Methods for assessing customer satisfaction with a service. Modern methods of studying customer satisfaction. Research of consumer expectations

“Customer satisfaction is a general assessment of the experience of companies' customers in purchasing and using products, services or services provided by these companies” .

ultimate goal consumer satisfaction research is to retain loyal customers. There are various approaches to measuring customer satisfaction: national customer satisfaction indices (American, Swiss and European) have been developed on a national scale. In preparation for joining the WTO, a Russian consumer satisfaction index was created, which consists of three indicators (general satisfaction, comparison of satisfaction with customer expectations and ideal ideas about a product and service). In individual industries, these indicators are calculated with different weights. The "comparison with expectations" indicator is based on a direct comparison of the received service with the consumer's expectations, and the "comparison with the ideal" indicator is based on his personal ideal ideas about the product or service. A 10-point system is used to evaluate responses.

Having bought a product, the consumer will either be satisfied or dissatisfied with it. If the product meets expectations, the consumer is satisfied; if it exceeds them, the consumer is very satisfied; if it does not meet them, the consumer is dissatisfied. Satisfaction or dissatisfaction with the product will affect the subsequent behavior of the buyer. If satisfied, the buyer is likely to buy the product next time. In addition, a satisfied customer tends to share favorable product reviews with other people. Attracting a new customer is much more difficult than retaining an old one. The best way to keep him is to satisfy.

In case of dissatisfaction, the buyer can: refuse to use the product, return it to the seller, write a complaint to the company; turn to a lawyer or to some groups that may be able to help him achieve satisfaction; just stop buying this product in the future. In addition, a dissatisfied customer is more likely to share their frustration with other potential customers. In all cases, the seller who fails to satisfy the customer loses something.

Satisfaction research measures overall satisfaction with a product (service) and satisfaction with attributes of the product or service, which are identified either through expert analysis or through qualitative research.

Methodological studies of customer satisfaction fall into two categories:

1. The first method is comparative, when the quality of products or services is compared with competitors or with some kind of ideal.
2. The second method is non-comparative, when the quality of products or services is broken down into components, and consumers evaluate the satisfaction of each of the components and its importance.

The study of the level of customer satisfaction is carried out with the help of both qualitative and quantitative research.

Example 45: Key Satisfaction Indices for Qualitative Customer Satisfaction retail store:

price level, including in comparison with competitors;
breadth and depth of assortment;
Additional services;
professionalism of the staff, friendliness and desire to help;
location of the store and transport accessibility;
overall satisfaction with the store;
loyalty (the only store for me, the first for me, a must-have among several key ones, the intention to buy again in this store, the intention to recommend).

Example 46: Automotive Customer Satisfaction Measurement Project

The purpose of the study: to prepare an information base for making decisions on improving a particular model or level of service provided, including the launch of new services, as well as increasing sales.

Research objective: to identify the degree of customer satisfaction in the following areas: car; purchase service and after-sales service.

Object of study: the opinion of car owners regarding the services provided by a car dealer.

Sample size and design: sample size depends on sample size target audience(car owners of cars of a certain brand purchased / produced in a certain period of time). The sample structure depends on the target audience of a particular car brand.

The main parameters of the study of customer satisfaction in the automotive industry:

identification of common problems during vehicle operation;
detailed analysis of the interior (dashboard, upholstery, color, quality of plastic);
detailed analysis of the exterior (body design, wheels and tires, color, car optics);
identification of shortcomings in the driving properties of the car (suspension, engine, handling, braking system, maneuverability);
assessment of the overall level of car comfort (options, airbags, radio quality, functionality of sensors and devices);
identification of deficiencies in the service of the salon-seller when selling a car;
identification of car service problems (schedule of service stations, communication culture and staff qualifications).

The customer satisfaction survey was conducted in two stages.

quality stage. On the this stage research, a series of focus groups are conducted to identify common problems when using a car or visiting a particular service center. Consumers of the car brand of interest are recruited, which is in operation from 6 weeks to two years.

quantitative stage. At this stage of the study, formalized personal interviews are conducted, within which typical problems and shortcomings of the car or service center are identified. At this stage, the problems and shortcomings identified at the stage of focus groups are explored.

At the first stage of work on measuring the level of customer satisfaction, good results are obtained by using qualitative methods. Deep penetration into the problem allows you to compile a list of the most significant product evaluation criteria for consumers, about which he expresses his satisfaction or dissatisfaction. It also identifies priorities in the needs and expectations of consumers, trends in needs in the future. At the second stage of the work, quantitative studies are carried out, the tools of which include two main blocks of questions: assessment key features product, which form the satisfaction (dissatisfaction) of consumers and an assessment of the degree of importance of each of these characteristics for the respondent” .

Satisfaction assessment includes the following indicators:

1. Trust in the company/brand/product.
2. Loyalty to the company/brand/product.
3. Factors affecting satisfaction.

The degree of trust is determined by several criteria, which are the basis for making a purchase. Among them are the past experience of using the products of this company, the history and image of the brand, the correspondence of advertising information to the real state of affairs in the organization, etc. All these criteria have different weights in the overall assessment of trust, so you need to focus on the weighted average, and also correlate it with similar indicators from competitors. Typically, trust develops after the first contact with the company and is based on two or three dominant factors that will determine the likelihood of making subsequent purchases.

Loyalty - a positive attitude of consumers to everything related to the activities of the organization, products and services produced, sold or provided by the organization, to the company's personnel, the image of the organization, trademarks, logo, etc.

In table. 14 shows indicators that determine behavioral and perceived loyalty.

Complex loyalty does not have its own separate indicators, as it is a combination of behavioral and perceived loyalty. When conducting research and interpreting the results, one should take into account the dependence of loyalty types on two groups of factors: the specifics of the industry and the specifics of the consumer (Table 15).

Table 14

Indicators characterizing the types of consumer loyalty

Indicators of behavioral loyalty

Indicators of perceived (perceptual) loyalty

Number of repeat purchases

Percentage of buyers making a purchase

Duration of cooperation Share in the "pocket" - the share of the company's purchases in the total purchases of the client Share in the gross income of the enterprise, provided by buyers making repeat purchases The amount or percentage of the increase in the purchase size of the same service (product) over a certain period of time

Insensitivity to an increase in the price of one's own service (product) or to a decrease in prices by competitors The number of additional products of the company purchased by the consumer in a certain period of time

Relative constancy of the amount of purchase of the same service (product) for a certain period of time

Time since last purchase, frequency of visits, customer spend per period

Satisfaction level Awareness Recommendations (already given and possible)

Brand or company image Willingness to purchase other services (products) under this brand Expressed intentions to continue cooperation or change the brand or company Brand or company preference through separation from competitive analogues

Table 15

Factors that determine the type of consumer loyalty

Industry factors determine the overall feasibility of customer loyalty management and do not determine the choice of loyalty type:

the severity of competition. Loyalty management is required only in case of high competition;
stage of the life cycle of the market for a product or service. In the growth phase, new customers are more important, while in the maturity and saturation stages, existing customers are more important;
the degree of differentiation of the product category. It is impossible to establish a link between loyalty and profitability in the categories of generic goods and services, so loyalty management is impractical. On the contrary, for brands, i.e. goods and services with a high degree of differentiation, consumer loyalty is one of key indicators their strength.

