The objective of this study is to examine the services offered by MILANO COFFEE and the impact of service quality on customer satisfaction.. The study employed a quantitative research me
Introduction
Vietnam's coffee industry is one of its most important contributors to economic growth Therefore, governments and businesses on the global platform have an essential role and responsibility in ensuring sustainability in the coffee industry (Do, Kumar and Do, 2019) Both the Vietnamese economy and the international coffee market have been significantly impacted by Vietnam's rapid growth Some four million Vietnamese people rely on the coffee industry for their livelihood (Luong and Tauer, 2006) Because Vietnam is the globe's second-biggest coffee manufacturer, Vietnamese Coffee has gained a strong following around the globe Since many Vietnamese people enjoy their morning coffee, coffee shops have sprung up all over the country (Tu and Linh, 2017)
The rapid expansion and proliferation of the coffee industry has created a cutthroat marketplace where companies are constantly on the lookout for new strategies to enhance their share of consumer spending Based on the conventional approach, the marketing strategy frequently boosts consumer satisfaction and loyalty by delivering high-quality services (Tran, Dang and Tournois, 2020) Lee, Moon, and Song (2018) assert that it is imperative to offer services or goods that foster customer satisfaction or avert dissatisfaction in order to maintain or acquire customers.
Rationale of the Research
A multitude of academic literature posits that customer satisfaction has become a pivotal element of the service sector, as it has the capacity to be linked with advantageous business outcomes, such as heightened sales and customer loyalty (Lee, Moon and Song, 2018) The main goal of the current research is to investigate the variables that influence customer satisfaction within the service industry, with a particular emphasis on MILANO COFFEE as a case study It is absolutely necessary to take into consideration the attributes that may influence consumer satisfaction in order to ensure the success of coffee sales, given that consumers represent the primary component of coffee transactions
Problem Statement
The present study is delimited to the appraisal of customer service quality, with a particular focus on MILANO COFFEE, thus precluding a comprehensive and objective assessment of customer service quality in general The study necessitates that survey responds to the customer service protocol at MILANO COFFEE prior to conducting an evaluation As a result, individuals who lack prior experience with the establishment's customer service will be precluded from participating in the study.
The idea of research implementation
Overview of MILANO COFFFEE
MILANO COFFEE is a franchise coffee brand with over a decade of industry experience MILANO COFFEE is a manufacturer, trader, and franchisor of coffee with over 1900 establishments in 52 provinces "MILANO COFFEE was founded on the premise of producing coffee that is popular, approachable, and rooted in the "toad" coffee shop tradition Unlike other coffee establishments, MILANO COFFEE grows and conducts business Pure coffee beverages with spotless, comfortable, and courteous service" (milanocoffee.com.vn)
Research Question and Research Objectives
Research Questions
To establish the research objective, the present study has formulated the following research question:
“What is the influence of customer service on customer satisfaction and brand loyalty and how does it affect, specifically in the context of MILANO COFFEE?”
Research Objectives
In order to achieve the research objective and to respond to the research inquiry, the research endeavor is comprised of the subsequent objectives:
Objective 1: To investigate the impact of customer service factors on customer satisfaction
Objective 2: To investigate the impact of customer service and customer satisfaction factors on brand loyalty attitude
Objective 3: To investigate the impact of customer service and customer satisfaction variables on brand loyalty behavior.
The Scope of Study
Although the coffee industry in Vietnam is experiencing significant growth, it appears that many coffee shops prioritize their product offerings and interior design over customer service, neglecting the importance of this aspect for their business This study's overarching goal is to shed light on why customer service is so vital to the success of coffee businesses
The study's scope was restricted to 305 respondents who utilized the services of MILANO COFFEE The survey will be conducted with the participation of individuals primarily through the link obtained from Facebook The survey will commence on March 10th, 2023 and conclude on April 3rd, 2023, at which point data analysis will be conducted upon reaching the desired number of participants
Research Approach
The present study adopts a quantitative deductive positivism methodology The study's aim and objectives have been formulated based on the preceding sections, with the intention of addressing the research question through the proposed research methodology A literature review was undertaken to establish a research methodology for analyzing customer service in the coffee industry by examining prior studies in this area The research methodology was informed by the findings of the literature review, which is presented in chapter two This methodology entails the utilization of surveys as the primary research instrument for data collection The rationale for adopting this methodology will be thoroughly examined in the third chapter of the research Subsequently, all the gathered data will undergo a thorough cleansing process and detailed analysis in the fourth chapter.
