Customer Attitudes Toward Bmw Motorcycles Essay Example for Free

Customer Attitudes Toward Bmw Motorcycles EssayThis final inform is the finish summary version of overall indoctrinateing, knowledge, and data of the marketing research under the argona of BMW R1200 GS/GSA pedals in UK. The BMW Motorrad under the BMW collection has been producing motorcycles since 1923 and has providing a variety range of motorcycle styles (bmwgroup, 2012). In addition, the flummox of BMW R1200 GS/GSA motorcycles is a study controlation motorcycle in adventure sport style for all bikers in UK as it was named in the top ten example of upstart motorcycles registration (MCIA, 2011). However, The Motorcycle Industry Association defines endanger motorcycle as These bikes encompass trials which similar in style to Enduro motorcycles but atomic number 18 predominantly designed and capable for on-road use (MCIA, 2012).The objective of this research story is to discover attitudes of UK guests towards the model. To be much(prenominal) specific, the researc h newspaper publisher volition look into the association amidst blemish images, shade and price perception of the current riders towards this BMW motorcycle model. Moreover, the research paper leave explore node cheer and the loyalty of the brand. Additionally, this research paper bequeath de boundine the outstanding in product value of BMW R1200 GS/GSA that it has over its rivals in the adventure motorcycle segmentation.The paper will first provide background information of conceptual model in brand rightfulness which would provide a basic understanding of how to measure and manage brand equity. Furthermore, the explanation in the model of gaiety towards loyalty will be discussed. Besides, the hypothesis of the study model will be illustrated. In the neighboring section, the method of conducting online surveys and the utilization of this technique will be discussed. Thirdly, the interpretation from the obtained data will be shown in the finding and analysis section. Fin ally, the conclusion of the paper will be discussed to sum up the whole research paper including limitations and ethics issues.Literature re understandIn the book, Managing Brand Value (Aaker, 1991) has defined the term of brand equity as the connection of the name and emblems to a set of assets that would increase the value of the ships clubs products or services. In addition, during the customers buying decision process (McKinsey 1996) has found in his research that brands meet 18 percent of summarize purchase decisions. in that respectfore, these tin can be indicated that branding act as whizz of the significant factors towards customers purchasing. However, the suggestion from (Keller, 2003) stated that the power of a brand would remain in customers mind in concert with their sensed experiences and they will learn about the brand over time. Hence, there is the development process of modulate the brand of a comp any. The figure (2) illustrates the framework of brand eq uity from (Keller, 2003).Figure 2 Brand blondness FrameworkSource Keller, K (2003). Building, Measuring and Managing Brand Equity. Upper institutionalize River, New Jersey apprentice HallThe framework provides 4 steps that involved in building a strong brand however, the hierarchy of brand equity determine that in order to move up in for each one level, there is a requirement from the successful of the previous one. The first level, companies project to set up a brand identity which will imply brand silence and would lead customers to aware the brand (Keller, 2003). The next step is to serve an appropriated brand meaning involve either performance or imagery that cogitate to the brand (Keller, 2003).Thirdly, it is a significant to response the judgments and feelings (opinion, evaluation and emotional) from the customers to gain brand attitudes in customers point of view (Keller, 2003). Lastly, the companies need to create a brand rapport by trying to minimize the gap betwee n what companies think and what customers think via communication tools that would permeate put the brand into consumers mind, resulting in a good kind with them (Keller, 2003). However, after building the strong brand equity, (Keller, 2003) has claimed that brand loyalty would appear to be one of the benefits to the brand.On the some otherwise hand, well-nigh companies consider the customers to be one of the significant keys to forge the follow successful. Therefore, (Erdem Swait, 2004) propose that the decisiveness of successful business in long-term is to deliver the value to customers which related to (Marconi, 2000) suggestion that one of the factors which would make customers to remain loyal over brand is customer delight. However, the American Customer propitiation Index (figure 3) will be use to explain the model of customer gratification. Figure 3 the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI)Source (Johnson, Gustafsson, Andreassen, Cha, 2001) The evolution and f uture of national customer satisfaction index models. (theacsi.org, 2001) explained that customer satisfaction occurs from dickens driven factors which can affect the satisfaction either directly or going finished the perceived value factor (quality relative to the expense). From those two driven factors, the first factor is customer expectation, which is the customers anticipation of the quality of the products in both prior consumption experience from consumer and the expectation from companys product quality deliver. In addition, the second factor is perceived quality which determine by the evaluation of the products quality from customer toward the organization.However, the figure shows that there is a negative consanguinity between customer complaint once they disconfirm with the expectation and customer loyalty. This can be explained as the more satisfactory from the customers, there is little possibility in the resulted