Consumer factors determine the choice between types of loyalty:

switching costs (switching barriers) are terms used in strategic management and marketing to describe the obstacles that a consumer must overcome to change the supplier of a product or service. For companies that have been able to achieve high switching costs by creating switching barriers, you can track the “baseline” level of satisfaction, or focus on indicators that characterize behavioral loyalty. With low switching barriers, the relevance of managing perceived loyalty increases;
product involvement. The higher the product involvement, the more significant is perceptual or perceived loyalty, and, accordingly, the lower its level, the more important is the formation of behavioral and, to a lesser extent, perceptual loyalty;
the frequency of purchases and the frequency of other types of interaction with the seller (for example, contacting the service technical support) determine the importance of behavioral loyalty.

With a high frequency of purchases, it is necessary to provide high values of indicators for behavioral loyalty, and with a low frequency, high values of indicators for perceived loyalty;

The number of buyers. If the product is intended for a narrow circle of consumers, then the loss of one customer can be a significant loss for the company, and therefore it is necessary to constantly monitor the satisfaction and brand image (company reputation). For goods and services of mass demand, in most cases it is possible to confine oneself to measuring only behavioral loyalty - a decrease in its level will be a sign that the company has problems associated with the perception of consumers of its activities.

To determine the type of loyalty, the classification of industry and consumer factors is used, given in Table. 16.

Table 16

Situations of choosing the type of loyalty depending on industry and consumer factors

Customer Loyalty Type Preference	Importance of industry and consumer factors
behavioral loyalty	Weak differentiation of supplier offers Low product engagement High switching barriers High purchase frequency Large number of customers
Perceived (perceptual) loyalty	Infrequent or one-time purchases Significant intervals between purchases
Comprehensive Loyalty	Medium to strong differentiation of supplier offerings High product engagement Low switching barriers Low and medium purchase frequency Limited quantity buyers

Considering consumer loyalty as a consequence of his satisfaction, a number of authors are developing methods for measuring loyalty. In domestic and foreign practice, it is popular to measure loyalty by the NPS (Net Promoter Score) method, which is based on one question: “How likely are you to recommend us to friends?”. The consumer makes a choice on an 11-point scale. According to the results of the answers, all respondents are divided into three groups:

“promoters” (those who gave 9-10 points) are clients who are loyal to the company and are ready to recommend it to their friends (the so-called lawyers);
“neutrals” (those who scored 7-8 points) are passive customers of the company who are generally satisfied with the company, but do not seek to recommend it to others;
“critics” (those who gave 1-6 points) are not satisfied with the company and will not recommend it (perhaps looking for an alternative).

The NPS loyalty coefficient is calculated as the difference between the percentage of “promoters” and the percentage of “critics”. So, if “promoters” are 35%, “neutrals” are 50%, “critics” are 15%, then the value of the NPS index is 35% - 15% = 20%, respectively. The average value of the NPS index for the FMCG market is 16%.

D. Aaker, a leading specialist in the field of brand management, defines loyalty as “a measure of consumer commitment to a brand”. In his opinion, loyalty shows what is the degree of probability of a consumer switching to another brand, especially when the chosen brand undergoes changes in price or any other indicators. With an increase in loyalty, the propensity of consumers to perceive the actions of competitors decreases. Quantitatively, loyalty to a product (brand) can be defined as the ratio of consumers who buy this product (brand) most often to consumers who simply buy this product (brand).

To say that a consumer is loyal to a product (brand), he must: prefer this product (brand) to all others; have a desire to make a repeat purchase and continue to purchase this brand in the future; be satisfied with the product (brand); be insensitive to the actions of competitors. In addition, in the structure of consumer loyalty, the emotional component should prevail over the rational one.

Also, the degree of loyalty can be characterized as the probability with which the consumer is ready to temporarily accept some unsatisfactory conditions of interaction with the company due to a positive attitude towards it, that is, to maintain commitment. Usually loyalty is formed in the course of long-term cooperation with a particular company or the consumption of a certain product / service, when this experience becomes part of a person’s lifestyle and it is difficult for him to change the established foundations.

Satisfaction is determined by the presence of certain qualitative factors, when, in addition to solving some pressing problem, the buyer receives added value from interacting with the company or consuming its products.

Orientation to the consumer: the market of the producer of services and goods has transformed into a consumer market In the end, the quality of services is assessed only by the consumer and depends on his needs and wishes; In tourism organizations, marketing of relations with the consumer should be worked out and put at the level of partnership, i.e. continuous work with the consumer; To be interested in the level of customer satisfaction is the duty of the travel agency! USA (sociologists estimate): a regular customer of a travel agency brings him more than 50 thousand dollars, a restaurant - several thousand, a hotel - more than 100 thousand dollars. Reducing the outflow of consumers by only 5% can increase the organization's profit by 25 -85%

Dissatisfied customers: Spread their negative opinion about the organization, which undermines its image; Resolving customer complaints is essential to keeping them for the organization - addressing complaints reduces customer churn from 91 to 18 out of 100;

The most important aspects of the analysis of consumers of travel services that affect the strategic orientation of travel organizations: Analysis of the purchasing value of the tourism product; Segmentation tourism market services; Motivation of consumers of tourist services; Analysis of customer satisfaction with the services provided and identification of unmet needs; The attitude of consumers to the tourist product and tourist organizations; Factors influencing consumers of tourism services and the process of making decisions on the purchase of services by them.

Approaches and methods for studying, analyzing and evaluating consumer satisfaction: transforming consumer expectations into the integral value of a tourist product The integral value of a product produced by an organization is determined by the following factors: Features and properties of the product, absence of shortcomings; Technical quality of a product, characterized by tangible aspects of the service process (excellent organization, modern equipment, comfortable rooms, impeccable appearance of employees, etc.) Functional quality, reflecting the process of direct interaction between the consumer and the personnel of the organization.