Research Outline and Structure
The report comprises five distinct chapters, each with a unique perspective and emphasis on the subject of investigation The report's chapters are accompanied by an introductory section that outlines intended contributions, as well as a concluding section that aims to provide balance and contextualize the findings presented within
The report comprises the subsequent sections:
This chapter serves as an introduction to the research inquiry, providing an overview of the research question, contextualizing the study within its background, and establishing the aims and objectives of the investigation
This chapter comprises a literature review that analyzes existing academic literature to formulate the secondary research of the current study
This chapter presents a comprehensive discourse on the research methodology employed to achieve the study's objectives and address the research inquiry
Chapter 4: This chapter presents the findings and analysis derived from the
Findings experimentation conducted using the methods established in Chapter 3
This chapter presents recommendations for future research that can build upon the findings of the current study The study is summarized by reviewing the preceding chapters with respect to the study's aims, objectives, and research questions
Table 1: Research Structure of the Study
Chapter conclusion
The present chapter functions as a brief overview of the topic of customer service quality in the coffee industry while also offering an understanding of the reasoning behind the author's choice of subject matter The chapter provides a synopsis of the research methodologies employed to achieve the study's goals and objectives The chapter has presented a succinct overview of the primary findings that this report will subsequently strive to achieve
Coffee shop in Vietnam
The coffee industry is currently one of the hottest industries in the Vietnamese market Vietnamese coffee drinking is a habit and a part of their culture Surprisingly, the exponential expansion of the franchise coffee store business has been remarkably stable in both established and developing markets (Han et al., 2018) Coffee firms must find ways to draw and keep consumers and boost profits in a highly competitive market due to their rapid growth Traditional marketing strategies often increase customer happiness and trust by providing high-quality services (Tran, Dang and Tournois, 2020)
Vietnam's coffee industry is characterized by local production and distinctive preparation methods, which contribute to the gastronomic experience of global travelers frequenting indigenous cafes, eateries, and lodging establishments Although tea holds a significant place in the cultural heritage of northern Vietnam, coffee has emerged as a prevalent beverage choice among the Vietnamese populace (Jolliffe, 2010) The proliferation of coffee chain establishments worldwide and the ensuing brand rivalry have rendered their survival and sustainable growth increasingly challenging The expeditious nature of consumers' purchasing decision-making behavior is noted within this particular context (Mai et al., 2022).
Concepts
Organic product quality
In the last twenty years, there has been a substantial increase in the demand for organic goods across all nations There exist two underlying factors that contribute to this phenomenon The current trend in consumer behaviour indicates an increasing preference for environmentally sustainable, health-promoting, and advantageous modes of consumption There is a growing trend among producers to shift away from traditional products and towards alternative options like nutritious foods and organic products, as noted by Sarabia-Andreu et al (2020) The objective of organic food production is to produce ecologically sustainable, economically viable, and socially equitable food that is capable of integrating humanity into the environment (Cardoso, Casarotto Filho and Cauchick Miguel, 2015) Organic products are produced using environmentally favourable techniques that take into account both the characteristics of the ultimate product and the
7 production methods Thus, it is anticipated that the rising demand for organic foods will continue in the future (Tsakiridou et al., 2008) Consequently, the brand image of organic food is perceived as robust by consumers, and thus, it is expected to have a higher market value compared to conventionally produced food According to Blair (2012), the production cost of organic food is higher compared to conventional food, resulting in increased expenses for both the producer and the consumer.
Customer service
The idea of marketing, the cornerstone of marketing, is directly linked to customer service The marketing concept is all about how an organization interacts with its customers The marketing concept says that a business exists to meet the wants and needs of its target market To ensure this, the organization must put customer value, quality, customer service, and customer satisfaction at the top of its list of priorities (Berndt & Brink, 2004) Organisations engage in customer service as a means of staying competitive and identifying novel revenue streams that can enhance profitability, augment market penetration, and foster customer satisfaction and loyalty The significance of customer service lies in its ability to enhance product quality, confer a competitive advantage, and generate additional revenue streams According to Jahanshahi et al (2011), an increase in sales and income is observed
Figure 1: The key features of excellent customer service (Jahanshahi et al., 2011)
Customer service is determined by the interaction of all factors that make products and services available to the consumer (Christopher, 1984) Superior customer service is one of the essential tools for establishing a good engagement with consumers Furthermore, client support should be a vital component of any marketing plan According to Abu-ELSamen et al (2011), there is a belief that customer service is the sole factor that sets apart an organization's marketing strategy and offering This is because it requires highly skilled employees with specific competencies to achieve customer satisfaction and loyalty The level of care can often gauge an organization's success or
8 failure it gives its customers Mishandled client care can harm a company's bottom line (Mouawad & Kleiner, 1996).
