16 (16)

Total

150 (100)

Salary Range / Month

Below 5,000

18 (18)

5,001 – 10,000

44 (44)

10,001 – 15,000

30 (30)

Above 15,001

08 (08)

Total

100 (100)

Designation

Business man

40 (40)

Professional

27 (27)

Officials

19 (19)

Others

14 (14)

Total

100 (100)

Source: Primary Data (Figures in Parenthesis represent Percentage)

Table – 2

Classification of the Respondents on the Basis of Model Preference

S. No

Model

No. of Respondents

Percentage

1

LCD

22

22

2

LED

19

19

3

Plasma

10

10

4

CRTV

38

38

5

3D LED

5

5

6

Others

6

6

Total

100

100

Source: Primary Data

Above table shows that 38 percent of respondents prefer CRTV, 22 percent of respondents prefer LCD TV, 19 percent of respondents prefer LED TV, 10 percent of respondents prefer plasma TV, 6 percent of respondents prefers the other products and only 5 percent of respondents likes 3D LED.

Table – 3

Classification of the Respondents on the Basis of Influence to Purchase

A major factor “Influence”, which induces a person to buy anything (herein referred to as TV) was revealed by the respondents through their response to this question.

S. No

Source of Influence

No. of Respondents

Percentage

1

Self

48

48

2

Family

28

28

3

Friends

14

14

4

Others

10

10

Total

100

100

Source: Primary Data

From the responses obtained, it is found that self-motivation is the major role in purchasing a TV, of the 100 considered respondents and family takes second place in source of influence.

Table – 4

Classification of the Respondents on the basis of Reason to Purchase the Sony TV

This question was attempted to extract the factors, which plays a major role in the Satisfaction of the Customers. All the factors were found to be important for the respondents.

S. No

Attributes

No. of Respondents

Percentage

1

Quality

48

48

2

Technology

24

24

3

Price

20

20

4

Others

8

8

Total

100

100

Source: Primary Data

Above table shows that 48 percent of the customers gives more importance to the Video Quality and the second rate that 24 percent of the customers need is Technology.

Table – 5

Classification of the Respondents on the Basis of Place of Purchase the Sony TV

The place of purchasing the TV is also varied from customer to customers. Most of the peoples are willing to purchase the TV from the Show room of the Sony other than any other mode of distribution.

S. No

Place of purchase

No. of Respondents

Percentage

1

Sony showroom

78

78

2

Electronic Shops

20

20

3

Seconds

1

1

4

Others

1

1

Total

100

100

Source: Primary Data

From the responses obtained, it is found that Sony showroom got the first place having 78 percent of the votes and the Electronic shops got the second place having 20 percent of the votes and Second sales and others got 1percent each.

Table – 6

Classification of the Respondents on the Basis of Life Time of the TV

S. No

Life Time of the TV

No. of Respondents

Percentage

1

Below One year

10

10

2

One – Two years

22

22

3

Three – Four years

38

38

4

Above Five years

30

30

Total

100

100

Source: Primary Data

Out of 100, 38 percent of the respondents using more than Three years of their Sony TV, 30 percent of the peoples using Sony TV more than five years and others are occupies only 10 percent and 22 percent respectively.

Table – 7

Classification of the Respondents on the Basis of Difficulties Faced by People

S. No

Attributes

No. of Respondents

Percentage

1

Video Quality

20

20

2

Sound Effects

21

21

3

Spare parts

24

24

4

Features

22

22

5

Others

13

13

Total

100

100

Source: Primary Data

Out of 100 TV holders, 24 percent of respondents are needs the Spare parts of the TV, 22 percent of respondents needs the more features of their TV, 21 percent votes for the sound effects, 20 percent of respondents are needs video quality and 13 percent of respondents are needs the other features.

Table – 8

Classification of the Respondents on the Basis of Performance of the TV

This question was designed to know the overall performances that were being experienced by the respondents from their TV’s. This shows that the appearance of the customers after seeing the performance of the Sony TV.

S. No

Performance

No. of Respondents

Percentage

1

Excellent

44

44

2

Best

43

43

3

Satisfies

10

10

4

Bad

3

3

Total

100

100

Source: Primary Data

In this survey, 44 percent respondents are votes that Sony TV is the excellent one, 43 percent respondents votes that this is the best one and 10 percent votes as satisfies and the least 3 percent are not satisfied with the performance of the Sony TV.

Table – 9

Classification of the Respondents on the Basis of Life Time of the Sony TV

The life time of the Sony TV is also varied from customer to customers. Most of the peoples are willing to have the TV at least more than two years when compared with other products of the Sony.

S. No

Level of Satisfaction

No. of Respondents

Percentage

1

Highly Satisfied

68

68

2

Satisfied

28

28

3

Dissatisfied

3

3

4

Highly Dissatisfied

1

1

Total

100

100

Source: Primary Data

From the responses obtained, 68 percent votes that Sony TV highly satisfies, 28 percent of the respondents are satisfies with the Sony TV, 3 percent of the respondents are dissatisfied with the Sony TV and only one respondent are feeling highly dissatisfied with the TV.

Table – 10

Classification of the Respondents on the Basis of Service of the Dealers

Another major factor playing the role in decision making of consumer behavior of respondents was “Service of dealers”. So, this question was designed to know the satisfaction level on the service of the dealers, received by the respondents, which in other words are considered as the customers of respective dealers.

S. No

Service of the Dealers

No. of Respondents

Percentage

1

Highly Satisfied

85

85

2

Satisfied

12

12

3

Dissatisfied

2

2

4

Highly Dissatisfied

1

1

Total

100

100

Source: Primary Data

From the analysis 85 percent of the Sony TV owners are highly satisfied with their dealer’s service and 12 percent of the customers are very happy with the service of the dealers and the remaining are not satisfied with that.

Suggestions

Company should improve/upgrades its employee’s product knowledge, market situation, and its competitor’s knowledge by giving proper training to employee.

The Company should not only concentrate on the customer satisfaction but also the company led to monitor their competitor’s performance in their areas of operations.

The Company should make changes according to the other competitors & according to the customer’s expectations.

The company should keep in mind the need of young generation.

Conclusion

It was made clear that the Sony Television is the market leader. Sony Television has to come up with more innovative promotional campaigns in order to gain more consumers. Since, most of the respondents are expressed a position note on factors like company image, price and perfection. It is indeed the manufacturer’s duty to maintain the above factors at the same time with a view to retained and the top of the market. Because all the electronic products are in need of above three qualifications to survive in the market. Sony Television is having above three with a good reputation. Even though consumers are looking for a better one. We hope that Sony will make it. Customer satisfaction index is a good tool to make improvements in the products and services of the company and therefore should utilize carefully and kept as confidential as possible.