A STUDY ON CUSTOMER SATISFACTION IN SEA HAWK LINES PVT

LTD, CHENNAI
Submitted to the
University of Madras
In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Award of the Degree
Master of Business Administration
FINAL PROJECT REPORT
SUBMITTED BY
SUHAIL AHAMED.J
Reg No: 711400385
UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF

MR. S. VINOTH B.E, MBA

Assistant Professor

MEASI INSTIUTE OF MANAGEMENT

(Approved by AICTE & Affiliated to University of Madras)
#87, Peters Road, Royapettah, Chennai-600 014
April-2016
1

MEASI INSTIUTE OF MANAGEMENT

(Approved BY AICTE & Affiliated to University of Madras)
#87, Peters Road, Royapettah, Chennai -600014.
April-2016

BONAFIDE CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that the Project Report Titled A STUDY ON CUSTOMER SATISFACTION
IN SEA HAWK LINES PVT LTD. submitted by Mr. SUHAIL AHAMED.J

(REG.NO

711400385) in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the post graduate degree course In
Masters of Business Administration (M.B.A) For the Year 2015-2016 is the original work of the
above candidate.

Mr.S. Vinoth

DIRECTOR

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR
PROJECT GUIDE
&
INTERNAL EXAMINER
2

DECLARATION

I, SUHAIL AHAMED.J, (REG NO - 711400385), bonafide student of business studies

Measi Institute of Management, affiliated to the University of Madras hereby declare that project
entitled A STUDY ON CUSTOMER SATISFACTION AT SEA HAWK LINES PVT LTD
was prepared towards the partial fulfillment of Master of Business Administration (M.B.A) final
year degree course from the university of madras. The report was prepared by own effort and it
has not been produced earlier towards the award of any other degree or diploma from the same
university.

PLACE:

Signature

DATE:

(Suhail Ahamed)
3

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I owe a great many thanks to Almighty and also a great many people who helped and
supported me during the writing of Project Report.
I express my thanks to the Director, Dr D.Nisar Ahmed, for extending his support
My deepest thanks to My Professor, Mr.S.Vinoth the guide of the project for guiding and
correcting various documents of mine with attention and care. He has taken pain to go through
the project and make necessary correction as and when needed.
.My deep sense of gratitude to Mr. Babu (Human Resource manager). support and
guidance. Thanks and appreciation to the helpful people at SEA HAWK LINES PVT LTD., for
their support.
I would also thank My Institution and my faculty members without whom this project
would have been a distant reality. I also extend my heartfelt thanks to my family and well
wishers.

CONTENTS
TITLE

Page No

CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

NEED FOR THE STUDY

SCOPE OF THE STUDY

LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

INDUSTRY PROFILE

COMPANY PROFILE

17

REVIEW OF LITERATURE

31

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

34

DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION

41

FINDINGS

82

SUGGESTIONS

84

CONCLUSION

85

CHAPTER 2

CHAPTER 3

CHAPTER 4

CHAPTER 5

ANNEXURE

86

BIBLIOGRAPHY

90

LIST OF TABLES
S.NO

TITLE OF TABLES

PAGE NO

4.1

NATURE OF THE COMPANY

41

4.2

NATURE OF THE BUSINESS

42

4.3

NATURE OF THE DEPARTMENTS

43

4.4

KNOWING ABOUT SHAL

44

4.5

HOW LONG HAVE BEEN USING SHAL SERVICES

45

4.6

WHAT MADE INFLUENCED TO USE SHAL SERVICES

46

4.7

HOW OFTEN TRANSPORT THE GOODS BY SHAL

47

4.8

DELIVERY SCHEDULE OF THE VEHICLE KEPT UP

48

4.9

INFORMATION ABOUT THE

VEHICLE

4.10

COMMUNICATION IN SHAL

50

4.11

ACTION OF CONTACTING A PERSON IN SHAL

51

4,12

REACTION TIME IN SHAL WHEN CONTACTING

52

4.13

EASINESS OF CONTACTING IN SHAL

53

4.14

ENQUIRY IN SHAL

54

4.15

EFFECTIVENESS OF CHANNELS OF COMMUNICATION

55

4.16

EXPERTISE OF THE PERSONNEL

56

4.17

OFFERED TRANSPORT OPTION IN SHAL

57

4.18

NEEDS TO FIND BEST SOLUTION

58

4.19

TRANSPARENCY OF THE PRICING

59

4.20

PRICE QUALITY IN SHAL

60

4.21

DEVELOPMENT OF SERVICE IN SHAL

61

4.22

LOCALITY

62

4.23

INFORMATION PROVIDED

63

4.24

DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM

64

BREAKDOWN

OF

THE

49

4.25

EXPECTATION OF ANY IMPROVEMENT

65

4.26

IMPROVEMENT NEEDED

66

4.27

RECOMMEND SHAL TO COLLEAGUES AND BUSINESS

PARTNERS

67

4.28

OVERALL SATISFACTION IN SHAL

68

LIST OF CHARTS
S.NO

TITLE OF CHARTS

PAGE NO

4.1

NATURE OF THE COMPANY

41

4.2

NATURE OF THE BUSINESS

42

4.3

NATURE OF THE DEPARTMENTS

43

4.4

KNOWING ABOUT SHAL

44

4.5

HOW LONG HAVE BEEN USING SHAL SERVICES

45

4.6

WHAT MADE INFLUENCED TO USE SHAL SERVICES

46

4.7

HOW OFTEN TRANSPORT THE GOODS BY SHAL

47

4.8

DELIVERY SCHEDULE OF THE VEHICLE KEPT UP

48

4.9

INFORMATION ABOUT THE

VEHICLE

4.10

COMMUNICATION IN SHAL

50

4.11

ACTION OF CONTACTING A PERSON IN SHAL

51

4,12

REACTION TIME IN SHAL WHEN CONTACTING

52

4.13

EASINESS OF CONTACTING IN SHAL

53

4.14

ENQUIRY IN SHAL

54

4.15

EFFECTIVENESS OF CHANNELS OF COMMUNICATION

55

4.16

EXPERTISE OF THE PERSONNEL

56

4.17

OFFERED TRANSPORT OPTION IN SHAL

57

4.18

NEEDS TO FIND BEST SOLUTION

58

4.19

TRANSPARENCY OF THE PRICING

59

4.20

PRICE QUALITY IN SHAL

60

4.21

DEVELOPMENT OF SERVICE IN SHAL

61

4.22

LOCALITY

62

4.23

INFORMATION PROVIDED

63

4.24

DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM

64

BREAKDOWN

OF

THE

49

4.25

EXPECTATION OF ANY IMPROVEMENT

65

4.26

IMPROVEMENT NEEDED

66

4.27

RECOMMEND SHAL TO COLLEAGUES AND BUSINESS

PARTNERS

67

4.28

OVERALL SATISFACTION IN SHAL

68

CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION

10

1.1 INTRODUCTION
CUSTOMER SATISFACTION
Customer satisfaction has been a subject of great interest to organizations and researchers
alike. The principal objective of organizations is to maximize profits and to minimize cost. Profit
maximization can be achieved through increase in sales with lesser costs. One of the factors that
can help to increase sales is customer satisfaction, because satisfaction leads to customer loyalty ,
recommendation and repeat purchase.
Customers became very vital in business during the marketing era of the 1950s when
companies could produce what they can sell and not just selling what they can produce as it was
during the production era. Since the beginning of the consumption era in marketing,
(business.business-key.com) the focus on customers/consumers has increased more as the
consumption era also shifts to post-consumption; where organizations are obliged to render more
services in addition to what they provide as offers to their customers. . What are the qualities of
these services provided to customers? Are the customers satisfied with these services? Thus, this
research originated from the fact that customer/consumer is the key to business. In fact, their
satisfaction is the most important tool that helps to increase sales and generate profits in the
business environment. Moreover, the importance of customer satisfaction and service quality has
been proven relevant to help improve the overall performance of organizations.
Customer Satisfaction research is not an end to itself .The purpose in measuring
Customer Satisfaction is to see where a company stands in this regard in the eyes of its
customers, thereby enabling service and product improvements which will lead to higher
satisfaction levels. The research is just one component in the quest to improve Customer
Preference.
Marketing has been conceptualized and accepted as an activity directed at satisfying
needs and wants through exchange processes
i.

The Marketing concept is essentially the satisfaction of customer needs through integrated
marketing with the intent to satisfy the customer while earning a profit. The basic idea is that
a satisfied customer will be more likely to repurchases, leading to increased sales and market
11

share for the firm. Integrated marketing activities aimed at producing Customer Preference
include what have been referred to as the four Ps of marketing, namely Product,
Promotion, Price, and Place. Generally, marketing is considered as the primary functional
area in the firm that works to satisfy the firms customer
In spite of the emphasis many firms place on the four Ps of marketing the role of place in

ii.

the marketing mix has been somewhat neglected both in practice and in the

literature . In

many firms, the place function of physical distribution is performed apart from the
iii.

marketing department for reasons related to the structure of the physical distribution function
However, it is likely that physical distribution, through the provision of the firm and, like
marketing can work to enhance Customer Satisfaction and repurchase intentions. While it is
true that Customer Satisfaction is the results of the total marketing effort, industry has
generally failed to recognized the importance of customer service as provided by physical
distribution to Customer Satisfaction and has not effectively integrated customer service with
other components of the marketing mix .

DEFINITON OF CUSTOMER SATISFACTION

There is growing managerial interest in customer satisfaction as a means of evaluating
quality. High customer satisfaction ratings are widely believed to be the best indicator of
companys future profit. Satisfaction can be broadly characterized as a post-purchase evaluation
of product quality given pre-purchase expectation.

Customer satisfaction can be experienced in a variety of situations and connected to both

goods and services. It is a highly personal assessment that is greatly affected by customer
expectations. Satisfaction also is based on the customers experience of both contact with the
organization and personal outcomes. Some researchers define a satisfied customer within the
private sector as one who receives significant added value to his/her bottom linea definition
that may apply just as well to public services.

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In today's competitive business environment marketing managers are more influenced

from customer expectation and meeting the demand for customer satisfaction is very important
for them. Every organization must define customer satisfaction regarding their market. So
customer satisfaction could not be defined only standard or quality of product. Customer
satisfaction is about relationships between the customer and product or service and the provider
of a product or service.
Customer satisfaction is a highly personal assessment that is greatly influenced by
individual expectations. Some definitions are based on the observation that customer satisfaction
or dissatisfaction results from either the confirmation or disconfirmation of individual
expectations regarding a service or product. To avoid difficulties stemming from the
kaleidoscope of customer expectations and differences, some experts urge companies to
concentrate on a goal thats more closely linked to customer equity. Instead of asking whether
customers are satisfied, they encourage companies to determine how customers hold them
accountable.