Customer service quality
The commodity market is becoming increasingly competitive, and with identical goods and services, consumers can choose among numerous vendors In addition to focusing on products, customer service also plays a role in retaining customers Even with a great product, poor customer care will drive customers away These days, companies' marketing campaigns in many markets focus on services combining fast delivery with friendly customer service Cost strategies have become options that competitors can easily copy, so companies do not stand out to customers anymore (Naoui, 2014)
The success of a coffee shop in the market depends not only on how good its products are but also on how well it treats its customers Naoui (2014) state that to remain competitive, stores require loyal consumers because they are more likely to make repetitive purchases, which can result in continuous sales; therefore, they are considered valuable assets for the stores' continued success High-interaction industries like catering rely on the quality of their service delivery processes to attract and retain consumers Given the unique qualities of the service industry, it is even more critical to have a firm grasp of this concept to provide excellent support
Santos (2003) defined service quality as the comparison between the expectations of consumers and their actual experiences of receiving service According to Kandampully (1998), many successful service providers now use service quality as a strategic differentiator and competitive advantage Service quality confers numerous benefits to the business; it leads to consumer satisfaction The ability to distinguish itself from competitors, boost sales and market share, provide cross-selling opportunities, improve customer relationships, and ultimately enhance its corporate image are all benefits that a company can derive from this strategy
According to Lewis and Mitchell (1990), a multidimensional service quality assessment tool known as SERVQUAL has five dimension:
• Tangibles — physical facilities, equipment, the appearance of contact personnel
• Reliability — the ability to perform the promised service dependably and accurately
• Responsiveness — willingness to help customers and to provide prompt service
• Assurance — knowledge and courtesy of employees and their ability to inspire trust and confidence
• Empathy — caring, individualised attention the company provides its customers
Figure 2: Five service dimensions customers care about (Guzman, 2018)
While other studies have incorporated multiple views of service quality, such as its technological, functional, and ambient elements or the service itself, delivery, and surroundings, SERVQUAL has been faulted for failing to include emotional and comprehensive factors (Oh, Yoo and Lee, 2019) Stevens (1995) changed the SERVQUAL scale to create the DINESERV restaurant service quality assessment tool to overcome that shortcoming (Lupo & Bellomo, 2019) This study employs DINESERV to assess employee service quality and consumer perception of the restaurant experience The DINESERV model is the source of the five SERVQUAL dimensions (reliability, assurance, responsiveness, tangibles, and empathy) (Oh, Yoo and Lee, 2019)
Figure 3: Service quality paradigm of DINESERV (Lupo & Bellomo, 2019)
Customer satisfaction
Consumers' reaction to "satisfaction" occurs when their needs are met The phrase "consumer satisfaction" refers to a "decision that a product feature or the product or service itself provided (or is providing) a satisfying level of ingestion-related fulfilment, either under- or over-" (Oliver, 2006) Customers are said to be satisfied with a company's goods and services when they meet or exceed their expectations An individual's level of satisfaction with a product can rise or fall depending on how well it meets their needs or how it differs from their assumptions (Jenet, 2011) Customer satisfaction is based on how a customer sees the value of a transaction or relationship Value is equal to the customer's perception of the quality of the service regarding price and customer acquisition costs (Jahanshahi et al., 2011) In today's competitive business environment, a service provider's ability to generate a high level of customer happiness is essential for setting themselves apart from the competition and building lasting relationships with their clientele Prior studies have discovered that satisfied consumers significantly impact a business's success (Hanif & Riaz, 2010) Establishing and attaining consumer contentment is viewed as the ultimate objective of every business (Ooi et al., 2011).
Brand loyalty
Brand loyalty is the repurchase behaviour of a consumer for a brand and his or her long-term commitment to purchase the brand (Ahmed et al., 2014) The organisation with the largest market share and the highest rate of return on investments is the one that has a pool of brand loyalists A
11 customer base that is loyal and satisfied contributes to an organisation's relative bargaining power with suppliers, partners, and channels Therefore, consumer loyalty should have a positive effect on shareholder value by reducing future cash flow volatility and associated risk (Usman & Nawaz, 2011) Loyalty is a current customer's commitment to a specific shop, brand, and service provider, despite having other options It cultivates positive dispositions by periodically generating repetitive purchasing behaviour A strong relationship exists between consumer loyalty and a company's profit (Osma & Sentosa, 2013) In a highly competitive and dynamic environment, customer loyalty has been deemed crucial in gaining a competitive advantage over rival businesses (Leninkumar, 2017) A comprehensive strategy for successful brand development and brand loyalty that incorporates brand experiences Consequently, brand image and brand loyalty must be validated via positive consumer experiences Therefore, the effect of brand equity on brand loyalty is investigated when consumers have firsthand brand experiences (Nam, Ekinci and Whyatt, 2011)
Social exchange theory
Cropanzano and Mitchell (2005) argue that social exchange theory constitutes one of the most important theoretical frameworks for understanding conduct in the workplace In the social sciences, business, social psychology, and anthropology all make use of the broader conceptual paradigm known as social exchange theory (Cropanzano et al., 2017) To engage in social exchange requires the participation of at least two people, and the activities involved can be either tangible or intangible, and can be mutually beneficial or costly In most cases, the cost was calculated as the time and energy that could have been spent on other pursuits (Cook et al., 2013) According to "An affect theory of social exchange" by Lawler (2001), the intensity of one's feelings during an exchange is proportional to how closely the participants in the transaction are working together A better grasp of client loyalty could result from contemplating this idea Relationships between service providers and their customers can serve as social units in the service economy Jointness in a service exchange is the degree to which the parties involved believe they have contributed to the task's success or failure, respectively, and these emotions follow According to Lawler's theory, feelings about the service relationship may rise together with the amount of joint responsibility taken on by both parties (Sierra & McQuitty, 2005) According to the theory of social exchange, if a product meets the needs of its target audience, the target audience will show loyalty in the form of repeated purchases and word-of-mouth advertising (Manzuma-Ndaaba et al., 2018).