The ratio of the cost and value of the tourist product for the organization representing it and the consumer: In this case, the cost of the product produced by the travel agency is determined by the sum of three components: variable, fixed costs and profit; …Although this is an accountant’s business…

Determining the assessment of customer satisfaction with the organization's services based on their survey: Consists of identifying service quality indicators that best characterize these services from the point of view of consumers; The total number of consumers who indicated each of the selected indicators; For each indicator, the ratio of the number of consumers who indicated this indicator to the total number of consumers is calculated, after which the resulting ratio is multiplied by 100% (i.e., the percentage characterizes the assessment of consumer dissatisfaction with this quality indicator);

The study of consumer satisfaction indices on the example of the Swiss consumer (customer) satisfaction index According to this method, customer satisfaction depends on two main factors: customer benefits from the purchased product or service and customer orientation of the organization - the manufacturer of this product (service); The more important these factors are, the higher the client's benefit from the use of the product (service), the greater his satisfaction and the higher his assessment of this product (service), and the higher the organization's focus on the client; The data collection model for building the index includes components: specific factors of satisfaction, customer satisfaction, dialogue with the customer, customer loyalty.

Assessment of satisfaction of the stakeholders of the organization's activities: The stakeholders of the organization are the following groups: Consumers and end users; employees of the organization; Owners (investors): shareholders, individuals or groups, including the public sector, with a specific interest in the organization; Suppliers and partners; Society in the form various associations And state structures that an organization or its products have an impact on

The methodology of M. Kruglov and G. Shishkov is based on a preliminary assessment of the organization’s compliance with the interests of each of the stakeholders in three areas: the level of compliance with the requirements, the possibility of non-compliance with the requirements, the absence of risks in case of non-compliance and requirements

Determination of consumer satisfaction with the quality of services provided by the organization Indexing of the degree of consumer satisfaction is used, which allows quantifying the contribution to the general opinion of consumers about the quality of the considered components of the product (service); Based on a survey of consumers regarding the importance (weight) of quality indicators and their assessment, as well as finding several options for assessing consumer satisfaction as individual components of quality and finding a generalized assessment for all components.

The significant contribution of meaningful information obtained while measuring feelings and expectations regarding the importance of the properties of products and services provided to the consumer is shown. Describes the document formats used to present results clearly targeted at improvement actions.

Introduction

In line with the principles outlined in the first section of the BICC General Cable Mission Statement, and to complement information system quality elements of judgment that allow you to manage processes, focusing on the consumer, in 1996 it was decided to conduct the first serious study to measure CSI (customer satisfaction measurement). At the same time, there was a complete conviction that the information that this index would provide would be of great help to the development of strategies designed to help guide the Spanish market through the development of customer loyalty.

The second study was conducted in 1998, and in such a retrospective, having estimates of the positive effects achieved, it is possible to present the accumulated experience to society.

Consumer Satisfaction Index

Consumer Satisfaction Index (IUP) there is an indicator that synthesizes information about the customer's perception of the quality of products and services provided by the manufacturer. The IPM provides insights from the customer's perspective while measuring feelings and expectations and allowing quality profiles and trends to be identified, prioritized among improvement opportunities and motivated to achieve them. The index takes into account the relative importance of the properties of products and services provided to the consumer.

The calculation of the IPI is based on the assessments made by the clients with respect to some set of quality indicators developed for this purpose. The results of the assessments of these indicators are weighted using weighting factors, and the sum of this weighting is the value of the IEP.

Research base for obtaining IEP

When conducting this study, the main types of customers were taken into account, depending on:

their functions in the market (wholesalers, contractors, utility companies, and so on),
sales level (A, B, C...),
geographical area (Andalusia, Catalonia, Center, North, etc.)

For each type of client, two groups of indicators were established - structural and variables.

Structural indicators are those indicators that do not change over time and which form a dynamic system for measuring perceived quality. In this case, it is a matter of comprehending the level of overall satisfaction with the services provided, complemented by results related to the degree of importance that the client attaches to these services.
Variables indicators are those indicators that can change from measurement to measurement in accordance with the company's needs for specific information. Such indicators can be, for example: opinions and assessments of clients regarding the positive and negative aspects of the services offered; opinion on services planned for the future; knowledge of the most important customer needs that may give rise to new opportunities or dangers; analysis of responses to implemented improvement plans; the image and profile of BICC General Cable among its customers compared to those of its competitors.

Study Specifications and Results Report

They represent various technical aspects that are included in this type of statistical study and in the content of the reports in which the results are presented.

You can conduct surveys of all customers or some of their sample. In any case, you need to make sure that the procedure used ensures that the results obtained from the sample are representative of all clients. Initially, a survey was prepared to measure overall perception of satisfaction, but it was also desired to obtain indicators of satisfaction with various quality parameters related to a given product and related service. The information was collected in the course of a general market survey and, therefore, had to include important measurements of the assessments, expectations and perceptions that the client had, and intentions regarding their behavior in the future.

General population. The target population for the study was made up of clients in Spain.
Survey technique. The method used was a double face-to-face interview using a survey manual and structured questionnaires, as well as telephone interviews with structured questionnaires.
Sample. During the study, about 70 personal interviews and 80 telephone interviews of clients scattered across different geographical areas were conducted.
Sampling error. The margin of error was calculated for a finite population with a confidence level of 95.5% by type of customer. The total error accepted in the previous study was 6.85%.
Sampling system. Of fundamental importance is correct selection sample of clients. For the first study, it was decided to select a representative set that would take into account different types of customers and different geographical areas. For each typology of clients, the choice was mixed: a part was determined in a selective way with the selection of the most representative clients for whom it was important to have information, and the rest of the sample was drawn in a random way.

The second study used the methodology of interviewing groups of the same clients who responded in the first survey. Clients who for some reason left this group were replaced by others with the same typological profile. This shows the importance of choosing and defining sample components.

Field work. The interviews were conducted by specially trained consultant interviewers.
Presentation of results. Calculations were made by frequencies, arithmetic mean, statistical average deviation, statistical significance criterion and IEP.
Period duration. It is understood as the time during which the field work was carried out, which in this case took about 40 calendar days.
Incidents. Incidents that occurred during the fieldwork period were noted as they may help to understand, influence or condition the results.
Conclusions and recommendations. Concrete conclusions were obtained in relation to various aspects of quality, typology of clients, sales volumes, geographical areas. A positioning map was presented, results of comparison with competitors were obtained and areas were identified in which it is necessary to equal the best, as well as a general conclusion was made and recommendations were given.