Customer satisfaction is the degree to which a customer perceives that an individual, firm
or organization has effectively provided a product or service that meets the customers needs in
the context in which the customer is aware of and / or using the product or service. Satisfaction is
not inherent in the individual or the product but is a socially constructed response to the
relationship between a customer, the product and the product provider /maker. To the extent that
a provider / maker can influence the various dimensions of the relationship, the provider can
influence customer satisfaction.
Importance of Customer satisfaction
From the view of operations management, it is obvious that customers play important
roles in the organizational process . Before the placement of strategies and organizational
structure, the customers are the first aspect considered by managements. The questions asked in
the strategic planning ranges from who will need to consume these offers, where are they and for
how much can they buy to how to reach the customers and will it yield them maximum
satisfaction? After these questions, the organization will then designs the product, segment the
13

markets and create awareness. This does not only show the importance of customers in the
business environment but also the importance of satisfying them.
Customers are always aiming to get maximum satisfaction from the products or services
that they buy. Winning in todays marketplace entails the need to build customer relationship
and not just building the products; building customer relationship means delivering superior
value over competitors to the target customers .Whether

an organization provides quality

services or not will depend on the customers feedback on the satisfaction they get from
consuming the products, since higher levels of quality lead to higher levels of customer
satisfaction

.Most companies are adopting quality management programs which aim at

improving the quality of their products and marketing processes, because it has been proven that
quality has a direct impact on product performance, and thus on customer satisfaction . The
reason for this is to satisfy the customers. But, are the customers satisfied because of the products
or service quality? I.e. are the companies providing the actual qualities perceived by the
customers/consumers?

MEASURING CUSTOMER SATISFACTION

From the beginning of the customer service revolution almost 20 years ago, a body of
business research has focused on customer satisfaction and customer-focused organizations. All
customer satisfaction studies share the same underlying principle: to assess the performance of
an organizations products or services on the basis of how they are perceived by the customer.
Whether those perceptions are misplaced, lag behind current performance or are a very accurate
interpretation, customer perceptions matter. Indeed, understanding these perceptions provides a
critical understanding of future customer behavior.
In the 'new economy' knowledge is a resource as well as, increasingly, a product: with
tangible goods becoming globally standardized and best practices travelling fast, companies gain
competitive advantages through constant innovation, better targeting of customers and additional
services. Those strategies cannot be applied to the arm's length type of customer relations. The
higher the innovative and service component, the more the customer becomes part of the
performance equation. Customer relations then constitute an important asset that should be
14

monitored just like physical assets. Most emerging approaches to the measurement of intellectual
capital agree on the importance of customer capital, as expressed in sales, satisfaction and
reputation. Accordingly, those approaches distinguish between reference customers (reputation),
new customers or first trial customers (new sales) and repeated customers (satisfaction, sales).
Independently of approaches to the measurement of intellectual capital, marketing literature has
suggested a wide array of industry-specific models to monitor customer satisfaction.
Measuring customer satisfaction is beyond the constitution happy customers. Measuring
customer satisfaction is about profit and competitive advantage. To achieve long term success in
the market, firm should monitor the customer satisfaction signals regarding product, service and
relationship.
Measuring customer satisfactions provide a comprehensive insight to the customer pre
and post purchase behavior. Without this approach understanding, improving and developing
better customer services could not be possible. Thus, business consultants, corporations and
others have worked to identify the characteristics of organizations that consistently please their
customers, to develop tools for monitoring customer satisfaction, and to build continuous, quality
improvement systems that respond to consumer feedback.
Measures allow business to:
i.
ii.
iii.

know how well the business process is working

know where to make changes to create improvement, if changes are needed;
determine if the changes led to improvement .
Knowledge of customer perception and attitudes about an organizations business will greatly

enhance its opportunity to make better business decisions. These organizations will know their
customer requirements or expectations and will be able to determine if they are meeting those
requirements.
Before measure something it must be known what will measure and why. The measurement
program must answer the who, what, when, where, how and why questions that are essential for
success;
1. Who will measure customer satisfaction? the answer is everyone
2. What must be measured? Everything and anything that affects customer.
15

3. When must you measure? All the time.

4. Where do you measure? Throughout the entire company and every process that has effect
on customer satisfaction and quality.
5. How do you measure? Throughout establish performance standard and criteria that are
quantifiable to evaluate performance against numbers and data.
6. Why you measure? To learn how to improve quality and increase customer satisfaction.
CONCLUSION OF MEASURING CUSTOMER SATISFACTION
There is no doubt that customer satisfaction has vital role for every organization among
business life. It can be said that measuring customer satisfaction in this competitive business
environment is "must". Organizations which want to meet customers' expectations should use
this marketing tool properly. This paper has aimed to illustrate the importance of customer
satisfaction and customer satisfaction measurement. This study has conceptually defined what is
customer satisfaction and customer satisfaction measurement regarding the related literature.
Without any obvious target set before measuring customer satisfaction, the process is not
very useful for researchers and organizations. Thus every customer satisfaction measurement
process has clear objectives to reach. One thing that has to be kept in mind is measuring
customer satisfaction is not one time process. To achieve life time success, organizations must
learn customer expectations 7/24/365 period and try to meet them by customized marketing mix.
The target of the satisfaction measurement effort has identical role for the process.
Relationship between customer and product or service and relationship between customer and
provider can be the target of measurement process. Therefore, limited vision for customer
satisfaction issue cannot generate meaningful information to make strategic decision.

1.2 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

Primary Objective
16

To study the satisfaction of customers with regard to logistics services provided by SEA
HAWK LINES Pvt. Ltd (SHAL).
Secondary Objectives:

To analyze the factors that affect the Customer Satisfaction.

To determine the effectiveness of service offered by SEA HAWK LINES Pvt.ltd
To analyze the reliability of distribution system at SEA HAWK LINES Pvt. ltd.
To analyze the accuracy of delivery system at SEA HAWK LINE Pvt.ltd.

1.3 NEED FOR THE STUDY

Need to doing the study on Customer Satisfaction is whether the customer satisfaction was
successful or not, and to know current level of customer satisfaction, to give suggestion
regarding improvement of performance standard of the company and to inform the management
about the current level. logistics occupy an integral role in the marketing of a product good
logistics to ensure the quality of the product is safeguarded and the product is delivered at the
right time, right place and to the target customers

1.4 SCOPE OF THE STUDY

This study was conducted to measure the Satisfaction level of Customers in SEA HAWK
LINES, an authorized logistics service provider, in Chennai. This study was conducted to
evaluate the Customer Satisfaction of logistics service provide SEA HAWK LINES. It studies
the opinion of the customers towards the services offered by SEA HAWK LINES. The result of
the study helps the company to focus on customer satisfaction and to provide better service to
their customers, as feedback is directly got from the customers as well as consumers who may
17

become a potential customers in the future. It also provides a base for the company to gear up to
the customers demand as well as what they looking/expecting for in a logistics industry.

The study provides the customers impact of the level of logistics service in the market.
The project determines the trade and logistics management facility.
The project deals with measurement of services factors like customer service and
operative service , delivery system , distribution system.

1.5 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

Respondents may be biased due to their busy schedule.

The project is carried out only for month of JANUARY MARCH 2016,

finding of the study cannot be applied throughout the year.

The study is conducted for SEA HWAK LINES PVT LTD, Chennai. So cannot applied

universally.
Sample size is amounting to 120 it may not reflect the whole population.

so the

1.6 INDUSTRY PROFILE

Logistics is generally the detailed organization and implementation of a complex
operation. In a general business sense, logistics is the management of the flow of things between
the point of origin and the point of consumption in order to meet requirements of customers or
corporations. The resources managed in logistics can include physical items, such as food,
materials, animals, equipment and liquids, as well as abstract items, such as time and
information. The logistics of physical items usually involves the integration of information flow,
material handling, production, packaging, inventory, transportation, warehousing, and often
security.
18

In military science, logistics is concerned with maintaining army supply lines while
disrupting those of the enemy, since an armed force without resources and transportation is
defenseless. Military logistics was already practiced in the ancient world and as modern military
have a significant need for logistics solutions, advanced implementations have been developed,
especially for the United States Armed Forces. In military logistics, logistics officers manage
how and when to move resources to the places they are needed.
Logistics management is the part of supply chain management that plans, implements,
and controls the efficient, effective forward, and reverse flow and storage of goods, services, and
related information between the point of origin and the point of consumption in order to meet
customer's requirements. The complexity of logistics can be modeled, analyzed, visualized, and
optimized by dedicated simulation software. The minimization of the use of resources is a
common motivation in all logistics fields. A professional working in the field of logistics
management is called a logistician.
Origins and definition
The prevalent view is that the term logistics comes from the late 19th century: from
French logistique (loger means to lodge) and was first used by Baron de Jomini. Others attribute
a Greek origin to the word: meaning reason or speech; meaning accountant or responsible for
counting.
The process of strategically managing the procurement ,movement and storage of
materials, parts and finished inventory (and the related information flows) through the
organization and its marketing channels in such a way that current and future profitability
are

maximized
The

study

and

through
management

the

cost-effective
of

goods

and

fulfillment
service

flows

of

orders

and

associated

information that set these in motion

The Oxford English Dictionary defines logistics as "the branch of military science
relating to procuring, maintaining and transporting material, personnel and facilities". However,
19

the New Oxford American Dictionary defines logistics as "the detailed coordination of a
complex operation involving many people, facilities, or supplies," and the Oxford Dictionary online defines it as "the detailed organization and implementation of a complex operation". As
such, logistics is commonly seen as a branch of engineering that creates "people systems" rather
than "machine systems."
These definitions give the idea of the wide range of functions that logistics covers. A
simple definition is: Logistics is delivery of the required place, at required time, in
required person......efficiently
Logistics outsourcing
Logistics outsourcing involves a relationship between a company and an LSP (logistic
service provider), which, compared with basic logistics services, has more customized offerings,
encompasses a broad number of service activities, is characterized by a long-term orientation,
and thus has a strategic nature.
Outsourcing does not have to be complete externalization to a LSP, but can also be partial:

A single contract for supplying a specific service on occasion

Creation of a spin-off

Creation of a joint venture

Third-party logistics (3PL) involves using external organizations to execute logistics

activities that have traditionally been performed within an organization itself .According to this
definition, third-party logistics includes any form of outsourcing of logistics activities previously
performed in house. For example, if a company with its own warehousing facilities decides to
employ external transportation, this would be an example of third-party logistics. Logistics is an
emerging business area in many countries.
The concept of a fourth-party logistics (4PL) provider was first defined by Andersen
Consulting as an integrator that assembles the resources, planning capabilities, and technology
of its own organization and other organizations to design, build, and run comprehensive supply
20

chain solutions. Whereas a third-party logistics (3PL) service provider targets a single function, a
4PL targets management of the entire process. Some have described a 4PL as a general
contractor that manages other 3PLs, truckers, forwarders, custom house agents, and others,
essentially taking responsibility of a complete process for the customer.
Warehouse management and control
Although there is some overlap in functionality, warehouse management systems (WMS)
can differ significantly from warehouse control systems (WCS). Simply put, a WMS plans a
weekly activity forecast based on such factors as statistics and trends, whereas a WCS acts like a
floor supervisor, working in real time to get the job done by the most effective means. For
instance, a WMS can tell the system that it is going to need five of stock-keeping unit (SKU) A
and five of SKU B hours in advance, but by the time it acts, other considerations may have come
into play or there could be a logjam on a conveyor. A WCS can prevent that problem by working
in real time and adapting to the situation by making a last-minute decision based on current
activity and operational status. Working synergistically, WMS and WCS can resolve these issues
and maximize efficiency for companies that rely on the effective operation of their warehouse or
distribution centre.