Theoretical model development
The relationship between organic product quality and customer satisfaction
The development of organic foods is being encouraged and supported by the government and various private initiatives Because the majority of consumers want to maintain their health and avoid diseases caused by inorganic food, there is a significant shift towards organic foods among consumers as well (Jesintha) Trust is the most important factor in consumer purchasing decisions regarding organic products Additionally, the value received by consumers influences the frequency with which they purchase organic products In addition to the health benefits, security, and packaging claims, there are additional reasons to purchase organic products Consistent organic product consumption has an effect on consumer satisfaction, organic product loyalty, and agricultural sustainability (Septiani, Sumarwan and Najib, 2022) In order to promote healthful
13 products and preserve the environment, customer satisfaction and brand loyalty to organic products are crucial (Thet, 2022)
Hypothesis 1a Organic product quality improves customer satisfaction.
The relationship between organic product quality and brand loyalty
Politicians in Europe, North America, and Japan were the first to change their minds about organic food Overproduction, environmental pollution, food scares, and the loss of population in rural areas are just some of the major issues resulting from the dominant world view underlying the concepts and techniques of technology, and they have sparked a renewed interest in organic products (Paul and Rana, 2012) Consumers' intents to purchase organic foods were found to be affected by factors such as nutritional value, perceptions of healthiness, and preference for the foods' flavour profiles According to Konuk (2019), patrons exhibit a greater propensity to expend additional resources, endure extended wait times, and travel greater distances to patronise environmentally conscious dining establishments that offer organic and locally sourced fare The acquisition of organic products may be interpreted by consumers as a signal of elevated social standing When consumers perceive a product or brand to have high social value, they will demonstrate brand loyalty by publishing positive information and accepting higher prices (Nguyen, 2020)
Hypothesis 1b Organic product quality improve attitude brand loyalty
Hypothesis 1c Organic product quality improves behaviour brand loyalty.
The relationship between customer service quality and customer satisfaction
The concept of customer satisfaction is traditionally based on what the consumer thinks of their particular service experience, with service quality being a key determinant (Jenet, 2011) According to Afthanorhan et al (2019), the consensus among published studies is that service quality is a significant predictor of customer satisfaction, indicating that service standards have an impact on client happiness As posited by Sivadas and BakerPrewitt (2000), a fundamental distinction exists between service quality and customer satisfaction Specifically, service quality relates to the executive delivery of the service, whereas customer satisfaction refers to the client's overall experience Conversely, the level of customer satisfaction is contingent upon the degree of contentment exhibited by current customers towards the provided service
Additionally, it is also essential to evaluate how customers feel about the quality of the assistance they receive If the delivered service meets or exceeds the customer's expectations (positive disconfirmation), the customer is happy; otherwise, the customer is dissatisfied (negative disconfirmation)
Figure 4: Customer perceptions of quality and customer satisfaction (Jenet, 2011)
Above, you can see how satisfied our previous customers were with our service The term "service quality" refers to a customer's perception of the service's dependability, responsiveness, certainty, empathy, and concreteness Satisfaction, on the other hand, is impacted by a wider range of variables, including service quality, product quality, pricing, contextual circumstances, and individual differences (Jenet, 2011) Customer satisfaction is experience-dependent because, as stated by Siddiqui and Sharma (2010), consumers rate their degree of satisfaction after each service contact However, opinions about quality aren't always based on personal experience (they can also be influenced by other factors like advertising or word of mouth) That is to say, it is customer happiness, and not quality, that ultimately counts
Hypothesis 2a Customer service quality improves customer satisfaction.
The relationship between customer service quality and brand loyalty
In highly competitive markets, such as the coffee-shop industry, a brand's ability to establish a clear and easily comprehensible identity that resonates with customers can foster trust and ultimately distinguish the brand from its rivals (Susanty and Kenny, 2015).Service quality is important because it has an effect on how loyal people are to a brand In recent research studies, the idea of brand loyalty has also gotten a lot of attention because it helps companies make money and is a key factor
15 in determining consumer-based brand equity (Hemsley-Brown and Alnawas, 2016) It is now generally accepted that brand loyalty involves both attitudes and actions on the part of consumers Some research points to a direct link between service quality and brand loyalty, while other data points to an indirect one According to the results, there is a positive and statistically significant correlation between consumers' opinions of the service's quality and their inclination to make a purchase or promote the business to others With the help of structural equation modelling, we can deduce that customer loyalty to a particular brand is correlated with how satisfied they are with that brand rather than with how highly they rate the quality of the service they received
Hypothesis 2b Customer service quality improves attitude brand loyalty
Hypothesis 2c Customer service quality improves behaviour brand loyalty.