Indicators

The study used 21 indicators, which were grouped into seven quality factors (Table 1). Customers were asked to evaluate the importance to them of each of the elements that determine the quality of products or services, with little or no assessment of the current work of any company. This made it possible to arrange the indicators in order, at the same time establishing the degree of importance of each indicator, and, consequently, to estimate the weight of each indicator in the entire group of indicators.

results

Different readings of consumer satisfaction indices (IUP).

The results were presented in the form of tables, in which for each indicator the weight, the assigned score and the resulting IUP. Based on the sum of all indicators, a total IEP(Table 1).

Table 1. Table of indicators

Factor	ID. №	Indicator	Weight	score	IEP
Products
		Ensuring specifications Product range Product upgrade Launch of new innovative products
Pre-sales service
		General Products Consulting Consulting on special purpose products
Administrative Documentation
	7	Clarity of invoices received
Customer Service
		Incident and problem handling performance Phone sales performance Courtesy of the staff Staff productivity The effectiveness of the relationship between engineers and wholesalers in the course of sales Ease of making contacts over the phone
Industry Information
	14	Industry aspects of information
Purchase Orders
		Delivery characteristics Completeness of purchase orders Short delivery time Advance warning of non-delivery
Commercial Support
		Manufacturer support in commercial promotions Visiting merchants for commercial purposes
Total IEP=7.45

For clarity, it is very useful to present the results obtained in the form of a histogram, aligning the starting point with the value of the total IEP(Fig. 1). Another graph that is also useful is the comparison IEP different clients based on their typology (Fig. 2).

Rice. 1. Evaluation of quality indicators

Rice. 2. Distribution of IEP by types of clients

Table and graphs in fig. 1 and 2 were also used to present the results obtained for each type of client. In this case, it is very interesting to see the estimates of indicators depending on the type of clients, located on the same graph (Fig. 3). Similar steps can be taken to compare IEPs across customer types across sales volumes and geographies.

Rice. 3. Evaluation of quality indicators by types of clients

In addition to the results obtained at the overall level, the resulting data was processed to give a weighted contribution to the result made by each customer, depending on the ratio of sales of the same product to sales as a whole. These results are presented as weighted results.

Another type of information obtained is a comparative presentation of the IEP, depending on the degree of customer loyalty to a given company. The degree of commitment to the company was expressed in three gradations: high, medium and low.

Positioning map

Rice. 4. Position Map: Conceptual Analysis

A very useful way to analyze the results obtained is to use a positioning map for quality indicators (Fig. 4), along the axes of which the degree of significance of the indicator and the level of satisfaction with it are plotted. The arrangement of indicators in four quadrants has the following conceptual value:

High degree of importance and high level of satisfaction. Such metrics need to be maintained as these are the metrics that, while important in determining quality, capture an above-average level of satisfaction.
High degree of importance and low level of satisfaction. These are indicators that need to be improved in the short term. They, being measures of quality, do not satisfy the client at a (relatively) optimal level.
Low significance and high level of satisfaction. Probably irrelevant indicators. Metrics that define added value, mark differentiation from competitors, and can become success factors for a company.
Low significance and low level of satisfaction. Such indicators need to be improved in the medium and long term. These are those indicators to which the consumer does not show a preferential attitude in his assessments, as well as those for which the degree of satisfaction is lower. IUP. Such indicators can give rise to reasons for dissatisfaction over time, depending on the evolution of their significance.

The positioning map is compiled for general IEP(Fig. 5) and for each of the considered types of clients. By analyzing the distribution of indicators, focusing on those that are located in the "should be improved in the near future" quadrant, the information necessary to develop improving actions is obtained.

Rice. 5. Indicator positioning map

Comparison with competitors by IEP

In addition to the analysis IEP it was decided to find out the position of BICC General Cable relative to the main competitors in the market for each of the defined indicators. Competitors with whom it would be interesting to compare ourselves were selected, and they were included in the corresponding questionnaires. For each of these competitors, the IPI was calculated and these indices were compared with the company's indices, which became a source for learning from the best experience.

Acceptance zone of indicators

This zone is an assessment of the relative position of indicators to the level of quality that users or consumers are willing to accept. Zones are defined by data collected from a group of analyzed producers. The data obtained for each indicator is presented on a graph (Fig. 6), in which the initial data is divided into three zones:

Risk zone. This zone is characterized by levels of perceived quality that are lower than what the consumer is willing to accept.
Acceptance zone. This zone includes the levels of quality that the consumer is willing to accept.
Difference zone. This area is characterized by quality levels higher than expected or required. The metrics located in the difference zone are those metrics that generate added value and therefore contribute to building customer loyalty by creating differences (in quality characteristics compared to other competitors - ed. note).

Rice. 6. Evaluation of indicators in relation to the acceptance zone

Opinions

When describing the main parameters of the IEP study, it was already indicated that the second group targets form variables. A set of questions was devised, such as:

What is your opinion on BICC General Cable (positive or negative)?
What are the positive and negative aspects of competitors in the market?
What aspects could improve customer relationship with BICC General Cable?
What aspects does the company in question need to improve in relation to its customers, and which of these aspects can BICC General Cable handle?
To what extent do certain aspects cause concern?
What aspects of BICC General Cable services need improvement?
What specific details cause concern?

habits

Another type of information that the study allowed to obtain is information about the habits and customs of customers. To this end, a series of questions was formulated. Here are some of them: “Which manufacturers do you work with? Who makes purchasing decisions? What is the application frequency? What is the average inventory level? etc.

Image

It was also interesting to know the image of both your company and competitors' companies in the eyes of consumers. For this purpose, questions were drawn up on the properties of products, known services, the level of purchases, etc.

Conclusion

Measuring the customer satisfaction index provides an extremely valuable tool for assessing external influences on the customer, namely the quality of products and services that are offered to him. The information that these measurements provide serves as a guide and guidance in the development of movement strategies, not only in terms of customer satisfaction, but also in terms of building loyalty in them.

Those expectations that were at the beginning of the first study in 1996 were more than fulfilled. As a result, it was decided to measure IEP on a regular and periodic basis. The second version of the study was carried out in 1998, which made it possible to see the evolution of the process, the effect of actions taken on the results of the first study, and trends.

Measurement of the customer satisfaction Index. — 43th EOQ Congress Proceedings, Madrid, 1999, pp. 105-113.

Φ. Rodriguez, Marketing and Logistics Manager,
F. Kreus, quality manager, sales department BICC General Cable,
Spain

Translation: V. A. Korolkevich

posted in the section: Quality management

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As is known (see clause 1.7.2), the first among the eight principles of quality management is the principle of "customer orientation". An important condition for the implementation of this principle is monitoring the degree of customer satisfaction of the organization.