21

Transportation
Cargo, i.e. merchandise being transported, can be moved through a variety of
transportation means and is organized in different shipment categories. Unit loads are usually
assembled into higher standardized units such as: ISO containers, swap bodies or semi-trailers.
Especially for very long distances, product transportation will likely benefit from using different
transportation means: multimodal transport, intermodal transport (no handling) and combined
transport (minimal road transport). When moving cargo, typical constraints are maximum weight
and volume.
Operators involved in transportation include: all train, road vehicles, boats, airplanes
companies, couriers, freight forwarders and multi-modal transport operators. Merchandize being
transported internationally is usually subject to the Inco terms standards issued by the
International Chamber of Commerce.
Logistics activities and fields
A basic distinction in the nature of logistics activities is between inbound and
outbound logistics.
Inbound logistics is one of the primary processes of logistics, concentrating on
purchasing and arranging the inbound movement of materials, parts, and/or finished inventory
from suppliers to manufacturing or assembly plants, warehouses, or retail stores.
Outbound logistics is the process related to the storage and movement of the final
product and the related information flows from the end of the production line to the end user.
Given the services performed by logisticians, the main fields of logistics can be broken down as
follows:
Procurement logistics consists of activities such as market research, requirements
planning, make-or-buy decisions, supplier management, ordering, and order controlling. The
targets in procurement logistics might be contradictory: maximizing efficiency by concentrating
on core competences, outsourcing while maintaining the autonomy of the company, or
minimizing procurement costs while maximizing security within the supply process.
22

Distribution logistics has, as main tasks, the delivery of the finished products to the
customer. It consists of order processing, warehousing, and transportation. Distribution logistics
is necessary because the time, place, and quantity of production differs with the time, place, and
quantity of consumption.
Disposal logistics has as its main function to reduce logistics cost(s) and enhance
service(s) related to the disposal of waste produced during the operation of a business.
Reverse logistics denotes all those operations related to the reuse of products and
materials. The reverse logistics process includes the management and the sale of surpluses, as
well as products being returned to vendors from buyers. Reverse logistics stands for all
operations related to the reuse of products and materials. It is "the process of planning,
implementing, and controlling the efficient, cost effective flow of raw materials, in-process
inventory, finished goods and related information from the point of consumption to the point of
origin for the purpose of recapturing value or proper disposal. More precisely, reverse logistics is
the process of moving goods from their typical final destination for the purpose of capturing
value, or proper disposal. The opposite of reverse logistics is forward logistics.
Green Logistics describes all attempts to measure and minimize the ecological impact of
logistics activities. This includes all activities of the forward and reverse flows. This can be
achieved through intermodal freight transport, path optimization, vehicle saturation and city
logistics.
Business logistics One definition of business logistics speaks of "having
the right item in the right quantity at the right time at the right place for the
right price in the right condition to the right customer". [16] Business logistics
incorporates all industry sectors and aims to manage the fruition of project
life cycles, supply chains, and resultant efficiencies.

23

Logistics Market
Indias railways carry daily an average of twelve million passengers and over a million
tonnes of freight traffic on a network spread over 62,725 km ,covering 7,068 stations. It
operates on three gauges i.e. broad gauge (1676 mm), meter gauge (1000mm), and narrow
gauge (762 and 610mm). Although broad gauge forms only 64.5% of the route, it generated 96%
of freight output and 89.6% of the passenger output during 2007-08.
In the same year, total passenger traffic was 4,018 million. 19.5% (12,306 Km) of the
total network and 30% of the broad gauge network is electrified. The railways are the largest
employer in the country, with over 1.6 million employees. Operating revenue in 2007-08 was
approximately 3.7 billion. The 6000 km long Indian coastline has eleven major ports (managed
by the port trust of India under central government jurisdiction) & 163 intermediate ports
(under the jurisdiction of their respective state governments) however, as regards capacity,
productivity and efficiency Indian ports do not compare well with some of the international
ports.
In 2007-08, the total cargo handled at major Indian ports was 251.39 million tonnes and
growing demand has meant that the average ship turnaround time at these ports is increasing dry
& liquid bulk account for around 80% of the port traffic in volume, while general cargo
constitute the remaining traffic. Indias road network of almost 3 million km is one of the largest
in the world. With the staggering increase in the motor vehicle population in recent years, the
Indian government recognized the urgent need to develop adequate road networks across the
country, and has introduced a series of far-reaching measures investment in the network.

The Evolution of Logistics Industry in India

The Indian logistics industry has come a long way from being a labour intensive during
60s to the present technology oriented system that provides wide range of logistics services. The
concept of 3PL is a recent past culture in India. Traditionally, manufacturing companies in India
managed their own logistics requirements in-house. The country then gradually evolved from the
stage where the Indian organizations outsourced their labour requirement in order to avoid labour
related problems. Subsequently, basic services such as transportation and warehousing were
24

outsourced to different service providers known as the (Second-Party Logistics) 2PL service
providers. With the increasing demand, the service providers started providing integrated
services together with other value added services, while the organizations focus on the core
competencies and streamline their supply chain.
In terms of infrastructure, road is the dominant mode of transport which accounts for
68% of freight movement in India. Trucks are the most widely used mode of transportation in
India.
At present, around 1.5 million trucks operate on the Indian roads and the number of
trucks increases around 10% a year. Railways are considered a relatively cheaper mode of
transport and are used mainly for transporting bulk materials over long distances. About 89% of
its freight traffic is contributed by major commodities such as coal, fertilizers, cement, petroleum
products, food grain, finished steel, iron ore and raw material to steel plants. The balance 11% is
other commodities moving in bulk and containers. The present form of logistics industry in India
is still in its infancy and is highly fragmented.
There are thousands of logistics companies, ranging from the international giants to the
highly localized small players in the country. As the logistics industry in India is in nascent stage,
there are a lot of logistics issues to be improved. For example, the Indian companies continued to
perceive cost as the major consideration in selecting their service providers. With increased
competition and global trade, and greater thrust on customer-centricities, the companies are now
realizing the value of high quality customer-responsive factor. Traditional transporters, freight
forwarders and courier companies are rapidly transforming themselves into integrated logistics
service providers by incorporating other activities like inventory management, order processing,
collection of bills, sales and excise duty documentation in order to effectively utilize their
existing assets and experience. The gradual deregulations over the 1990s, which includes the
opening up of sectors to foreign MNC investments, full liberalization of current account
transactions and the largely permissible of capital account transactions, have further boosted the
logistics industry.
However, when compared with developed countries, the Indian logistics industry is still
considered to be underdeveloped. The major restrictions hindering the growth of logistics
25

industry in India include the poor conditions of infrastructures and transport vehicles, complex
tax laws, complexity of international trade documentation process and lack of IT infrastructure,
shortage of professionally competent logisticians and insufficient technological aids and the lack
of industry readiness. Due to these restrictions, the logistics costs in India are still higher than in
the developed markets. It is estimated to be around 13% of GDP, against 9% of GDP in the US.
(This is however lower when compared to countries like China which accounts for 20% of
GDP). It is also forecasted that the potential savings for India if logistics cost decreases by 1% is
about a significant amount of $4.8 billion per year. At the other end, the average inventory level
of grocery stores is recorded to be 45 days of sales in India compared 11-22 days in developed
countries. Such inefficiencies indicate that there is much to be done with the current situation in
order to boost the Indian logistics industry.
Role of Logistics are as follow
Role of logistics in supply chain management
A supply chain refers to the way that materials flow through different organizations,
starting with raw material and ending with finished products delivered to the ultimate consumer.
Supply Chain Management can be viewed as a pipelines or conduit for efficient and effective
flow of products, services, information from suppliers through the various intermediate
organizations out to the customers. Thus logistics plays important role in Supply Chain Mgmt.
Role of Logistics in the Economy
(i)

It is important expenditure of businesses.

(ii) It supports movement and flow of many economic transactions.

Role of Logistics in the Organization:
In recent years, effective logistics management has been recognized as a key opportunity
for the improvement of both the profitability and competitiveness of the organizations. Because
of the importance of customer service, many organizations are adopting it and are making their
approach as customer driven There is a strong relationship between Logistics and the three
critical concepts of marketing i.e. the Customer Satisfaction, Integrated Effort an Adequate
Corporate Profit.
26

1.7 Company Profile

Company Logo

SHAL Group has crossed many a milestone since its launch in 1997.Driven by its strong
desire to excel , the group has constantly evolved into a bigger player. The growth has also meant
newer services, more manpower and greater competency as a logistics provider. SHAL Group
provides a wide range of services to its clients today. And these services are recognized for their
affordable rates as much as for their quality.

SHAL Group began its journey as Chennai Cargo Company, providing custom clearing and
forwarding services at the port of Chennai from the time of its inception. Helped by a growing
customer base, the company was able to secure 80 per cent of the LCL originating from Chennai
and destined to Malaysia and Sri Lanka.

Aiming to move up the value-ladder, SEA HAWK LINES PVT LTD was launched in 2002.
With the new company, the group commenced operations as LCL Consolidator and Steamer
Agent. To complement the company's Indian operations, Sea Hawk Global Lines, was floated in
Malaysia in 2003. And the Malaysian subsidiary started handling the deconsolidation services.
To extend the group's services nationwide, a branch office was opened in Mumbai in 2004.

27

As part of the group's continued up-gradation, SEA HAWK LINES commenced NVOCC
operations in 2004. And Chennai Cargo Company began to operate under a new name, Hawk
Logistics from 2004. The company today has separate divisions for Sea Cargo and Air Cargo.
While the Sea Cargo division provides Custom Clearance Services, the Air Cargo division offers
Custom Clearance and Freighting Services.

Fact Sheet
Year of establishment

1997

Nature of Business

Service Provider

Legal status of the Firm

Private Limited Company

About Sea Hawk Lines Pvt. Ltd.

Corporate Philosophy

The customer is the focus of all business processes.

No one is more important than the customer.

Nothing more valuable than his needs.

Our entire business revolves around the customer.

Our customer provides the purpose for every single step we take.

Our customer is the soul of our business.

No effort is spared to understand and satisfy our customers needs.

28

Our Mission
Sea Hawk is committed to providing cargo services of all kinds under one roof in a
transparent and cost-effective manner so that the customer acquires a competitive edge, no
matter what business he is in. Our organization offers world-class services always by state-of-the
art technology and responsive customer care. We strive constantly to add value to our services,
while keeping the costs at affordable levels.
Our Group of Companies
Hawk Logistics (formerly Chennai Cargo company)
This division offers a wide range of services from Custom clearance, Air
& Ocean Export / import, Vessel Agency, Chartering. With Chennai (India) as its head office, it
serve customers across the country.
Licenses held

Custom Clearance

IATA

Steamer Agency

Custom

clearance
HL undertakes custom clearance of all types of goods and provides single

window delivery to our customers. The company has an efficient and dedicated operations
team for handling import and export clearance. We provide inhouse warehousing facility.
.
IATA
Under our IATA license, HL handles Air Exports / imports. Our dock
office near the air cargo complex assists customer in processing documentation swiftly,

29

ensuring quick delivery. Offers competitive air rates to all destinations and shares a good
rapport with major airlines like Malaysian Airlines, Singapore, Thai Airways etc.