The relationship between customer satisfaction and brand loyalty
Consumer satisfaction has been considered a key factor in long-term company success, so much study on it examines its effects on post-consumption assessments like cognitive and emotional loyalty Satisfied clients are less price sensitive, less affected by rivals, and more loyal to the company than unhappy ones (Nam, Ekinci and Whyatt, 2011) Wu and Wang (2014) proposed that contented customers' loyalty to the business would be strengthened, which would increase the likelihood of their future repeat purchases Overall, consumer satisfaction has a much greater impact on brand loyalty than advertising, corporate image, and other influences on brand experience This suggests that guaranteeing consumer satisfaction, particularly with the brand's substantial product offering, is crucial for fostering brand loyalty (Musikapart, 2013) Brand loyalty requires customer satisfaction because an increase in customer satisfaction typically results in an increase in brand loyalty (Song, Wang and Han, 2019) Tu and Chang (2012) found that corporate brand image influenced brand loyalty indirectly through customer satisfaction Customer contentment is a crucial factor in consumer retention and business success Customer satisfaction is a crucial factor in securing brand loyalty over an extended period and is a significant determinant of long-term business success To clarify, it can be posited that satisfaction and loyalty represent discrete phases in the customer's reaction to the products or services provided by a given company The customer's response to a company's offering can be categorized into two stages: satisfaction, which is the initial stage, and loyalty, which follows thereafter (Susanty and Kenny, 2015)
Hypothesis 3a Customer satisfaction improves attitude brand loyalty
Hypothesis 3b Customer satisfaction improves behaviour brand loyalty
Figure 5: Hypothetical model of this Research
Summary
The following section presents an overview of customer service and its impact on customer satisfaction, attitudes, and behaviour Furthermore, emphasises the significance and immediacy of customer service in contemporary society In the contemporary era, customer service holds significant sway by conferring a substantial edge to enterprises in augmenting customer allegiance to the enterprise The correlation between the attainment of customer contentment and allegiance and the calibre of service rendered is inseparable Hence, it is imperative for the service sector and other industries to offer customised solutions in each department to gain a competitive edge in the market Enhancing the quality of services is anticipated to result in customer satisfaction and loyalty, thereby leading to a boost in the company's performance (Juanamasta et al., 2019)
Introduction
The research techniques that will be given and chosen in this part will serve to elucidate the aims of the study Researchers will choose relevant variables that influence the research problem The term
"research" has been described in a variety of ways by various writers Its goal is to resolve enigmas by using systematic analysis and empirical evidence Simply put, the study is a methodical strategy for answering a specific question This requires coming up with a theory, gathering data on pertinent factors, evaluating and understanding the findings, and drawing some sort of conclusion (Bhattacharyya, 2009) Generally speaking, to conduct research means to seek out information, research can also be thought of as the methodical and scholarly pursuit of knowledge According to Kothari (2004), the scientific method involves a series of steps, including the identification and re- identification of issues, the development of hypotheses and potential solutions, the collection, organisation, and analysis of data, the drawing of conclusions, and the verification of these inferences towards the original idea The research approach established by (Saunders, Lewis, and Thornhill, 2009) will be used in this research to improve the credibility of the results Some of the
18 methods shown in the following image will be employed in this study
Figure 6: The Research Onion (Saunders et al., 2009, p.108)
Research Philosophy
Positivism
Scientific positivism involves using empirical data to formulate rule-like generalisations about social life This highlights the positivist stress on a rigorously empirical scientific process that is intended to produce objective, unbiased data and facts (Saunders et al., 2019) Positivism as a philosophical framework shares close conceptual links with objectivism By adopting this logical stance, scholars evaluate the social world by expressing their opinions on it, but they avoid bias by referring to objectivity (Žukauskas, Vveinhardt and Andriukaitienė, 2018) As a result, effective research entails the unedited documenting of data acquired through efficiency-driven methods of inquiry, as well as the use of exact terms and categories in the documented process The researcher's observational rigour in using cross-referencing systems offers the required form of 'quality assurance' in this process of knowledge creation (Partington, 2002)
Positivism uses certain methods to help us better comprehend the natural world, but same methods don't always work when applied to the social world Since this is the case, we can deduce that positivism has its drawbacks Positivism, which seeks to reduce complexity to simplicity by refining and controlling the given variables, can be difficult to implement in some instances of research,
19 given the assumption that isolating certain variables can be challenging This can make it extremely challenging to be more specific and take into account all variables that may influence research findings (Alharahsheh and Pius, 2020).
Interpretivism
According to interpretivism, people are differentiated from physical occurrences by their role as meaning-makers According to interpretivism, research in the social sciences must be unique from research in the scientific sciences rather than imitating the latter People and their social environments cannot be evaluated in the same manner as physical events Positivists' pursuit of universally applicable "laws" has been criticised by interpretivists They argue that it is counterproductive to limit human complexity to a set of laws-like generalisations (Saunders et al., 2019)
The interpretivism studies aim to explore novel and refined understandings of social contexts, as per the research conducted by Saunders et al (2019) Researchers adopt a philosophical approach wherein they rely on their personal beliefs and ideals to provide a justification for the study's existence The interpretivist perspective posits that philosophy and social sciences are inextricably linked and should be integrated, while positivism advocates for a strict separation between scientific matters that can be resolved through research and philosophical issues that are deemed
"speculative," thereby rejecting the role of philosophy (Žukauskas, Vveinhardt, & Andriukaitien, 2018).