The principle of "customer orientation" is now the main condition successful development any organization, since since the 1970s, in connection with the development of the market, the emergence of a large number good goods the consumer has a choice and determines the requirements for the product and its price. The manufacturer's market, typical of the 1950s and 1960s, has transformed into a consumer market.

The objectives of assessing customer satisfaction are as follows.

1. Determination of consumer requirements for the main activities of the organization, including the quality of products, analysis of the dynamics of these requirements.

2. Accounting for these requirements in the design and manufacture of products, at all stages of its implementation and operation, including disposal.

3. Bringing these requirements to the attention of all employees of the organization.

4. Assessment of the competitiveness of products.

5. Development of corrective and preventive actions to improve the QMS, increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the organization.

The most common method for assessing customer satisfaction is the method scoring. We will show the scheme of application of this method on the example of assessing the opinion of consumers about the work of the school cafeteria.

In table. 3.10 shows intermediate and final results of assessments of importance for consumers various kinds activity of the cafeteria (components of the customer satisfaction tree), the quality of these components and the overall index of consumer satisfaction with the work of the cafeteria.

A hundred consumers were asked to rate:

Significance of 9 components of the cafeteria work identified by the supplier (components of the consumer satisfaction tree) according to a five-point system (Table 3.8);

The quality of these components (tree components) according to a five-point system (Table 3.9).

Table 3.8. An example of assessing the significance of the components of the work of the organization

Columns I and II (see Table 3.10) show the results of a consumer survey on the importance of cafeteria services (components of the tree) in meeting consumer demands and needs. Moreover, column I shows the average value of the assessment of the importance of each component of the tree, and column II shows the significance (weight) of the component corresponding to this assessment for the consumer in comparison with other components offered to him.

As can be seen from the table (see Table 3.10), the quality of the food offered is very important for cafeteria visitors, so all respondents rated this component of the tree at 5 points. As a result, the average value of the assessment of the importance of food quality also turned out to be 5.

At the same time, most cafeteria consumers do not care what service methods were used, so some of them did not even put down any rating for this component of the cafeteria. When calculating the average value of the assessment, their opinion was taken into account by the number 0, and as a result, the average assessment of the importance of the service method for one hundred respondents turned out to be 0.8. The sum of the average scores of all the proposed components of the cafeteria gave 25. For the subsequent analysis of the survey results and the development of a quality improvement program, it is more convenient to represent the weight of each quality component as a percentage of all others. Thus, from column II it can be seen that the quality of food for the consumer is 20% of all the considered components of the quality of the cafeteria, and service methods - only 3%.

Table 3.10. An example of a methodology for assessing the quality of an organization's work by consumers

Columns III–VII show the number of respondents who gave one rating or another to the current quality of the cafeteria. From the analysis of the given data, the low rating score for the importance of service methods, set by the consumers of this cafeteria, becomes clear. As can be seen from the table, 73 respondents out of 100 are satisfied with the existing method of service in the cafeteria, while the remaining 27 find it difficult to answer. Apparently, they do not have the opportunity to compare it with any other. At the same time, in contrast to the passive assessment of the significance of individual components of the tree, all respondents took part in assessing the quality of performance of all components, as evidenced by the numbers given in column VIII. Column IX shows the average values of the assessments of the quality existing in the cafe on each component of the tree.

To determine the degree of consumer satisfaction with the proposed product, consumer satisfaction indices are usually used, calculated from the results of a consumer survey about the quality of the product, which he evaluates on a five-point system. The degree of consumer satisfaction is assessed using three indices, represented by figures enclosed in brackets (see Table 3.9): (1) - ratings "poor" and "unsatisfactory"; (2) - rating "satisfactory"; (3) - ratings "good" and "very good". This indexing allows you to formalize the organizational work of the company based on the needs and expectations of the user.

For subsequent analysis of consumer satisfaction, survey results are usually presented in one of three ways (see Table 3.9, a, b, from). The transition from the absolute values of the ratings set by the respondents to their percentage weight in meeting consumer expectations is shown in Fig. 3.2.

Rice. 3.2. Correspondence graphs of the absolute values of the consumer's assessments of the degree of their satisfaction as a percentage without taking into account ( but ) and taking into account (b) satisfaction index (1)

It is in accordance with the methods of representation given in the table above (see Table 3.9) (a, b, c) of the survey results, columns XI-XII are formed in the following table (see Table 3.10), where in columns X and XI the degree of customer satisfaction is presented as a percentage, and in column XII - in absolute values.

When organizing the collection and processing of information on customer satisfaction, the recommendations given in.

Customer satisfaction and its evaluation

Principles are formulated and a model of customer satisfaction management is developed. To measure customer satisfaction, it is proposed to apply the profile method, in which indicators are grouped according to similar features; the method of profiles determines the complex and integral values of the measured quantity. An example of measuring the level of satisfaction of consumers of an automobile plant is given.

Organizations today are investing heavily in programs aimed at retaining customers, as the preservation and increase of company profits depend on it. For the successful operation and development of an organization, it is necessary to accurately represent the needs of its client and the degree of its satisfaction. The ISO 9004:2000 quality management system standard prescribes mandatory monitoring of the satisfaction of own consumers (customers, customers, buyers). A methodically perfect system for assessing customer satisfaction is effective tool forecasting and improving the competitive position of the business. Measuring customer satisfaction provides a business with the information it needs to achieve maximum economic effect from having satisfied and loyal customers. Measuring customer satisfaction allows you to:

1) determine the needs of consumers and the relative importance of these requests;
2) understand how consumers perceive your products and organization as a whole and whether the activities of your organization meet their needs;
3) identify those areas where performance improvement will provide the greatest increase in customer satisfaction;
4) identify areas where the manufacturer's personnel have inadequately set consumer priorities;
5) set goals for improving goods and services and control the process of this improvement;
6) increase profits by increasing customer loyalty and retention.

The practice of successfully operating companies in the market has shown that ensuring customer satisfaction today brings big dividends in the future. For example, IBM experts have found that a 1% increase in their customer satisfaction rate generates $500 million in additional sales over the next 5 years. Toyota, the world's largest auto concern, revealed significant differences in financial performance between the best and worst dealers in terms of customer satisfaction (Table 1) . It has been established that dealers who are the most successful in satisfying consumers have significantly higher financial performance indicators than dealers who do not work enough for the company's image.

consumer satisfaction management

Satisfied consumers from all positions are beneficial to the company, since, firstly, there is a very high probability that they will become regular customers and will help save money on attracting new customers, secondly, they are ready to pay some extra charge, since they are already convinced of the quality of the products provided by this organization, thirdly, they will recommend their friends to buy your products. The new customers that result from such referrals are very beneficial because you don't spend money on them and they usually become good customers because existing good customers tend to recommend people like themselves. Harvard Business School minted the "three Rs" - retention, related sales, and referrals - emphasizing the importance of customer retention.