of getting complain from the customers. However, ( theacsi.org, 2001) suggests that there is a chance of turning unsatisfied customers to loyalty customers after the compensations experience been introduced to them. To conclude, in order to gain customer loyalty, the companies have to deliver the value of the products to meet or exceed customers expectation as loyalty customers are more likely to create repurchase activity. The another related support to the important in loyalty of customers provided by (Reichheld.F.F, 1996) in his book, The Loyalty Effect, in which he stated that in order to bring in a new customer to the company is five times more costly than it is to retain an existing customer. query DesignThe early discussion was about satisfying the customers who act as a main sham of building the successful businesses as they are involve in many organizations process. Hence, it is correct that the framework of this research paper is to focus on the importance of satisfying customers as it will create the benefit toward the company in term of brand loyalty. (Gobe, 2001) states that, there is several area of supporting customers into customers satisfaction such as price-quality-relation. Furthermore, (Keller, 2003) consider brand attitude in brand equity process to be a drive towards loyalty as well. This research design will be classified as causal research to obtain evidence of cause-and-effect affinitys (Malhotra, Birks, Wills, 2012).These ideas made the hypothesis of the study as H1a There is a relationship between brand image perception and the level of customer satisfaction for BMW R1200 GS/GSA H1a There is a relationship between quality perception and the level of customer satisfaction for BMW R1200 GS/GSA H1a There is a relationship between price perception and the level of customer satisfaction for BMW R1200 GS/GSA H2 There is a relationship of BMW R1200 GS/GSA customers toward purchase loyalty The Figure 4 illustrates the study model involving the relationship between brand attitudes towards customer satisfaction in BMW R1200 GS/GSA and customer satisfaction in BMW R1200 GS/GSA towards brand loyalty.MethodologyThis research has been utilized quantitative in order to gather data under one particular model of BMW motorcycles, which is R1200GS/GSA. The objective of quantitative is to find out customers attitude influence factors relate to each participant perceptions. However, this survey method has introduced a set of questionnaire with 25 closed questions. The period of survey collection was between 10th November and 10th celestial latitude 2012 through online survey technique under the survey site named Wufoo. The format of online survey included body structure scales in a range from 1 to 5 and yes or no questions. The questionnaires have been distributed and upload onto BMW Motorrad Parklane Facebook and UKGSer page. The ingrained responder is 11 people which specific that have to be BMW R1200 GS/GSA riders.The questionnaires have been mainly divided into 6 section s. The first 3 questions were designed to seek for the top three requirements of participants that they consider before purchasing any adventure motorcycles. In the next section, 3 questions were designed to find the competitive advantage factors and the relative of price-to-quality in perspectives view. In the thirdly section, 5 questions were utilize to determine the customers judgment toward the product quality. Moreover, there are a set of 5 questions used in search for customer feeling toward BMW R1200 GS/GSA. In addition, the others 5 questions were used to indicate customer resonance and their potential of creating benefit toward the brand. Finally, 5 questions were used to gain demographic information of respondents.LimitationsThe limitation of time was the major restrictive as the data collection periods is within 1 week. Furthermore, the difficultly of realizing the tangible target population as some of respondents may not own the actual motorcycle in BMW R1200GS/GSA. A dditionally, there are no female respondents in all of the returned forms. The scope down of the research number into a specific model of motorcycle created an obstacle to find the right target of respondents. The post on facebook page has bias of gained non-geographic target group information as there are respondents which are not in UK. Moreover, some of the forums and websites are not currently frequently activated making the posts being used ineffectively. Finally, with the limited number of 10 respondents, resulted in low resources are being used in the evaluation. honest considerationsThe pattern of doing this research paper has been announced and posted on every websites and forums before the actual online-survey. There is a statement state clearly in term of confidentiality that respondents information is treated with grittyly confidentiality. In addition, the questions in the questionnaire under the demographic section have provided an alternative of prefer not to answer weft to allow the refusing of answering for respondents as they may have an uncomfortable condition. The collected data and information will be used in an education area only there is no hidden purpose in either businesses or individual organization.FindingsThe process of gathering data took 4 weeks and there are 72 perspectives viewed of the survey in total. However, there are only 11 entries out of 72 viewed which can be transfer into 15.3% as the conversion rate. The average time per respondent to finish the survey is 3.16 minutes each. However, there is 1 out of 11 responded that is a fault data due to the location of the respondent is outside UK.In the first section, 50% of total responded consider outside(prenominal) design to be considered the most when they buy an adventure motorcycle, while seat comfort is their second consideration with 40% of total. In addition, they consider bag and storage to be