Steamer Agency
Having registered with all East coast ports of India, the steamer agency
dept. is geared to handle all kinds of vessels. This division is headed by professionals with 10
yrs of experience in the steamer agency business .This team in their previous engagements
has set a record in handling vessels in Chennai , Krishnampatnam & Karaikal.
Sea Hawk Lines
This division of SHAL is engaged in NVOCC and Freight forwarding
services. Sea Hawk is one of the leading NVOCC in Chennai and Port Klang. Serving
S.E.Asia, Far East and Middle East, its one of the reliable services favored by our customers.
The company has office in Chennai, Mumbai and associate offices in Delhi, Kandla,
Bangalore, Hyderabad & Tuticorin.
Our good rapport with feeders & leasing companies gives us a competitive
edge to provide a fast and reliable service.
Sea Hawk Global Lines
This is the NVOCC in Malaysia acting as a transhipment hub and handling
both freight forwarding and NVOCC businesses. The company is a favorite for Indian
customers abroad. Headed by a young team of professionals , this division keeps the Indian
flag flying high.
SHAL Trans
Transport division of SHAL group, offering various kinds of surface transport.
With own trucks and trailers, SHAL Trans offers movement from/to any part of India. Based
in Chennai, company has prestigious corporate clients as customers.
Our Management
30

The SHAL Group gains immensely from its promoter s entrepreneurial spirit and
financial strength while the managerial and technical talent provides the reliable backbone.
Nowonder, the group carved a niche for itself in the logistics industry.
SHAL Group has not only grown at a fast pace, but also upgraded its services all
the time. We more, the group has drawn up ambitious growth plans for the future. In the
current year

branch offices will be opened in Dubai, Singapore and Pasir Gudang. And

in the near future, offices will also be floated at all Inland Container Depots (ICD S) In
India.

Eventually, the group plans to set up owned offices worldwide. SHAL Group also has
plans to into other service sectors like Travel, Hospitality and IT. At the helm of the SHAL
Group are the energetic and entrepreneurial top management consisting of
Quality
Customer Satisfaction is our Prime Concern" We, the employees of SHAL are committed
to build and pursue excellence in our Standard, Quality service and scheduled delivery.
We achieve this through efficient Quality Management Systems, total employee
involvement, continual improvement, constant up-gradation of systems and adopting ethical
global business practices.
Our efforts are focused to be the "Carrier of Trust".
"Journey so far....
1997 - SHAL began its initial journey as Chennai Cargo Company providing custom
clearance and forwarding services from the port of Chennai, India.
2002 - Freight Forwarding and LCL Consolidation division was setup in the name of Sea
Hawk Lines Pvt Ltd in Chennai, India.

31

2004 - Chennai Cargo Company renamed as Hawk Logistics Pvt Ltd with a global
exposure on Custom Clearance, LCL Consolidation , Air Freight.
2004 - Sea Hawk Lines setup office in Malaysia. 2013 Hawk Logistics Pvt Ltd merged
with Sea Hawk Lines Pvt Ltd thereby providing All services under one Roof

OUR SERVICES
The wingspan of the SHAL Group covers the following cargo and value added services
NVOCC

SHAL (Sea Hawk Lines) is one of the leading company in NVOCC (non vessel operating
common carrier) operating to and from Indian Sub Continent / Middle East / South East and Far
East region .The container fleets which are ranging from Dry Units to Special Equipments and
Reefer Containers. Sea Hawk Lines provides the customer choice of shipping includes Dry
cargoes, Perishables and Over Dimensional Cargo.

SHAL (Sea Hawk Lines) proves to be

Carrier of Trust with fixed day sailing and committed safe delivery .We work with a team of
expertise, rendering world class quality, timely service at the right cost and at the right time. Our
team strengths are.

Effective Communication Rate quote Online

32

Tracking Shipment with Utmost care

Responsiveness to Customer Queries

Accountability to the Standards

Service Area : India, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam,

U.A.E, Saudi Arabia, Srilanka , Bangladesh , China , Pakistan , Australia & Korea.

SEA FREIGHT

SHAL (Sea Hawk Lines) provides Sea freight services from /to all parts of the world.
With a good rapport and contract signed with Main lines and ship operators, SHAL offer
competitive freight rates with the minimum transit time. We provide the choice of carriers to
Customers based on the sailing schedule, transit time and freight.
AIR FREIGHT

33

SHAL (Sea Hawk Lines) is an IATA Approved Air Freight service provider offering
services to and from all major and minor International Airports .We offer reliable, flexible and
cost-effective air-freight shipping solutions & International air cargo transport services to
customers. We connect India and rest of the world through efficient consolidation shipping
services. We have an efficient team to work with worldwide network and an effective system to
cater for challenging customer requirements. We give a special attention to track and trace all our
customer cargoes. We take utmost care while picking, loading, during transit and delivering
goods to customers. Our key focus is to be flexible, short time transit, best connections with
highly competitive rates. We ensure security and safety of your cargoes all the times.

Our Air freight service includes:

Door-to-Airport

Airport to airport / door to airport / door to door services

Transportation

Direct flights.

Flight in transit

Customs clearance & documentation

Import and export services

Efficiency by offering Economy, Priority and Express services

34

Import and Export Consolidation

DGR Handling (Import and export customs clearance and Documentation)

Warehousing

Pre- Shipment Inspection

WAREHOUSE
Storage and Distribution :

Warehouse Truck :

35

Cost Effective :
Strategically located at 5 km from the West Port, Port Klang, this enables customers can
have a unique advantage of moving cargo in a cost effective manner.
Operating Cost :

High- bay Racking system :

SHAL (sea hawk lines) warehouse spread around over 100.000sqft of storage space
provides 24/7 complete with CCTV and alarm facilities with surveillance units.

Automated Cargo Handling :

36

Handling of cargo is automated in warehouse with modern equipments for surrounding s

for stacking cargo (Reach stacker , Forklift ) is fully insured to protect against any accidents.
48 hours Time Delivery:

CUSTOMS BROKING
SHAL (Sea Hawk Lines) provides Custom Clearance Services for customer who prefers
Door Door service in India and Malaysia. As a part of 3PL logistics, Custom Clearance activity
would be a hassle free documentation and on time loading/delivery of cargoes to customer place.
We provide a complete solution on Customs Documentation and Just-in-Time (JIT) delivery
to customers.

TRANSPORT
37

SHAL Trans was established in 2010 offering various kinds of surface transport. With
own

trucks and trailers , we offer surface transport movement from /to any part of India. Based

in Chennai, company has prestigious corporate clients as customers. Our employees are
experienced in all areas of the transportation industry and capable of moving ODCC cargo,
Perishable commodities by Road.

CONTAINER TRADING/LEASING
SHAL Sea Hawk Lines Pvt Ltd provides Containers for Domestic /International Leasing
(short term, long term) across Asia, Middle East and Indian Sub continent.

PROJECT CARGO
38

SHAL (Sea Hawk Lines) project is conceived with the objective to handle ODCC cargo by
chartering vessel or barges.
SHAL (Sea Hawk Lines), we have our own flat track and open top for the purpose to carry
out containerized movements efficiently and effectively for you. As the carrier of
trust, SHAL (Sea

Hawk

Lines) comes

with

its

own

lashing

team

and

transport.

In this way, we are able to provide total logistics solution for project shipments, without
much hassle and with better cost effectiveness. We offer 24 x 7 support and services.
BULK/BREAK BULK

With years of experience in shipping the large and unusual, you can be confident
that SHAL (Sea Hawk Lines) can handle your oversized equipment throughout the shipping
process. By providing best in class services for Break-Bulk Cargo, SHAL (Sea Hawk Lines) is
recognized as a vibrant Break-Bulk Handler. SHAL (Sea Hawk Lines) can help to manage your
project from start to finish including close follow up with your suppliers and clients
STEAMER AGENCY

39

SHAL (Sea Hawk Lines) is one of the Indias leading Steamer Agent and providing
integrated complete Port Agency service. We are also able to make easy all the essential official
procedures with respect to the vessel. SHAL (Sea Hawk Lines) believes in providing Quality
service, effective pricing and global networks.
CHARTERING

SHAL (Sea Hawk Lines) ensure that all promises made are met and we have a satisfied

clientele irrespective of their size.

Our expertise and experience combined with our location makes us one of the leading
chartering firms when it comes to fixing any cargo or any vessel anywhere.

STEVEDORING
40

With over 17 years of experience, SHAL (Sea Hawk Lines) is a global logistics company
loads

and unloads vessels around the world, handling every type of cargo including breakbulk

cargoes, project / heavy lift cargoes, container handling and bulk logistics.

LOCATIONS

Chennai

Mundra

Mumbai

Krishnapattinam

Delhi

Portklang

Kolkata

Penang

Bengaluru

Pasir Gudang

Tuticorin

Yangon

Coimbatore
41

Singapore

CHAPTER II
42

REVIEW OF LITERATURE

2.REVIEW OF LTERATURE
According to Liu & Xie (2013) two authors in their research quality is the basis for the
functioning of the service sector, thus one of the main tasks of the rapidly growing service sector
is to ensure the quality of service to the customers .Considering this, it is safe to say that one of
the most important current logistics business success guarantors is the quality of the provided
services, especially knowing that a service is an impalpable act or process., therefore it is closely
related to the satisfaction of the clients needs.
Govindan (2013) in his research explained that effective economic development of the
country as well as industrial and commercial business success is not possible without logistics
services that create added value for businesses, ensuring the expediency of products time and
place and meeting the clients needs.
Guo and Han- 2010 in their research stated By using advanced information technology,
like Internet, EDI, EOS, POS etc, that the parties involved in the supply chain could not only get
requirements of customers timely and effectively and respond to the information to meet the
customers satisfactions, but also reduce the lead time of order to improve service level of
enterprises .

43

Flynn et al, (2010) in his research explained that the degree to which a manufacturer
collaboratively manages intra and inter-organization processes and strategically works together
with its supply chain partners is called supply chain integration. The goal is to provide maximum
value to the customer satisfaction at high speed and low cost, and to achieve effective and
efficient flow of information, services and products, money and decision.
Grant (2010) believes that customer-oriented companies use market data and
information to develop new services and to understand how the customers asses the services;
they are more focused on their customers than their competitors and believe that their businesses
exist primarily to serve their customers and customers needs are always on the first place

Jayawardhena (2010) in his research generally defines customer satisfaction as a

customer assessment in terms of whether the service meets the customers needs and
expectations. It is important to note that each clients expectations are (or may be) different. This
may depend not only on the personal interests, but also on the environment, area, the type of
business in which those expectations are formed. Thus companies ability to be flexible and
adapt may help to gain an advantage over other business entities.
The saturation of markets, globalization of competition, and development of information
technology has not only increased customer satisfaction also created such circumstances where
long term success is no longer achieved through qualities and optimized product price.
Alternatively, companies build their achievement on a long-term customer satisfaction a good
example of this approach is the paper by Atalik and Arslan, (2009).
Logistics service quality is the result received comparing customers expectations with
customers perception of service quality. Clients, prior to ordering the service, already have
expectations of what the service provider should offer them. Therefore the quality of logistical
service perceived by the client is the difference between the perceived service and expectation a
good example of this approach is the paper by Campos & No'brega (2009).

44

Panayides (2007) in his research explained that in the current competitive environment it
is dangerous to be a non-customer-oriented company. Most of the companies are competitive,
and in order to stay in the market, they must provide high-quality services that would make
customers satisfied and loyal. It also should be considered that logistics service companies
should know their customers because the company, having sufficient information and knowledge
about its customers, has more opportunities to make right decisions on the needs of the client,
which allows companies to develop new services that provide real value to customers as well as
to assess quantitatively the values desired by customer.