Companies annually lose from 10 to 30% of their customers, primarily due to the imperfection of the system for satisfying their needs. According to J. Campanella, one frustrated customer can tell an average of 35 more potential customers of the company about his problems, and this spillover can have a devastating effect on future sales.

True, F. Kotler gives a more modest figure - 11. But this is also a lot, because each of the 11 dissatisfied buyers will tell his friends about it. As a result, the number potential clients who received negative information about the company will increase exponentially. A dissatisfied customer causes damage to the company, far exceeding the money that he will no longer spend on her product.

Currently, many domestic companies in one aspect or another declare that their goal is to satisfy the consumer as much as possible. This saying, in fact, means nothing, since in a competitive economy there is not a single company seeking to satisfy its customers in the least degree.

To increase the competitiveness of their products, performance results, to retain customers and achieve their loyalty to enterprises, first of all, it is necessary to establish a system for assessing customer satisfaction. According to the American Consumer Society, retaining an old customer is 5 times cheaper than acquiring a new one. Despite the clear benefits of customer satisfaction, there is not enough research in this area. An example of this is the lack of a generally accepted objective methodology for assessing customer satisfaction, managing its level, and as a result, a large number of dissatisfied consumers. Many buyers are dissatisfied with the quality of certain domestic products, and manufacturers continue to produce them without significant improvement in quality for a long period.

A study of the consumer satisfaction index shows that 25% of buyers are not satisfied or remain dissatisfied with the purchased goods or services. Worse, 95% of these buyers prefer not to complain - either because they don't know where, or they don't want to waste their energy.

A vivid example of the impact of consumer satisfaction on the market position of a manufacturer is the domestic automotive industry. Consumer dissatisfaction with the quality of cars produced by Russian manufacturers led to a decrease in their market share from 68% in 2004 to 22.6% in 2009 (Q1), while the share of imported cars increased from 22 to 51.2% (Fig. one). The picture could be even sadder for Russian manufacturers, but the "customs umbrella", the price advantage and constant financial support from the state are still saving the domestic auto industry from complete collapse. The main reason for the plight of car factories is the low level of management. Over the last 3-5 years, before the start economic crisis autumn 2008, financial position car factories was not bad, there were opportunities to raise the level of product quality, update the model range, and take into account consumer requirements more fully. Unfortunately, there was no significant improvement in the quality of products during this time, the backlog in terms of technical level from foreign cars was not overcome, car service did not improve significantly, the wishes of consumers were not taken into account. As a result, more and more consumers preferred foreign cars. Ignoring the requirements of consumers always ends the same way - the collapse of the business.

When problems arise with UE, enterprises, as a rule, develop their own methods for measuring it. Due to the imperfection of the methodology for measuring UE, conclusions are sometimes drawn that are inadequate to the situation. Unfortunately, for many manufacturers, PM management begins and ends with measuring its level, since this procedure is required by the quality management system. But the results of the assessment should be the beginning of painstaking work to improve all aspects of the enterprise, especially those with which customers have expressed dissatisfaction. Based on the results of monitoring, successful enterprises not only eliminate the problematic areas of their activities, but also take measures to anticipate consumer complaints. Are there many such manufacturers? Unfortunately, we rarely see “exciting quality” products, when a customer discovers completely unexpected useful properties or characteristics in a product that unambiguously lead to deep customer satisfaction.

For example, the Neva-2M walk-behind tractor consumes an average of 0.3 liters of gasoline to process a plot of 10 acres. Extreme fuel efficiency with high reliability causes deep satisfaction of consumers with this walk-behind tractor.

PM is determined by the perception of the product (service) by a particular consumer and the degree of compliance of the real product with his expectations. It is like beauty: one and the same object may please some, others may not. Each consumer, due to individual differences, makes his own demands on the object, and the properties of the object are the same for everyone, hence the disagreement in the evaluation results. Given this circumstance, consumer satisfaction will be understood as an individual evaluation category, which is formed as a result of comparing at a particular point in time a set of indicators of a real “extended” product (service) with consumer expectations. An “extended” product includes both the essence of the product (I level) and everything connected with it (II level). For example, for a car, the essence of a product is a set of its technical and economic indicators implemented in it, and Level II is the quality and development of service, advertising, availability and price of spare parts, delivery time after ordering, discounts, leasing, provision of another car during the period repair, etc.

The PM category is studied in order to manage its level, that is, to ensure that the maximum number of buyers' expectations coincide, or even better, "overlap" the characteristics of the product (service). For effective management level of PM, it is necessary to clearly present the mechanism of formation and factors influencing PM, knowing the level of which, firstly, it will be possible to develop an objective method for measuring it, and secondly, to take reasonable steps to improve the characteristics of the product and the impact on the consumer. The perception of a product (Fig. 2), which serves as the basis for the formation of PM, is influenced by a variety of both internal (personal) and external factors, different combinations of which lead to an ambiguous assessment of the same product by different buyers. This is the essence of expanding the individualization of the production of goods (services), even consumer goods (for example, cars, houses, cell phones, shoes, etc.)

Successful enterprises manage PM on a systematic basis. In particular, they have a program to increase the BP, a system of its periodic measurement has been established; a large number of consumers (more than 200) are being investigated; both quantitative and qualitative research is carried out; perfect methods of measurement are applied; work is carried out under the constant supervision of senior management; the team is informed about the results of the assessment; established feedback with consumers and contact with dissatisfied customers; never blame the client for anything; compensate for the loss of the client and make discounts for re-purchases; based on the results of the PM assessment, managerial decisions are promptly made; material remuneration of employees is linked to the level of PM, etc.

These proven effective processes should be used in the development of a PM management system.

To obtain objective measurement results and increase the level of PM, it is necessary to comply with the fundamental requirements for PM control. Taking into account the main directions of development of the theory of management, marketing, management of PM, qualimetry, accumulated scientific and practical knowledge in this area, the following basic principles of PM management are formulated.

1. The principle of scientific validity indicates that the proposed PM management model should be based on scientifically sound provisions in the field under study and on best practices, not contradict socio-economic laws, and establish objective links between its content elements and other categories of the subject area.
2. The principle of modeling lies in the fact that management is carried out cyclically on the basis of identifying "bottlenecks", reserves, trends and patterns in changing market conditions and the level of PM, comparing indicators with those of competitors, developing measures aimed at improving the performance of the enterprise to the level competitors.
3. The principle of continuity of management is determined by the dynamism of phenomena in the external and internal environment of the enterprise. Constant monitoring will allow management to timely identify threats, trends in the development of markets, goods, production and management technologies, and make timely adjustments to the PM management process, avoiding losses.