Realism
Realist inquiry emphasises the independent existence of objective truth and faith claims Both direct and critical realism are important sub-schools within this philosophical tradition What one sees, hears, experiences, etc., directly is what direct realism is about In contrast, critical realism focuses on people reflecting on their lived experiences Social constructivism is important because people need to defend their own values and ideas (ukauskas, Vveinhardt, & Andriukaitien, 2018) While positivism dismisses the possibility of uncovering hidden "levels" of reality through scientific inquiry, realists take such discoveries seriously The realism position holds that all things, structures, events, and 'generative processes' are equally real regardless of whether or not they can be seen (Chia,
2002) Successive advancements in realism can be said to discover more and more effective methods of stimulating our innate recognitional capacities (Carroll and Proquest (Firm, 1999).
Research Philosophy Approach
Research approach: quantitative or qualitative
The research methodology is a crucial part of the study design since it determines the methods used to gather and analyse the data The methodology used to do research varies according to the researcher's guiding research philosophy and ideology Quantitative and qualitative research are the two main approaches to studying society and the person (Yilmaz, 2013)
In terms of data collection and analysis, quantitative and qualitative research employ distinct methodologies The ability to quantify phenomena is essential for statistical analysis in quantitative research In contrast, qualitative research involves collecting data that cannot be boiled down to numerals, like observations, interviews, and archival materials However, the goals of scientific inquiry, along with the paradigms and meta-theoretical presumptions underlying quantitative and qualitative approaches, are distinct According to (Gelo, Braakmann, & Benetka, 2008) Originally, quantitative methods were frequently associated with deductive and qualitative methods with inductive research approaches (Spens and Kovács, 2006) Comparatively, qualitative research provides for the in-depth examination of the lived experiences of relatively few individuals, while quantitative research is based on the positivist stance In contrast to qualitative theories, quantitative researchers maintain a distance from research participants in the belief that this fosters objectivity (Quick and Hall, 2015)
For this study, the quantitative approach is completely consistent with the research objectives as well as the positivist philosophical point of view of this study In order to survey customers' attitudes and behaviours regarding MILANO COFFEE's customer service quality, it is necessary to obtain customer feedback on service quality in order to make informed, objective decisions.
Research Strategy
The researcher is guided in the study's planning, implementation, and management by the research strategy Interviews, questionnaires, and statistical analysis are all examples of methods of research that may be used to gather and analyse data (Johannesson and Perjons, 2014) If want to answer research questions in an important and compatible manner with the remainder of the topic, questions, and objective, must choose the appropriate research approach (Walshe et al., 2004) Research may be categorised in a number of ways, each appropriate for a different set of circumstances related to the study's aims, methodology, and findings According to Gratton and Jones (2010), there are four main types of research: exploratory, descriptive, explanatory, and predictive Research goals and aims must be carefully considered in order to choose an acceptable research approach Additionally, research questions and objectives, the breadth of current understanding, the amount of time available and the accessibility of other resources, and the underlying research philosophy all play a role in the selection of a particular strategy
Based on the aforementioned research considerations, the author chose a survey as the primary research strategy for this study If the study is theoretical in nature, with hypotheses drawn from the literature review, then a deductive method can be used to determine how to best evaluate those hypotheses (Saunders et al., 2019) An asset of surveys as a research strategy is the ability to acquire large quantities of data quickly and inexpensively The data may be shallow if respondents do not have the time or interest to answer the researcher's questions in depth, which is a drawback For the same reasons, some people could opt out of taking part in the study, lowering the response rate (Johannesson & Perjons, 2014).
Research Methodologies
Primary data
According to Kothari (2004), primary data means data that is collected for the first time and is unique in nature According to Kasyoka (2010), Primary data refers to information collected especially for the purpose of research by the researcher, primary data possesses the advantage of being able to be collected from a wide range of populations, rendering it well-suited for conducting studies on diverse populations One potential drawback associated with primary data is that the process of gathering it can be both resource-intensive and expensive
Secondary data
Secondary data pertains to data that has already been collected by a different person or organisation and statistically analysed (Kothari, 2004) The analysis and interpretation stages are typically linked with secondary data, while primary data is typically associated with the identification phase Secondary data are often more intricate and challenging to observe directly as they are derived or abstracted from multiple primary data sources Consequently, additional tiers of data analysis manipulation and interpretation are required (Atici et al., 2012)
The principal advantage of employing secondary data is the significant cost and time savings The utilisation of secondary data is generally a more cost-effective approach compared to conducting primary data collection Consequently, it is possible to analyse significantly larger datasets, such as those gathered by governmental entities According to Saunders, Lewis, and Thornhill (2012), having pre-collected data allows for increased opportunity to contemplate theoretical objectives and substantial concerns, thereby enabling greater focus on data analysis and interpretation Lack of control over the formatting and content of survey items is one of the disadvantages of using secondary data This may imply that crucial research queries are omitted from the data The role of subtleties in research cannot be overlooked, and it is worth noting that secondary data may not always provide an exact answer to the research question at hand, but rather may offer insights into broader or related topics (Vartanian, 2010).