the third choice with 40% of the total.In the next section, 60% of tota l respondents have agreed that BMW R1200 GS/GSA is worth its price. In addition, 90% of them perceived that this model is more superior to other brands within the same price category. Moreover, the data explained that 70% of respondents perceived the superior fact as this model is the best in handling, while another 30% expressed the fact as the endure motorcycle.The third section is finding of the customers judgment toward the product quality with the full score of 5 marks. The best perceived value in quality of the model is safe follow by status symbol, quality product, trustworthy, and last is high performance product with the scores of 4.5, 4.2, 4.1, 3.9, and 3.6 points respectively. The data shows the customers feeling toward BMW R1200 GS/GSA in the fourth section. It is freedom that customer feel the most with 4.2 while fun is their second perceived with the score of 4 out of 5. The respondents appropriate the third feeling that come in to their mind of excitement and self- respect with 3.9 point, while genial approving is the last place in their feeling of 3.8 point.In the Fourth section, the data is used to analyze the customers resonance toward the model. However, out of 5, respondents show 4.1 point as they are happy with the model the most, while the fact that they satisfied and willing to refer the model to others share the same scores of 4 point each. Lastly, perspective expressed their love to BMW R1200 GS/GSA only 3.7 point.Finally, the data from the survey shows that all of 10 entries were male which translated into 100%. The average group is between 46-55 years old with the percentage of 80 out of total. Moreover, 50% of the total earns their income more than 50,001 annual while 40% of them earn the average between 25,001- 50,000 yearly. Moreover, 70% of respondents married and which left remaining 30% of them as single. Finally, the education fact shows that 50% of the total respondents graduated their highest education in high school wh ile other 40% and 10% are undergraduates and master level respectively. ConclusionAccording to the study, exterior design consider to be the most important to customers when they buy as its related to social approval most customers agree that BMW R1200 GS/GSA give them that feeling. However, BMW is considering this factor as one of the main development processes make the company continuously improve a better look in designing along with new technologies attached to their bikes. Moreover, the seat comfort and storage is considered to be significant to all adventure riders. Due to a long distance in riding their motorbikes, they require a suitable seat to support their somatogenic body and space to storage their goods.Results also show that BMW R1200 GS/GSA has the competitive advantage over the rival in the same category as customers perceived that the model has the best balance in control. On the other hand, only 60% of customers perceived this model is worth a premium price due to the less agreement that this model is a high performance product. However, customers still satisfied with the product even though, the customers have standard perceived that this motorcycle model is worth to spend money on. Therefore, it can be canvas that there is less relationship between price and satisfaction.The relationship between product quality and satisfaction can be interpreted as there is a positive relationship between these two factors. The research shows that customers are highly consider BMW R1200 GS/GSA as a safe motorcycle and high quality product. The company has captured the most important need in every rider which is safety, and delivers the value to them clearly which resulted in gaining the satisfactions from value deliver. However, by looking at specifically to individuals that has less satisfaction, it is only the fact that BMW R1200 GS/GSA is not high performance enough for them.In term of brand image, the customers is highly involved with status symbol a s the high score of 4.2 point can determine that the company has created brand association and meaning towards customers. Moreover, the company has well delivered the feeling of freedom in this product make a fulfillment in the indigence of adventure travelers. Therefore, brand image has positive relationship toward satisfaction.Finally, with the high number in people who are happy and satisfied with BMW R1200 GS/GSA related to their willingness to refer this motorcycle model to others. This is can be explained that there is a positive relationship between satisfaction and customers loyalty as loyalty customers would most likely to be influencers in bringing new customers to purchase the product.ReferencesAaker, D (1991). Managing Brand Equity Capitalizing on the Value of a Brand Name, Free insisting, New York, NYAggarwal, P. (2004). The Effects of Brand Relationship Norms on Comsumer Attitudes and Behaviour. Journal of consumer research, June Court, D., Freeling, A., Leiter, M., Parsons, J. A. (1996). Mckinsey Quarterly uncovering the value of brands. Retrieved from http//www.mckinseyquarterly.com/Uncovering_the_value_of_brands_201 Erdem, Tulin, and Swait, Joffre. (2004). Brand Credibility, Brand Consideration and Choices. Journal of consumer research,June Gobe, M. (2001). Emotional Branding. New York, NY Allworth Press. Keller, K. (2003). Buliding, Measuring, and Managing Brand Equity. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey Prentice Hall. Kiley, D. (2004). Driven Inside BMW, the most admired car company in the world. Malhotra, K. N., Birks, F. D., Wills, P. (2012). Marketing Research (4th ed.) An Applied Approach. The Motor Cycle Industry Association (2011). Motorcycle Registration Statistics. Press statistic. Retrieved from http//www.mcia.co.uk/Press-and-Statistics/NewReg_Statistics.aspx Weiler, M. (2004). BMW Exploring Customer Attitudes.