PM improvement is a “no-destination journey” and the enterprise must constantly move forward on this journey.

4. The principle of consumer orientation follows from the purpose of the functioning of the enterprise in a market economy. In a competitive economy, the well-being of an enterprise is achieved in one way - by meeting the requirements of consumers.
5. The principle of complexity expresses that management decisions should be developed taking into account all aspects of the external and internal environment of the enterprise. The PM management model should integrate market factors with the internal performance indicators of the enterprise.
6. The principle of improvement, which consists in the possibility of continuous improvement of the PM management model, depending on changes in the conditions of the external and internal environment.
7. Completeness and reliability of information is a necessary attribute for successful implementation models. Compliance with the principle of scientific management of PM largely depends on the completeness of the information support of management processes and requires extensive, diverse and reliable information. In addition, both consumers and employees of the enterprise should be familiar with the results of the PM assessment.
8. The principle of uniformity means that the compared objects should be evaluated according to the same indicators and according to the same methodology.

Compliance with this principle will ensure the comparability of the results of an individual assessment of competing enterprises.

9. The principle of truthfulness is necessary to avoid accepting erroneous management decisions. “Embellishment” of the indicators of the UE of the evaluated object, underestimation of the indicators of competitors leads to a distortion of reality, to the adoption of incorrect management decisions.
10. The principle of relevance means that the model must correspond to the problem being solved, that is, its application must solve managerial problems in the field of PM management.
11. The principle of dialectic implies that the PM management model should consider the studied phenomena and factors in development.
12. The principle of compliance with the laws of qualimetry. key element the measurement of its level remains in the PM control system, since it is impossible to control what is not measured. The task is set quantification quality category "UP". The solution of this problem is carried out on the basis of the theoretical provisions of qualimetry. The result of the evaluation of the UE should be obtained in compliance with the following qualimetry requirements: suitability, sufficiency, uniqueness, reliability, quantifiability, integrity, individuality, flexibility, ease of labor, efficiency, improveability, quantity, uniformity, globality, uniqueness, comparability, reproducibility, sensitivity, monotony, accuracy, dynamism, controllability, scale, economic efficiency.

Taking into account the above fundamental provisions, a PM management model was developed (Fig. 3). The essence of this model is that, through exploratory research, the expected appearance of the product is formed, and based on the results of quantitative research, the actual appearance of the product is revealed through questioning, which are compared with each other. Further, firstly, a decision is made on PM, and secondly, a course of action is outlined to improve its level.

The process of improving the PM is carried out with an eye on the competitors: using the same methodology, the PM is measured by the goods of competitors and a comparison of their results with the results of the evaluated object is made. This approach makes it possible to strengthen the competitive position of the manufacturer in the market, not only to improve the PM through its own innovations, but also to take into account the innovations of competitors, to more fully identify the commitment of potential buyers. Indeed, if your buyer went to a competitor, it means that he found something that you do not have.

Parallel measurement of the level of PM for our own products and products of competitors greatly simplifies the planning of measures to improve the PM. A simple everyday principle is that what consumers like about competing products will be what they like about your products.

Improving the PM in the model is carried out, regardless of the result of the assessment, continuously along the cycle "measurement - analysis of results - development of measures - implementation of measures - measurement". At the beginning of the PM improvement cycle, there is a measurement of its level, so the enterprise must have a reliable tool for measuring PM.

A biased assessment of the category under study can lead to the adoption of erroneous management decisions, unreasonable complacency.

The PM measurement algorithm is, in fact, simple, but it has many nuances that determine the objectivity of the assessment. The first nuance is related to the choice of indicators. There are many factors that combine to reproduce "customer satisfaction". Therefore, firstly, it is necessary to decide which indicators to take to evaluate the PM, secondly, how many indicators to take to obtain a reliable result, and thirdly, how to determine the weights of the accepted indicators.

The first problem is solved by conducting exploratory studies (see Fig. 3), which are qualitative. In contrast to quantitative research, qualitative research is concerned with obtaining a large amount of information from a small number of consumers. A large amount of information is needed, because at this stage the task is to understand what is important for consumers, what questions to include in the questionnaire. Qualitative research provides a lot of information and insight, but since only a small number of consumers are involved, it may not be statistically reliable. In the course of exploratory research conducted through “in-depth interviews” or focus group discussions, a list of the most important indicators of the product and what is associated with it is established from the point of view of the consumer.

Based on the results of the interview, a list of indicators that are most significant for the consumer is formed. What if their number turns out to be too large (more than 100) or, conversely, small (less than 10-20)? The author in the work found that the result of a comparative assessment of the quality of objects depends on the number of accepted indicators. For a reliable assessment of objects, it is recommended to take at least 40 single quality indicators. When forming a questionnaire and developing a method for measuring BP, it is advisable to adhere to this recommendation. So far, unfortunately, this issue has not been given due attention in practice. Thus, KamAZ OJSC, in accordance with the requirements of the quality management system certified according to ISO 9000:2000, quarterly measures the UE of cargo vehicles. 150-200 automobile enterprises of various sectors of the economy participate in the survey. In parallel, it is evaluated on a 10-point scale for the products of MAZ, UralAZ, KrAZ and foreign manufacturers according to 23 indicators, which are grouped according to 6 criteria:

1. Product quality (reliability, safety, operating costs, specifications, design, ergonomics, environmental friendliness).
2. Warranty and service (quality of repair, availability, cost of service).
3. Engine (build quality, reliability, maintainability, fuel consumption, cost and consumption of spare parts, ease of control of the gearbox).
4. Personnel (competence, efficiency).
5. Price (price policy, prices for spare parts and materials).
6. Deliveries (observance of terms of delivery, a condition of the car, a complete set).

It should be noted that the list of UE indicators used in KamAZ OJSC is incomplete. For example, among the quality indicators there are no such important indicators for consumers as adaptability to operating conditions, design complexity, aesthetics, functionality, comfort, etc. The nomenclature of indicators must necessarily include those, the absence of which clearly causes dissatisfaction. For example, for cars is the presence of an air conditioner. True, increasing the values of these indicators does not increase satisfaction. Installing two air conditioners in a car is unlikely to delight buyers. Practice shows that delight is caused by the presence of elements of “exciting quality” in the object, that is, something that the buyer did not expect. For example, in the rain, the windscreen wipers of a newly purchased car automatically turned on, and the owner did not know that his car was equipped with a rain sensor. Providing consumers with such pleasant surprises is a direct way to win their hearts. True, at the same time, the other quality indicators of the product must be at their best, otherwise these “surprises” can become a source of irritation and, as a result, dissatisfaction. Does the same rain sensor need a car that, for example, has difficulty shifting gears or a wheel that is not balanced?