Data Collection Technique
Survey questionnaire
According to Roopa and Rani (2012), A questionnaire is a series of created or copied queries offered to a respondent in order to gather their perspective The most common method of gathering numerical data is through the use of an instrument for surveying called a questionnaire The implementation of a survey instrument enables the collection of numerical information in a standardised manner, resulting in data that demonstrate homogeneity and coherence for analytical objectives It is essential for questionnaires to have a well-defined purpose that is consistent with the research goals
MILANO COFFEE's organic coffee products' service quality and consumer perception were assessed via a questionnaire This questionnaire consists of 3 main parts: Part 1: Demographic information;
Part 2: Organic Coffee and Customer Service at MILANO COFFEE; Part 3: Your feelings about MILANO COFFEE For the demographic information section, including questions about consumer confidential information such as age, gender, income, The remaining two sections will use a 5- point Likert scale to evaluate customer satisfaction with MILANO COFFEE's service quality Regarding part 2, consisting of 14 questions, item items from Sarabia-Andreu et al (2020) and Ryu, Lee, and Gon Kim (2001) were used to measure consumer perception of organic coffee and customer service satisfaction The questions of Choi, Ok, and Hyun (2012) were used to measure customer satisfaction, emotions and beliefs about MILANO COFFEE for part 3, consisting of 13 items The questionnaire queries were obtained from these articles Participants will be asked to rate their agreement on a scale of 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree) This survey has a total of 35 questions to clarify the purpose of the study.
Data Collection and Analysis
The researcher will utilise a questionnaire to collect information on consumers' perspectives, preferences, experiences, and loyalty The focus will be on assessing the level of satisfaction customers have with MILANO COFFEE's organic coffee and customer service The questionnaire consists of a series of queries designed to measure consumer attitudes and behaviours regarding various aspects of MILANO COFFEE's organic products and customer service Customers will indicate whether they are content or dissatisfied with the customer service through these inquiries This questionnaire will be designed in English and Vietnamese with identical content to make data collection simpler and more convenient
In an effort to obtain more objective responses from consumers, questionnaires were sent to customers who varied in age, gender, occupation, level of education, and income This questionnaire received a total of 311 responses The responses will then be statistically screened, and the data will be analysed
The survey was administered between March 10th, 2023 and April 3rd, 2023 The survey questionnaire was created using a Google form and distributed online to the respondent The Google Form provides a platform for collecting primary data from mobile devices and computers To invite individuals to participate in this survey, the researcher posted the link to the survey on multiple Facebook groups and sent the link to the customer's messenger Each survey is sent with
25 the expectation that a complete answer document will be returned; however, there are some individuals who cannot participate because they have never purchased a product from MILANO COFFEE The remaining 305 survey votes out of a total of 311 were, therefore, satisfactory, accounting for 98.57% of the total number of original ballots.
Validity And Reliability
Validity
The validity of a study is defined by how well it represents reality A study is considered valid only if the researchers effectively address the specific concepts they intended to investigate The concept of validity is often categorised into internal and external validity, and it is crucial to differentiate between these two terms (George, Batterham, & Sullivan, 2003) The concept of internal validity pertains to the degree of precision in attributing the impact observed in the dependent variable to the independent variable, while ruling out the influence of any extraneous variable External validity refers to the degree to which the findings of a study conducted on a particular sample can be generalised to other populations or contexts It is noteworthy that the internal validity of an experiment is inversely proportional to its external validity, as stated by Srivastava and Rego (2011).
Reliability
Reliability, in the context of research instruments, refers to the consistency with which results from several measurements are achieved Accuracy, precision, consistency, homogeneity, and stability all play a role in reliability In other words, if we use the same or comparable instruments on multiple occasions to measure a set of behaviours that are typically relatively stable, we would anticipate similar results, assuming the instruments' reliability Stability, homogeneity, and equivalence are the three essential characteristics of a trustworthy scale (LoBiondo-Wood and Haber, 2013).
Limitation
As stated in the section on survey design, the survey questionnaire includes questions that have been adapted from previous studies conducted in various industries Thus, it can be inferred that the aforementioned set of inquiries may not be suitable for the process of constructing measurements Consequently, it is imperative for the author to meticulously examine the literature review and choose the most pertinent research as a basis for developing questionnaires Acknowledging this constraint, the researcher has opted to utilize prior research conducted in the
26 field of customer service marketing, with a specific focus on customer satisfaction and brand loyalty, which is also a primary area of investigation in this study
One potential constraint is that a limited sample size may not be sufficient to accurately represent the entire population; this phenomenon has the potential to result in biased assumptions Furthermore, given that the Facebook social media platform has been selected as the means of distributing the questionnaire, it can be inferred that the primary demographic being targeted are Facebook users, who may not necessarily be representative of the entire population Given the widespread usage of Facebook in contemporary times, it is expected that the considerable diversity among its users will serve to mitigate the aforementioned limitation to a significant extent.