Vaidyanathan (2005) in his research explained Information Technology is a vital

element for third party logistics performance because the integration of logistics provider
systems with its clients is must. Information Technology links members of a supply chain, such
as transportation firms, distributors, manufacturers, and retailers, as it automates some
components of the logistics workload, such as order status inquires, shipment tracking, inventory
management and order processing .
Romano- 2003 stated that Supply chain integration in particular implies that business
processes should be interconnected both within and outside the company boundaries and
streamlined, and is strictly related to coordination mechanisms.
Wirtz (2001) in his research stated that analyzing customer satisfaction, indicates that
customers comprise the aim of the companys activity, i.e. he focuses the fact that not service
users and customers depend on the company, but the companys performance depends on its
existing customers. also stresses that customer satisfaction becomes the key element companies
focus on seeking to promote repeated business relationships and increase long term profitability.
Two researchers Lewis & Talalayevsky (2000) in their research stated that Transactions
costs can be decreased and supply chain participants can also manage the increased
complications if considerable Information Technology improvements are made.
45

Lancioni et al., (2000) in his research stated that the use of IT help to supervise different
activities of supply chain by offering information about what is accessible in the warehouse,
what type of product is needed, what is in the production process, and what is entering and going
out from the warehouse and customer places.

CHAPTER III
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

46

3. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Research
Research is a systematic and scientific approach of identification of problem,
collecting, processing of data and analysis of data, findings, report preparation, ultimately to find
a solution to a problem.
Research design
A research design is the specification of methods and procedures for acquiring the
information needed to structure or solve problems. It is the overall operational pattern or
framework of the project that stipulates what information is to be collected, from which source,
and with what procedures.
Essentials of a good research design

It is a plan that specifies the objectives of the study and the hypothesis to be
tested.

It is an outline that specifies the sources and type of information relevant to the
research questions.

It is a blueprint specifying the methods to be adopted for gathering and analyzing

data.

It is a scheme defining the domain of generalize ability.

Type of Research
47

Descriptive Research
Descriptive Research describes the present state of affairs as it exists without
having any control over variables. The researcher can only report what has happened or what is
happening, like the number of students enrolled in Arts & Science or Engineering colleges
during 2009 16.
The object of descriptive research is to portray an accurate profile of persons,
events or situation. This may be an extension of, or a forerunner, to a piece of exploratory
research. It is necessary to have a clear picture of the phenomenon on which you wish to collect
the date before you actually do it. One of the earliest best known examples of a descriptive
survey is the Dooms day book, which described the population of England in 1085.
CONVENIENCE SAMPLING
The sampling used in the study is Convenient Sampling. As the name implies, is
based on the convenience of the researcher who is to select a sample. This type of sampling is
also called accidental sampling as the respondents in the sample are included in it merely on
account of their being available on the spot where the survey is in progress. Thus a researcher
may stand at a prominent point and interview all those selected people who pass through that
place.
Sample Size
The sample size taken for the study is 120 respondents.
METHODS OF COLLECTING PRIMARY DATA
Survey
Survey is a Fact-Finding study. It is a method of research involving collection
of data directly from a population or a sample thereof at a particular time. It must not be
confused with the more clerical routine of gathering and tabulating figures. It requires expert and
imaginative planning, careful analysis and rational interpretation of the findings.
48

Primary Data
The data which has been collected for the first time is called primary data. In this
project the primary data has been collected through questionnaire.
Primary Data are generally information gathered or generated by the researcher
for the purposes of the project immediately at hand. When the data are collected for the first
time, the responsibility for their processing also rests with the original investigator. Ordinarily
experiment and surveys constitute the principal sources of primary data for the purpose of the
study.
Secondary Data
Secondary data has been collected through journals, magazines, websites, annual
reports, etc.
Questionnaire
Questionnaire is widely used for data collection in social sciences researcher
particularly in surveys. It is a fairly reliable tool for gathering data from large diverse, variety
and scattered social groups. It is used in obtaining objective and quantitative data as well as in
gathering information of a qualitative nature. It is treated as the Heart of the Survey
Operations. According to BOGARDUS, a questionnaire is a list of questions sent to a number
of persons for their answers and which obtain standardized results that can be tabulated and
treated statistically.
Types of Questionnaire
Structured Questionnaire
Structured questionnaire pose definite, concrete pre-ordained questions.
Additional questions may be though have and asked only when some clarification is needed or
additional information is sought from the respondents. Answers to those questions are normally

49

very precise without any vagueness and ambiguity. The structured questionnaire is further
divided into two categories: Closed Form and Open-Ended Questionnaire.

Closed form questionnaire

Here, questions are set in such a manner that leaves only a few alternative
answers. For example: yes or no, with a limited number of answers for a respondent to choose
from.
Open-ended questionnaire
Here, the respondent has the choice of using his own style, diction, and expression
of language, length and perception. The respondent is not restricted in his replies to the questions
and his answer may be free and spontaneous. Though the open-ended questionnaire provides
ample freedom to the respondent, it creates problems of proper classification, tabulation and
analysis.
Designing the Questionnaire
The validity and reliability of the data you collect and the response rates you
achieve depend, to a large extent on the design of your questions, the structure of your
questionnaire and the rigor of your pilot testing. This means that each part of the design stage is
likely to involve substantial rewriting in order to get the questionnaire right. We therefore,
recommend that you use a word processor. Questionnaires have been condemned and criticized
mainly for their lack of reliability and validity. The reliability of the data gathered by a
questionnaire can be tested in two main ways.

50

The same questionnaire may be mailed to the same respondents after some time. If the

two replies are same, the questionnaire can be presumed to be reliable.

The same questionnaire can be tried on two different samples. If the percentage and
nature of responses are similar and the statistical analysis is the same, the samples can be
regarded as reliable.

THE STATISTICAL TOOLS

Percentage
Percentage is obtained when ratios were multiplied by 100. The data is analyzed
on percentage basis according to frequency.
Chi-square Test
The Chi-square test is one of the simplest and most widely used non-parametric
tests in statistical work. It makes no assumption about the population being sampled. The
quantity describes the magnitude of discrepancy between theory and observation, i.e., with the
help of test we can know whether a given discrepancy between theory and observation can be
attributed to chance or whether it results from the inadequacy of the theory to fit the observed
facts. If is zero, kit means that the observed and expected frequencies completely coincide.
The greater the value of , the greater would be the discrepancy between observed and expected
frequencies. The formula for computing chi-square is:
= (O-E)/E
where, O = Observed frequency
E = Expected or theoretical frequency
The calculated value of is compared with the table value of for given degrees
of freedom at specified level of significance. If the calculated value of ids greater than the
table value, the difference between theory and observation is considered to be significant, i.e., it
could not have arisen due to fluctuations of simple sampling. On the other hand, if the calculated
51

value of is less than the table value, the difference between theory and observation is not
considered significant, i.e., it could have arisen due to fluctuations of sampling.
ONE WAY ANOVA
ANOVA followed by Duncan multiple range test was used in this study to ascertain
any significant differences in the demographic variables (age, and experience). As a result
Duncan test is more conservative test, computing a single value against each desired paired
comparison test which minimizes the probability of Type 1 error (Cramer, 1994).
KARL PEARSONS COEFFICIENT OF CORRELATION
Karl Pearsons coefficient of correlation (or simple correlation) is the most widely
used method of measuring the degree of relationship between two variables. This coefficient
assumes the following:
(i) that there is linear relationship between the two variables;
(ii) that the two variables are casually related which means that one of the variables is
independent and the other one is dependent; and
(iii) a large number of independent causes are operating in both variables so as to produce a
normal distribution

( x i X )( y i Y )
1

n 1
sx s y

Karl Pearsons coefficient of correlation (or r)

Karl Pearsons coefficient of correlation is also known as the product moment
correlation coefficient. The value of r lies between 1. Positive values of r indicate positive
correlation between the two variables (i.e., changes in both variables take place in the statement
direction), whereas negative values of r indicate negative correlation i.e., changes in the two
variables taking place in the opposite directions. A zero value of r indicates that there is no
association between the two variables. When r = (+) 1, it indicates perfect positive correlation
and when it is () 1, it indicates perfect negative correlation, meaning thereby that variations in
independent variable (X) explain 100% of the variations in the dependent variable (Y). We can
also say that for a unit change in independent variable, if there happens to be a constant change
in the dependent variable in the same direction, then correlation will be termed as perfect
52

positive. But if such change occurs in the opposite direction, the correlation will be termed as
perfect negative. The value of r nearer to +1 or 1 indicates high degree of correlation between
the two variables.

FRIEDMANS RANK TEST

The Friedman test is the non-parametric alternative to the one-way ANOVA
with repeated measures. It is used to test for differences between groups when the dependent
variable being measured is ordinal. It can also be used for continuous data that has violated the
assumptions necessary to run the one-way ANOVA with repeated measures (e.g., data that has
marked deviations from normality).
Assumptions
When you choose to analyze your data using a Friedman test, part of the process
involves checking to make sure that the data you want to analyze can actually be analyzed using
a Friedman test. You need to do this because it is only appropriate to use a Friedman test if your
data "passes" the following four assumptions:

Assumption 1: One group that is measured on three or more different occasions.

Assumption 2: Group is a random sample from the population.

Assumption 3: Your dependent variable should be measured at the ordinal or continuous

level. Examples of ordinal variables include Likert scales (e.g., a 7-point scale from
strongly agree through to strongly disagree), amongst other ways of ranking categories
(e.g., a 5-point scale explaining how much a customer liked a product, ranging from "Not
very much" to "Yes, a lot"). Examples of continuous variables include revision time
(measured in hours), intelligence (measured using IQ score), exam performance
(measured from 0 to 100), weight (measured in kg), and so forth. You can learn more
about ordinal and continuous variables.
53

Assumption 4: Samples do NOT need to be normally distribute

CHAPTER IV
DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION

54

4. DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION

Table 4.1 - Nature of the company
Nature of the company

Frequency

Percent

Manufacturer

32

26.7

Shipper

16

13.3

Forwarder

65

54.2

Trader

5.8

Total

120

100.0

Chart 4.1 - Nature of the company

55

Nature of the company

70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0

65

32
16
7
Manufacturer

Shipper

Forwarder

Trader

Inference:
From the above table and chart it is inferred that 54.2% of the respondents were Forwarders ,
26.7% of the respondents were Manufacturers , the 13.3% of the respondents were Shippers and
the remaining 5.8% of the respondents were Traders.
Table 4.2 - Nature of the business
Nature of business

Frequency

Percent

Agro products

66

55.0

Electronics

12

10.0

Capital goods

4.2

Perishables

23

19.2

Auto spares

3.3

Others

10

8.3

Total

120

100.0

56

Chart 4.2 - Nature of the business

Nature of the business

66

23
5

10

s
he
r
O

ut
o
A

Pe

ris

sp
ar

ha
ble
s

es

go
od
s
pit
al

Ca

El
ec

t ro
nic
s

12

gr
o

pr
od
uc
ts

70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0

Inference:
From the above table and chart it is inferred that the 55.0% were Agro products , 19.2% were
Perishables goods, 10.0% of the products were Electronics and the Capital goods were 4.2%
whereas Auto Spares were 3.3% and the remaining 8.3% were Other kind of products.
Table 4.3 Nature of the departments
Nature of the departments

Frequency

Percent

Marketing

43

35.8

Operations

34

28.3

Personnel

2.5

Finance

.8

Sales

34

28.3

Procurement

4.2

Total

120

100.0

57

Chart - 4.3 Nature of the departments

Nature of the departments

5

Procurement

34

Sales
1

Finance

Personnel

34

Operations

43

Marketing
0

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

Inference:
As stated above the table and chart shows that 35.8% of the respondents are from Marketing
department while 28.3% of the respondents were from both the operations and Sales department
, while 4.2% of respondents were from Procurement department and 2.5% of respondents were
from Personnel department and only 0.8% of respondents are from Finance department.