As for the weight of indicators, when there are several dozen of them, it is unlikely that any buyer is able to determine the numerical values of their weight coefficients, and in fact the reliability of the comparative assessment of objects is largely determined by the method used to calculate the weight coefficients. In such cases, it is advisable to combine the entire set of indicators into 5-10 groups according to similar characteristics and, in the course of a survey, find out from consumers their priorities. Psychologists have established that when the number of managed objects is 7 or less, the situation is well controlled and the object is manageable, so it is not recommended to inflate the number of groups of PM indicators. The values of the weighting coefficients of groups of indicators can be most objectively calculated by the analysis of hierarchies (HAI). In the work, on the basis of numerical experiments and comparison of the calculated values of the integral quality of goods with the data of expert assessments based on the results of full-scale tests, it was established that among the methods for determining the weight coefficients of object indicators, the most objective is the use of MAI.

At comparative assessments the calculation of the integral indicator of SP without taking into account the weighting coefficients is not excluded, since in this case, if we make a mistake, it will apply to all competitors. However, there is a danger that you outperform your competitors in terms of the least significant characteristics for consumers and, having received an integral indicator that is superior to competitors, you will calm yourself. Therefore, the evaluation of PM should be carried out taking into account the weight of the indicators. Relaxation in this matter is possible in the fact that the complex indicator of PM for any attribute within the group can be calculated without taking into account the weights on the basis of the assumption that all indicators within the group are equally significant.

When developing a method for measuring UE, the difficulty is in choosing the measurement scale. As a rule, when measuring PM, a 4- or 5-point scale is used: “very satisfied”, “satisfied”, “not satisfied”, “very dissatisfied”. Satisfaction is expressed as a percentage. Unfortunately, this leads to a rather rough measurement. Most companies get 75-85% satisfaction. Even poorly performing organizations can easily observe the 60%. The difficulty is that with such a study it is very difficult to see the improvements that occur from year to year. The accuracy of the study is such that changes of 1 or 2% are within the statistical error of the calculations and do not mean real changes.

For making managerial decisions, it does not matter whether the consumer is “not satisfied” or “very dissatisfied”, therefore it is proposed to use a 3-level rating scale: “delight” - 2 points; "satisfied" - 1 point; "not satisfied" - 0 points. Separating "delight" from "satisfaction" is necessary to predict the number of loyal customers. It has been established that a strict relationship between customer satisfaction and his loyalty is observed only with high satisfaction. Research by companies such as AT&T, Rank Xerox and The Royal Bank of Scotland has shown that 95% of consumers who responded "excellent" and "very satisfied" in a survey become loyal to the company later, and only 65% of those who answered "satisfied". According to Xerox, customers who are completely satisfied with the company's products are 6 times more likely to want to make a repeat purchase within the next 18 months than customers who are simply satisfied with the quality of the product. This explains why many organizations with experience in measuring PM believe that only "top marks" of a company's performance can be considered acceptable.

Taking into account the remarks noted above, a method for measuring the UE is proposed, which is based on the method of profiles for measuring the quality of objects. Preparation for research, consumer surveys are conducted according to the algorithm shown in fig. 3. In order to increase certainty in the survey, a 3-step scale is used: “excellent (delight)” - 2; "satisfied" - 1; "not satisfied" - 0.

The adopted indicators are grouped according to similar characteristics, complex group indicators of PM are calculated on them, which makes it possible to identify the problem areas of the enterprise.

The results of the survey are processed using the analytical version of the profile method, according to which the absolute values of individual indicators of the BP are first reduced to relative values, and then the complex group coefficient of the BP is determined by the formula:

where n is the number of single indicators in the i-th group; Yi1, Yi2, …, Yin - relative values of individual indicators of the object included in the i-th group. Relative values for direct indicators are found by the formula:

and relative values for reciprocal indicators - according to the formula:

where Pij is the quantitative value of the j-th indicator i-th group; Pij max - the maximum value of the j-th indicator among the compared objects.

Direct indicators are those indicators, the increase in the values of which increases the level of satisfaction, reverse - vice versa.

The integral indicator of BP of the k-th manufacturer is determined taking into account the weighting coefficients of groups of indicators according to the formula:

where UPi is a complex indicator of IS of the i-th group; ?i - coefficient i-th weight groups of quality indicators.

The weighting coefficients of the PM indicator groups are determined on the basis of the application of the AHP. The main advantage of the AHP is that the weights of indicators are not assigned by a direct volitional method, but are determined on the basis of paired comparisons. At the same time, however, the choice of the degree of superiority of one indicator over another remains uncertain (intuitive). The reliability of the application of the ratio scale is confirmed by the results comparative analysis many other scales. The effectiveness of the application of the MAI has been proven both theoretically and practically in solving multi-criteria problems of assessing objects in various sectors of the economy.

In table. 2 provides an example of a measurement technique for evaluating the BP of a truck manufacturer and three of its competitors. PM is evaluated by 46 indicators, which are divided into 8 groups.

The group indicators of UE are determined by formulas (1)-(3) without taking into account weights, and the integral indicator - by formula (4).

The assessment results show that the assessed manufacturer is inferior to competitor No. 4 in terms of PM, which has the best results among the compared manufacturers in 5 groups of indicators out of 8, and the assessed enterprise - only in terms of economic indicators and warranty service. In the future, based on the analysis of PM indicators, measures are developed aimed at increasing its level. Consumers of the products of the assessed enterprise express dissatisfaction with the design of the car, fuel consumption, corrosion resistance of units, quality of repairs in service centers, condition of the car upon delivery, complete set. The company must first take measures to improve performance in these areas. When developing measures, the experience of those competitors who have a high PM in these areas will be useful.

The proposed model of managing the level of PM is an effective tool for increasing the competitiveness of an enterprise, since only by satisfying the consumer to the fullest extent can the market position of the manufacturer be strengthened. The structured nature of the task of measuring UE makes it easy to identify strong and weak sides activities of the enterprise and its products, therefore, to develop activities with a focus on the performance of competitors.

The model is universal: choosing the appropriate indicators in Table. 2, it is possible to measure the UE of any product or service.

Literature

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3. Campanella J. Economics of quality. Basic principles and their application. - M.: Standards and quality, 2005.
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