Table 4.4 - knowing about SHAL logistics

Knowing

Frequency

Percent

Newspaper

6.7

Trade magazine

17

14.2

Word of mouth

65

54.2

Others

30

25.0

Total

120

100.0

Chart 4.4 - knowing about SHAL

58

Knowing about SHAL

65
70
60
50
30

40
17

30
8

20
10
0

Newspaper

Trade magazine Word of mouth

Others

Inference:
From the above Table and Chart It is inferred that respondents came to know about SHAL by
Word of the mouth were 54.2% , while 25.0% of the respondents were by Others , 14.2% of the
respondents were by Trade Magazine and the remaining 6.7% of the respondents were came to
know by Newspaper.
Table 4.5 showing from how long have been using SHAL services
Service

Frequency

Percent

0-6 months

4.2

1-2 years

25

20.8

2-3 years

34

28.3

3 years and above

56

46.7

Total

120

100.0

Chart 4.5 showing from how long have been using SHAL services

59

Using of service
3 years and above

56

2-3 years

34

1-2 years

25

0-6 months

5
0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Inference:
From the above table and chart its inferred that 46.7% of the respondents were using SHAL
service for 3years and above ,28.3% of the respondents were using the SHAL service were 2-3
years , while 20.8% of the respondents were using the SHAL service are for 1-2 years and the
remaining 4.2% of the respondents were using SHAL service for 0-6months.
Table 4.6 showing what made influenced to use SHAL service
Influenced

Frequency

Percent

Cost

12

10.0

Time

6.7

Quality

5.8

Service

92

76.7

.8

120

100.0

Packaging
Total

60

Chart 4.6 showing what made influenced to use SHAL service

Influenced
Cost
Time
Quality
Service
Packaging

1%10%
7%
6%

77%

Inference:
From the above table and chart it is inferred that Most of the respondents 76.7% of them were
influenced by Service rendered by SHAL , 10.0 % of respondents were influenced by Cost , the
respondents influenced by Time and quality were 6.7% and 5.8% and only 0.8% of the
respondents were influenced by Packaging.

Table 4.7 how often transport the goods by SHAL

Transport

Frequency

Percent

Everyday

10

8.3

2-3 days

32

26.7

Weekly

39

32.5

Fortnight

24

20.0

Monthly

15

12.5

120

100.0

Total

61

Chart 4.7 how often transport the goods by SHAL

Transporting goods
39

40

32

30
24

20

10

15

10
0
Everyday

2-3 days

Weekly

Fortnight

Monthly

Inference:
As mentioned in above table and chart it is to be stated that 32.5% of the respondents transport
their goods Weekly , 26.7% of the respondents transport their goods 2-3 days , 20.0% of the
respondents transport Fortnight , 12.5% of the respondents used to transport their goods monthly
and remaining 8.3% of the respondents transport their goods Everyday.
Table 4.8 showing how was the delivery schedule of the vehicle kept up
Delivery

Frequency

Percent

On time

64

53.3

Before time

39

32.5

After time

10

8.3

Very late

5.8

120

100.0

Total

Chart 4.8 showing how was the delivery schedule of the vehicle kept up
62

Delivery schedule
Very late; 6%

After time; 8%
On time; 53%

Before time; 33%

Inference:
The above table and chart inferred that Nearly half of the respondents 53.3% agrees On time
delivery schedule kept up , 32.5% of the respondents agrees that delivery schedule of vehicle
kept up on Before time , 8.3% of the respondents on After time and the remaining 5.8% of the
respondents says the delivery schedule of the vehicle kept up Very late.

Table 4.9 showing information about the breakdown of the vehicle

Breakdown of the vehicle

Frequency

Percent

Immediately

41

34.2

After sometime

32

26.7

Very late

17

14.2

Never informed

30

25.0

120

100.0

Total

63

Chart 4.9 showing information about the breakdown of the vehicle

Breakdown of the vehicle

30

Immediately
After sometime
Very late
Never informed

41

17
32

Inference:
From the above table and chart it is inferred that 34.2% of the respondents feels that they are
immediately informed about breakdown of the vehicle , 26.7% of the respondents are informed
after sometime , 25.0% of the respondents were Never informed about break down of the
vehicle and the 14.2% of the respondents were never informed about the breakdown of the
vehicle.

Table 4.10 showing communication in SHAL

Communication

Frequency

Percent

Excellent

80

66.7

Good

20

16.7

Fair

13

10.8

Poor

3.3

Worse

2.5

64

Total

120

100.0

Chart 4.10 showing Communication in SHAL

Communication
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0

80

20

Excellent

Good

13
4

Fair

Poor

Worse

Inference:
From the above table and chart it stated that 66.7% of respondents are on Excellent category ,
16.7% of the respondents are on Good category , 10.8% of the respondents are on Fair category ,
3.3% of the respondents are on Poor category and the remaining 2.5% of the respondents are on
worse category.
Table 4.11 showing action of contacting person in SHAL
Contacting person

Frequency

Percent

Excellent

43

35.8

Good

69

57.5

Fair

4.2

Poor

2.5

Total

120

100.0

65

Chart 4.11 showing action of contacting person in SHAL

Contacting person
69

70
60
50

43

40
30
20
10

Excellent

Good

Fair

3
Poor

Inference:
From the above table and chart it stated that 57.5 of the respondents were on Good category ,
35.8% of the respondents are on Excellent category , 4.2% of the respondents are on Fair
category and the remaining 2.5% of the respondents are on Poor category,

Table 4.12 showing reaction time in SHAL when contacting

Reaction Time

Frequency

Percent

Excellent

66

55.0

Good

34

28.3

Fair

15

12.5

Poor

4.2

Total

120

100.0

66

Chart 4.12 showing reaction time in SHAL when contacting

Reaction time
5

Poor

15

Fair

34

Good

66

Excellent
0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Inference:
From the above table and chart it stated that 55.0% of respondents are on Excellent category ,
28.3% of the respondents are on Good category , 12.5% of the respondents are on Fair category
and only 4.2% of the respondents are on Poor category.

Table 4.13 showing easiness of contacting in SHAL

easiness of contacting

Frequency

Percent

Excellent

43

35.8

Good

49

40.8

Fair

28

23.3

Total

120

100.0

67

Chart 4.13 showing easiness of contacting in SHAL

Easiness of contacting
28

Fair

49

Good

43

Excellent
0

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

Inference:
From the above table and chart it is inferred that 40.8% of the respondents are on Good
category , 35.8% of the respondents are on Excellent category and the remaining 23.3% of the
respondents are on Fair category.

Table 4.14 showing enquiry in SHAL

Enquiry

Frequency

Percent

Excellent

49

40.8

Good

56

46.7

Fair

15

12.5

Total

120

100.0

68

Chart 4.14 showing enquiry in SHAL

Enquiry

15

Excellent
Good
Fair

49
56

Inference:
From the above table and chart it is inferred that 46.7% of the respondents are on Good
category , 40.8% of the respondents are on Excellent category and the remaining 12.5% of the
respondents are on Fair category.

Table 4.15 showing effectiveness of channels of communication in SHAL

Effectiveness of channels of
communication

Frequency

Percent

Excellent

60

50.0

Good

34

28.3

Fair

23

19.2

Poor

2.5

69

Total

120

100.0

Chart 4.15 showing effectiveness of channels of communication in SHAL

Effeectiveness of channels of communication

3
23

60

Excellent
Good
Fair
Poor

34

Inference:
From the above table and chart it stated that 50.0% of respondents are on Excellent category ,
28.3% of the respondents are on Good category , 19.2% of the respondents are on Fair category
and only 2.5% of the respondents are on Poor category.
Table 4.16 showing expertise of the personnel
Expertise of the personnel

Frequency

Percent

Excellent

49

40.8

Good

32

26.7

Fair

29

24.2

Poor

10

8.3

70

Total

120

100.0

Chart 4.16 showing expertise of the personnel

Expertise of the personnel

49
50
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0

32

29

10

Excellent

Good

Fair

Poor

Inference:
From the above table and chart it inferred that 40.8% of respondents are on Excellent category ,
26.7%% of the respondents are on Good category , 24.2% of the respondents are on Fair
category and the remaining 8.3% of the respondents are on Poor category.

Table 4.17 showing offered transport option in SHAL

Offered transport

Frequency

Percent

Excellent

54

45.0

Good

30

25.0

Fair

29

24.2

71

Poor

5.8

Total

120

100.0

Chart 4.17 showing offered transport option in SHAL

Offered transport option

54

60
50

30

40

29

30
20

10
0

Excellent

Good

Fair

Poor

Inference:
From the above table and chart it stated that 45.0% of respondents are on Excellent category ,
20.0% of the respondents are on Good category , 24.2% of the respondents are on Fair category
and only 5.8% of the respondents are on Poor category.

Table 4.18 showing needs to find best solution

Needs to find best solution

Frequency

Percent

Excellent

75

62.5

Good

30

25.0

72

Fair

6.7

Poor

4.2

Worse

1.7

120

100.0

Total
Chart 4.18 showing needs to find best solution

Needs to find best solution

2

Worse

Poor

Fair

30

Good

75

Excellent
0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Inference:
From the above table and chart it inferred that more than half of respondents 62.5 are on
Excellent category , 25.0% of the respondents are on Good category , 6.7% of the respondents
are on Fair category , 4.2% of the respondents are on Poor category and the remaining only 1.7%
of the respondents are on worse category.
Table 4.19 showing transparency of pricing
Transparency of pricing

Frequency

Excellent

Percent
46

73

38.3

Good

49

40.8

Fair

17

14.2

Poor

6.7

Total

120

100.0

Chart 4.19 showing transparency of pricing

Transparency of pricing
8

Excellent
Good
Fair
Poor

17
46

49

Inference:
From the above table and chart it inferred that 40.8% of respondents are on Good category ,
38.3% of the respondents are on Excellent category , 14.2% of the respondents are on Fair
category and the remaining 6.8% of the respondents are on Poor category.

Table 4.20 showing price quality in SHAL

Frequen
Price quality

cy

74

Percent

Excellent

59

49.2

Good

32

26.7

Fair

19

15.8

Poor

10

8.3

Total

120

100.0

Chart 4.20 showing price quality in SHAL

Price quality
59
60
50
40

32

30
20

19

10

10

Excellent

Good

Fair

Poor

Inference:
From the above table and chart it stated that 49.2% of respondents are on Excellent category ,
26.7% of the respondents are on Good category , 215.8% of the respondents are on Fair category
and remaining 8.3% of the respondents are on Poor category.

Table 4.21 showing development of service in SHAL

75

Development of service

Frequency

Percent

Excellent

46

38.3

Good

54

45.0

Fair

20

16.7

Total

120

100.0

Chart 4.21 showing development of service in SHAL

Development of service
Fair

20

Good

54

Excellent
0

46
10

20

30

40

50

60

Inference:
From the above table and chart it is inferred that 45.0% of the respondents are on Good
category , 38.3% of the respondents are on Excellent category and the remaining 16.7% of the
respondents are on Fair category.

76

Table 4.22 showing how close the branch , warehouse , booking points and delivery
spots from your place

Locality

Frequency

Percent

Near

43

35.8

Close by

73

60.8

Far

2.5

Very far

.8

120

100.0

Total

Chart 4.22 showing how close the branch , warehouse , booking points and delivery
spots from your place

Locality
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0

73
43

3
Near

Close by

Far

1
Very far

Inference:
As stated above from the table and chart it is inferred that 60.8% of the respondents were Close
by the locality , the 35.8% of the respondents were near , the remaining respondents were from
Far and Very Far.
77

Table 4.23 showing the details of the information provided were sufficient or not
Information provided

Frequency

Percent

All information was provided

85

70.8

Need some more information

24

20.0

Not happy with the information

3.3

Very less information was provided

5.8

120

100.0

Total

Chart 4.23 showing the details of the information provided were sufficient or not

Information provided
100

85

80
60
40

24

20

All infomation was provided

Not happy with the informaton

Inference:
From the above table and chart it is inferred that Most of the respondents 70.8% were provided
with the Sufficient information , 20.8% of the respondents need some more information , only
3.3% of the respondents were not happy with the information provided and 5.8% of the
respondents were provided very less information.
78

Table 4.24 showing about the distribution system of SHAL

Distribution system

Frequency

Percent

Strongly satisfied

42

35.0

Satisfied

53

44.2

Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied

15

12.5

Dissatisfied

6.7

Strongly dissatisfied

1.7

120

100.0

Total

Chart 4.24 showing about the distribution system of SHAL

Distribution system

13%

7% 2%
35%

44%

Strongly satisfied
Satisfied
Neither satisfied nor
dissatisfied
Dissatisfied
Strongly dissatisfied

Inference:
From the above table and chart it is inferred that the 44.2% of the respondents were Satisfied
with the distribution system , the 35.0% of the respondents were strongly satisfied , 12.5% of the
respondents were neither satisfied nor dissatisfied , 6.7% of the respondents were dissatisfied
and 1.7% of the respondents are strongly dissatisfied.
79

Table 4.25 showing expectation of any improvement in SHAL

Improvement

Frequency

Percent

Yes

57

47.5

No

63

52.5

120

100.0

Total

Chart 4.25 showing expectation of any improvement in SHAL

Expectation of improvement
64
62

63

60
58

57

56
54

Yes

No

Inference:
From the above table and chart it is to be stated that the half of the respondents

52.5% were

dont need an improvement and the remaining 47.5% of the respondents need an improvement .

80

Table 4.26 showing improvement needed

Improvement needed

Frequency

Delivery of goods

Percent
27

22.5

No of branches

1.7

Behavior of staff

.8

Condition of vehicles

3.3

Others

86

71.7

Total

120

100.0

Chart 4.26 showing improvement needed

Improvement needed
86
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0

27
4

Inference:

81

th
er

Co
nd
itio
n

of
ve
hic
le

ta
f

ha
vio
ro
fs

nc
he
s
of
br
a
o

Be

e li
ve
r

of
go
od
s

The above table and chart inferred that most of the respondents 70.8% were need a

other

improvements , 22.5% of the respondents need improvement in delivery of goods , improvement

in condition of vehicles 3.3% , no of branches 1.7% and behavior of staff 0.8%.
Table 4.27 showing how likely is that would recommend SHAL to your colleagues or
business partners on a scale of 1-5 (1 Excellent -5 worse)
Recommend to colleagues , business
partners

Frequency

Percent

Excellent

84

70.0

Good

33

27.5

Fair

2.5

Poor

0.0

Worse

0.0

120

100.0

Total

Chart 4.27 showing how likely is that would recommend SHAL to your colleagues
or business partners on a scale of 1-5 (1 Excellent -5 worse)

Recommend to colleagues , business partners

84
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0

33

Excellent

Good

0
Poor

Fair

82

0
Worse

Inference:
From the above table and chart it is inferred that 70.0% of the respondents were recommend
excellent to their colleagues and business partners , 27.5% of the respondents were recommend
good , 2.5% of the respondents recommend fair to their colleagues and business partners.
Table 4.28 showing overall grade for satisfaction in SHAL on a scale off 1-5 (1
Excellent 5 worse)
Overall Grade

Frequency

Percent

Excellent

61

50.8

Good

41

34.2

Fair

15

12.5

Poor

1.7

Worse

.8

120

100.0

Total

Chart 4.28 showing overall grade for SHAL on a scale off 1-5 (1 Excellent 5 worse)

Overall satisfaction
1

Worse

Poor

15

Fair

41

Good

61

Excellent
0

10

20

30

83

40

50

60

70

Inference:
From the above table and chart it is inferred that Nearly half of the respondents 50.8% given
excellent for overall grade , 34.2% of the respondents given good for overall grade , 12.5% of
the respondents given fair for overall grade , only few of the respondents of 1.7% , .8% given
poor , worse for overall grade.
CHI - SQUARE TEST - 1
Offered transport option Vs Price quality ratio of the service.
Null Hypothesis (H)
There is no significant association between offered transport option and price quality ratio of the
service.
Alternate Hypothesis (H1)
There is a significant association between offered transport option and price quality ratio of the
service.

Table 4.29 showing offered transport option * price quality ratio of the service
Cross tabulation
Price quality ratio of the service
Excellent

Offered transport option

Good

Fair

Total
Poor

Excellent

24

17

54

Good

15

30

Fair

17

29

Poor

59

32

19

10

120

Total

Table 4.30 showing chi-square tests of offered transport option * price quality
ratio of the service
Value
Pearson Chi-Square
Likelihood Ratio
Linear-by-Linear Association
N of Valid Cases

Df

Asymp. Sig. (2-sided)

21.442a

.011

22.730

.007

1.806

.179

120

84

Degree of freedom

=9

Level of significance

= 0.05

P value

= .011

Hence P value is lesser than .05

So, Null hypothesis is rejected
Inference:
There is a significant association between offered transport option and price quality ratio of the
service

Table 4.31 showing symmetric measures of offered transport option *

price quality ratio of the service
Value
Nominal by Nominal

Contingency Coefficient

.389

N of Valid Cases

Approx. Sig.
.011

120

Contingency coefficient value = .389

Hence the Value is between 0 .25 to0 .5
Inference:
There is moderate association between offered transport option and price quality ratio of the
service
85

CHI-SQUARE TEST - 2
How long using service Vs How often transport the goods.
Null Hypothesis (H)
There is no significant association between using of service and often transporting the goods.
Alternate Hypothesis (H1)
There is a significant association between how using service and often transporting the goods.

Table 4.32 showing how long you have been using SHAL service * how often do you
transport your goods by SHAL
Cross tabulation
How often do you transport your goods by SHAL
Everyday 2-3 days

How long you have been

using SHAL service

Weekly

Fortnight

Total

Monthly

0-6 months

1-2 years

25

2-3 years

13

34

14

21

11

56

10

32

39

24

15

120

3 years and
above
Total

Table 4.33 showing chi-square tests of how long you have been using SHAL
service * how often do you transport your goods by SHAL
Value

Df

Asymp. Sig. (2-sided)

Pearson Chi-Square

9.760a

12

.637

Likelihood Ratio

11.773

12

.464

86

Linear-by-Linear Association
N of Valid Cases

1.255

.263

120

Degree of freedom

=9

Level of significance

= 0.05

= .637

value

Hence, P value .637 is greater than 0.05

So, Null hypothesis is accepted
Inference:
There is no significant association between using of service and often transporting the goods

Table 4.34 showing symmetric measures of how long you have been using
SHAL service * how often do you transport your goods by SHAL
Value
Nominal by Nominal

Approx. Sig.

Phi

.285

.637

Cramer's V

.165

.637

N of Valid Cases

120

The Cramer value = .165

Hence P value is between 0 to .25
Inference :
There is a weak significant association between using of service and often transporting the
goods .

87

CHI-SQUARE TEST - 3

Delivery schedule Vs Breakdown of the vehicle.

Null Hypothesis (H)
There is no significant association between delivery schedule and breakdown of the vehicle.
Alternate Hypothesis (H1)
There is significant association between delivery schedule and breakdown of the vehicle.

Table 4.35 showing :how was delivery schedule of the vehicle kept * are you informed about
breakdown of the vehicle
Cross tabulation

Are you informed about breakdown of the vehicle

Immediately

After

Very late

sometime
How was delivery
schedule of the vehicle
kept
Total

Total

Never
informed

On time

20

22

14

64

Before time

17

39

After time

10

Very late

41

32

17

30

120

Table 4.36 showing chi-square tests how was delivery schedule of the
vehicle kept * are you informed about breakdown of the vehicle
88

Value
Pearson Chi-Square
Likelihood Ratio

Df

Asymp. Sig. (2-sided)

.186

12.770

.173

2.601

.107

12.512

Linear-by-Linear Association
N of Valid Cases

120

Degree of freedom

=9

Level of significance

= 0.05

P value

= .186

Hence P value is greater than .05

So, Null hypothesis is accepted
Inference:
There is no significant association delivery schedule and breakdown of the vehicle.

89

ONE WAY ANOVA -1

Communication Vs Easiness of Contacting.
Null Hypothesis (H)
There is no significant association between communication and easiness of contacting .
Alternate Hypothesis (H1)
There is a significant association between communication and easiness of contacting
ANOVA
Table 4.37 showing :evaluate your satisfaction in terms of
communication between you and SHAL
Sum of Squares
Between Groups

df

Mean Square

.238

.119

Within Groups

114.929

117

.982

Total

115.167

119

Degree of freedom

= (2,117)

Level of Significance

= 0.05

P value

= .886

Hence P value is greater than .05

So, Null hypothesis is accepted
Inference:

90

Sig.
.121

.886

There is no significant association between communication and easiness of contacting

ONE WAY ANOVA - 2

Locality Vs distribution system:
Null Hypothesis (H)
There is no significant difference between locality and distribution system.
Alternate Hypothesis (H1)
There is significant difference between locality and distribution system

ANOVA
Table 4.38 showing :how close the branch ,warehouse ,booking points
,delivery spots from your place
Sum of Squares
Between Groups

Df

Mean Square

1.846

.461

Within Groups

36.121

115

.314

Total

37.967

119

Degree of freedom

= (4,115)

Level of Significance

= 0.05

P value

=.216

Hence P value is greater than .05

So, Null hypothesis is accepted

91

F
1.469

Sig.
.216

Inference:
There is no significant difference between locality and distribution system

ONE WAY ANOVA - 3

Professionalism of Cargo handling Vs Condition of Goods.
Null Hypothesis (H)
There is no significant difference between cargo handling and condition of Goods.
Alternate Hypothesis (H1)
There is significant difference between cargo handling and condition of Goods

ANOVA
Table 4.39 showing evaluate your satisfaction with delivery of SHAL :
professionalism of cargo handling
Sum of Squares
Between Groups

df

Mean Square

.115

.115

Within Groups

36.210

118

.307

Total

36.325

119

Degree of freedom

= (1,118)

Level of Significance

= 0.05

P value

= .542

Hence P value is greater than .05

So, Null hypothesis is accepted
Inference:
92

Sig.
.374

.542

There is no significant difference between professionalism of cargo handling and condition of

goods

CORRELATION-1
Table 4.40 showing correlations between transporting goods and
delivery speed

How often do you transport

your goods by SHAL

How often do

Evaluate your

you transport

satisfaction with

your goods by

delivery of SHAL

SHAL

: Speed

Pearson Correlation

Sig. (2-tailed)

.097
.290

120

120

Evaluate your satisfaction

Pearson Correlation

.097

with delivery of SHAL :

Sig. (2-tailed)

.290

Speed

120

120

Inference:
Karl Pearson correlation = .097
Hence, the value is between 0 to 0.5
So, it has positive correlation
In the above table it is inferred that transporting goods is positively correlated with speed of
delivery.

93

CORRELATION- 2

Table 4.41 showing correlation between using of services and ability

to find best solution for logistics needs
What made you

Ability to find

use SHAL

best solution for

service

your logistics
needs

What made you use SHAL

service

Pearson Correlation

Sig. (2-tailed)

.067
.465

120

120

Evaluate your satisfaction of Pearson Correlation

.067

operative service of following Sig. (2-tailed)

.465

issues about SHAL : Ability

to find best solution for your

120

logistics needs

Inference:
Karl Pearson correlation = .067
Hence, the value is between .05 to 1
So, it has strongly positive correlation
94

120

In the above table it is inferred that using of SHAL service is strongly correlated with ability to
find solution for logistics needs.

FRIEDMAN TEST-1
Table 4.42 showing ranks of services factors
Mean Rank
Rate SHAL in terms of

2.79

servicing
Rate SHAL in terms of

3.53

packaging
Rate SHAL in terms of

2.99

handling
Rate SHAL in terms of

3.25

vehicle condition
Rate SHAL in terms of

2.45

branches and warehouse

Table 4.43 showing test statistics of service

factors
N
Chi-Square
Df
Asymp. Sig.

120
45.261
4
.000

a. Friedman Test

Inference:
It is inferred that branches and warehouse is 2.45 which is the most high ranked factor ,
servicing is 2.79 , handling of goods is 2.99 , vehicle condition is 3.25 and packaging is 3.25
which is the least factor.

95

P value = .000
Hence P value is less than .05
So, reject Null hypothesis
There is significant difference between all the service factors
FRIEDMAN TEST-2
Table 4.44 showing ranks of delivery factors
Mean Rank
Evaluate your satisfaction with delivery Reliability

2.90

Evaluate your satisfaction with delivery of SHAL : Speed

3.29

Evaluate your satisfaction with delivery of SHAL :

2.70

Professionalism of cargo handling

Evaluate your satisfaction with delivery of SHAL :

2.70

Condition of cargo when reaching its destination

Evaluate your satisfaction with delivery of SHAL :

3.41

Subcontractors

Table 4.45 showing test Statistics of

delivery factors
N
Chi-Square
Df
Asymp. Sig.

120
33.196
4
.000

a. Friedman Test

Inference:
It is inferred that the professionalism of cargo handling is 2.70 , condition of cargo when
reaching destination is 2.70 both the factors are most ranked factor , reliability of delivery is 2.90
, speed of delivery is 3.29 and the subcontractors 3.29 which is the least ranked factor.
P value = .000
Hence P value is less than .05
So, reject Null hypothesis
96

There is significant difference between all the Delivery Factors ,

CHAPTER V
FINDINGS, SUGGESTION AND CONCLUSION

97

5.1 FINDINGS

Majority 54.2% of the respondents are forwarders.

Majority 55.0% of the products were agro products.
Majority 35.8% of the respondents are from marketing department.
Majority 54.2% of the respondents came to know about SEA HAWK LINES by word of

mouth.
Majority 46.7% of the respondents are using SEA HAWK LINES service for 3years and
above.
Majority 76.7% of the respondents considers services as the most influential factor.
Majority 32.5% of the respondents use to transport their goods weekly.
Majority 53.3% of the respondents agrees that delivery schedule of the vehicle kept up on
time.
Majority 34.2% of the respondents agrees that information about breakdown of the
vehicle is informed immediately.
Majority 66.7% of the respondents rated communication in SEA HAWK LINES is
excellent.
Majority 57.5% of the respondents are feels that contacting a person in SEA HAWK
LINES is good.
Majority 55.0% of the respondents agrees that reaction time when contacting is excellent
in SEA HAWK LINES.
Majority 40.8% of the respondents agrees that easiness of contacting in SEA HAWK
LINES is good.
Majority 46.7% of respondents feels good about the response to their enquiry in SEA
HAWK LINES.
Majority 50.0% of the respondent agrees that effectiveness of the channels of
communication in SEA HAWK LINES is excellent.
Majority 40.8% of the respondents has agreed that expertise of the personnel in SEA
HAWK LINES is excellent.
Majority 45.0% of the respondents had agreed that offered transport option in SEA
HAWK LINES is excellent .

98

 Majority 62.5% respondents finds that their needs in finding solution for their logistics
needs is excellent in SEA HAWK LINES.
Majority 40.8% of the respondents feels transparency of pricing in SEA HAWK LINES
is good
Majority 49.2% of the respondents agrees that price quality is excellent in SEA HAWK
LINES.
Majority 45.0% of the respondents agrees that development of service in SEA HAWK

LINES is good.
Majority 60.8% of the respondents said that the branches , warehouses , booking points

and delivery spots were close by their location .

Majority 70.8% of the respondents agrees that all the information provided to them were
sufficient.
Majority 35.8% of the respondents are satisfied with the distribution system adopted by
the SEA HAWK LINES.
Majority 52.5% of the respondents feels that the improvement is no needed.
Majority 71.7% of the respondents needs a other kind of improvement apart from
delivery of goods, no of branches , behavior of staffs , condition of vehicles.
Majority 70.8% of the respondents recommend SEA HAWK LINES as excellent to their
colleagues and business partners.
Majority 50.8% of the respondents agrees that their overall satisfaction in SEA HAWK
LINES as an excellent.

5.2 SUGGESTIONS
The company should focus on providing a competitive pricing on transport and logistics.
99

 SEA HAWK LINES should attract more customers, who frequently (daily) transport their
products.
SEA HAWK LINES should ensure prompt delivery schedule by adopting training for
employees to improve expertise in meeting customer requirements.
SEA HAWK LINES has to expand by introducing more number of branches in different
localities in Chennai will make customers from various locations to meet their demand.
SEA HAWK LINES should ensure and monitor that the sub-contractors are maintaining
professionalism in cargo handling and delivering the goods.
The company should make the delivery speed more reliable by adopting effective measures
in transportation system, quality of vehicle used, customers service information and tracking.
Majority of respondents agrees that their solution for finding their logistics needs is highly
satisfied, but the attention needed to the expertise of the personnel in order make the
customers need more valuably.

5.3 Conclusion
The main objective of this study is measuring the customers satisfaction level in SEA
HAWK LINES, this was done with the help of a questionnaire which helped to find out the view
of customers satisfaction in SEA HAWK LINES the data acquired that most of the respondents
100

were satisfied with quality of service provided by SEA HAWK LINES and from the findings and
suggestions which are the direct responses from the customers it has to concluded that the certain
expectations from customers should be taken to meet their customers satisfaction level that the
factors like competitive pricing facilities, attracting customers those who frequently transporting
their products, introducing more number of branches in different localities of Chennai, expertise
in meeting customers requirements, professionalism in cargo handling and delivering the goods
and various effective measures in transportation, customer service, quality of vehicles used,
customers information tracking system, expertise in providing solution for customers needs more
valuably etc with the help of this study the SEA HAWK LINES can increase their customers
satisfaction level which may result

an increase in activity relationship with their current

customers as well as entry of new customers into their company.

ANNEXURE
QUESTIONNAIRE
A STUDY ON CUSTOMER SATISFACTION IN SEA HAWK LINES PVT.LTD
Personal details:
101

i. Nature of the company:

a.)Manufacturer b) Shipper c.) Forwarder

d.)Trader

ii. Nature of the business :

a.) Agro products b.) Electronics c) Capital goods d.) Perishables e.) Auto spares
f.) others
iii . Nature of the Department :
a) Marketing b.) Operations c.) Personnel

d.) Finance e. ) Sales

f.) Procurement
1. How did you come to know about SHAL logistics ?
a.) Newspaper
2

b.) Trade Magazine c.) Word of mouth d.) Others

.From how long you have been using SHAL service ?

a.) 0-6 months

b.) 1-2 years

c.)2-3 years d.) 3 years & above

3. What made you use SHAL services ?

a.) Cost b.) Time c.) Quality d.) Service e.)Packaging f.)Others
4. How often do you transport your good by SHAL ?
a.) Everyday b.) 2-3 days

c.) Weekly d.) Fortnight e.) Monthly

5. How was the delivery schedule of the vehicle kept up ?

a.) On time b.) Before time c.) After time d.) Very late
6. Are you informed about the breakdown of the vehicle ?
a.) Immediately b.) After sometime c.)Very late d.)Never Informed

102

7. How would you rate SHAL in terms of Service factors :

SL .No

Criteria

Excellent

1.

Servicing

2.

Packaging

3.

Handling of Goods

4.

Vehicle Condition

5.

Branches

Good

Average

Poor

Worse

and

Warehouse

8. Evaluate your satisfaction in terms of customer services of SHAL with the followings ?
SL.N

Criteria

Excellent

O
1.

Communication between you and

2.

SHAL
The action of your own contact

3.

person
Reaction time when contacting

4.
5.

SHAL
Easiness of contacting
How do offers correspond to your

6.

enquiry
Effectiveness

of

channels

Good

Fair

Poor

Worse

of

communication (telephone , e-mail

etc )

9. Evaluate your satisfaction of operative service of the following issues about SHAL ?
SL.NO
1.
2.
3.

Criteria
Excellent Good
Expertise of the personnel
Offered transport option
Ability to find best solution for

4.

your logistic needs

Transparency of the pricing
103

Fair

Poor

Worse

5.
6.

Price quality ratio of the service

Development of services according
to your requirements

10. Evaluate your Satisfaction with delivery factors of SHAL?

SL.N

Criteria

Excellent

O
1.

Reliability of delivery

2.
3.

Speed of delivery
Professionalism of

4.

handling
Condition

5.

reaching its destination

Subcontractors of SHAL

of

the

the

cargo

cargo

when

Good

Fair

Poor

Worse

11. How close the branch, warehouse, booking points & delivery spots from
your place?
a.) Near

b.) Close by

c.) Far

12. The details of the information provided to you were sufficient or not?
a.)
b.)
c.)
d.)

All the information was provided

Need some more information
Not happy with the information
Very less information was provided

13. What do you feel about the distribution system of SHAL ?

a.) Strongly satisfied b. Satisfied c.) Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied
d.) Dissatisfied e.) Strongly dissatisfied

104

d.) Very far

14. Do you expect any improvement in SHAL service ?

a) YES

b) No

15. If yes , what improvement are you looking for ?

a) Delivery of goods b) NO of branches c) Behavior of staff
d) Condition of vehicles e) Others
16. How likely is that you would recommend SHAL to your colleagues or business partners on a
scale of 1-5? (1 unlikely 5 very likely)
a) 1

b) 2

c) 3

d) 4

e) 5

17. Overall grade for SHAL on scale of 1-5 ? (1 poor 5 Excellent)

a) 1

b) 2

c.)3

d) 4

e) 5

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Philip kotlers marketing management: Analysis, Planning, Implementation and

control. 9th edition. Prentice hall, Upper saddle river, NJ.,1997

Wong V. (2002) Principle of Marketing 3rd edition.
Liu , W.,H.,& Xie , D (2013) Quality decision of the logistics service supply chain

with service quality guarantee. International journal of production research.

Lewis ,I. and Talalayevsky, A., (2000), Third-party logistics: Leveraging

information technology, Journal of Business Logistics.

Kothari C.R, Research Methodology Published by New Age International Ltd.

105

WEBLIOGRAPHY

Wikipedia www.wikipedia.com
www.shal.asia.com
Directory of Online Journals www.doaj.org
Google Scholar < scholar.google.com>
www.sciencedirect.com

106