Summary
The present chapter offers a comprehensive and detailed analysis of the methodologies employed in the research undertaken in this study This study employs a quantitative methodology that adopts positivism as its philosophical framework The interpretive approach is based on deductive reasoning, and a mono-quantitative method is utilized to collect data through the administration of a survey instrument
The chapter on methodology also presented the data analysis approach, specifically utilizing descriptive statistics via correlation and regression analyses
Introduction
In a research paper, the Findings section describes what the researcher(s) discovered after analysing their data Its primary objective is to answer the introduction's research question(s), even if the findings contradict the hypothesis The Results section should also detail any additional significant findings, trends, or insights uncovered by the original data analysis (Results/Findings Sections for Empirical Research Papers, n.d.) This section will explain the data analysis procedure and reasons to test the hypothesis This chapter tests theory and survey questionnaire validity and reliability Explaining and analysing the findings will indicate whether they match research.
Data Preparation
The reliability and importance of future studies rely on carefully and systematically preparing data, which might take a long time (Sheard, 2018) Data preparation yields a modelable data set suited for the miner's requirements while keeping as much of the data's structure as feasible (Pyle, Cerra and Kaufmann, 1999) Data preparation is important due to sloppy data collection, blank fields in records, and data entry problems When data is properly prepared and surveyed, the importance of the data, rather than the analyst's skill, will determine the quality of the resulting models (Soibelman
To gather information for this research, the researcher utilised Google Forms to create an anonymous online survey questionnaire From March 10th, 2023, to April 3rd, 2023, 305 replies were re-coded for the survey The data has been captured and sent to an Excel sheet The encrypted data file was then transferred to IBM SPSS Statistics 20 for additional analysis.
Data Cleaning
Data cleaning, often called data purification or scouring, removes mistakes and inconsistencies to improve data integrity (Rahm & Do, 2000) It is essential to clean and eradicate incorrect data to get the most reliable findings from data analysis Following the observation, only 305 of 311 submitted questionnaires provided usable data In other words, SPSS will be used to conduct 305 surveys, six deemed unacceptable In addition, it suggests that using Google Forms as the survey-questionnaire platform was appropriate
Sample Description
Demographics of 305 surveyed people are statistically and analyzed in the tables below It includes questions about age, gender, education, occupation and income
Table 2: Descriptive statistics of demographic variables
Reliability Test
Traditional test theory requires a certain amount of reliability for practical use (Adams, 2005) Reliability evaluation is important for assessing device component uniformity (Taherdoost, 2016) Reliability refers to whether data collection and analysis techniques would produce consistent results if repeated or replicated by another researcher Structured observation faces reliability issues: informant error, observer effects, and time error (Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, 2012) Psychologists assess consistency across time (test-retest reliability), between items (internal consistency), and among researchers (inter-rater reliability) (Chiang, Jhangiani, and Price, 2015) Reliability is measured using correlation or reliability coefficients (Considine, Botti and Thomas, 2005) Internal consistency is usually measured by the Cronbach Alpha coefficient Cronbach's alpha is the most frequent reliability metric for Likert scales (Taherdoost, 2016) Although fixed thresholds for acceptable values are difficult to defend, a typical Cronbach's Alpha benchmark for an acceptable is.70; lower alphas are often called "undesirable" (.60 to.65) and "unacceptable" (below.60) (Lorber and Slep, 2018) Correlations of at least moderate size (r>0.3) are allowed (SooHoo et al., 2002)
Because "Organic products are more expensive" is the only item in this research with a correlation coefficient of less than 0.30, it is required to eliminate this item from the questionnaire On the other hand, it is recommended that all other questions, which have a correlation value of higher than 0.30, be retained In addition, Cronbach's Alpha value is rather satisfactory for each constituent since none of the values falls below 0.7 In Table 2, the alpha value for Customer Service Quality is .820, the Desirability value is 842, and the value for Hoax and Trend is 763 The alpha value for Customer Satisfaction in Table 3 is 867, whereas the alpha value for Attitude Brand Loyalty is 808, and the alpha value for Behavior Brand Loyalty is 892 This demonstrates that the data gathered from the replies are more reliable than previously thought
Table 3: Factor Analysis and Cronbach’s Alpha of the sub-scale of the organic product and customer service quality
Table 4: Factor Analysis and Cronbach’s Alpha of the sub-scale of the customer satisfaction
Validity
Validity is the most crucial aspect of test evaluation Relevance, importance, and utility of test score results are the notion, test validation gathers evidence to support such inferences Although evidence can be collected in various methods, validity always refers to the extent to which that evidence supports the conclusions drawn from test scores (Wainer and Braun, 1988) Academic research focuses on statistical validity, internal validity, and external validity (Garson, 2013) The primary categories of validity include face validity, content validity, construct validity, criterion validity, and reliability (Taherdoost, 2016) The present study employed the construct validity approach to assess the concept, and exploratory factor analysis was utilised to evaluate the construct validity Exploratory Factor Analysis identifies the factor structure or model for a given set of variables The method identifies the factors that most accurately replicate the observed variables while adhering to maximum likelihood principles (Henson and Roberts, 2006).
Variables
The term "variable" is commonly employed in research endeavours, the identification and definition of variables are crucial in the design of quantitative research endeavours A variable is "a property that can take on various values" (Kaur, 2013) Various categories of variables exist, and their impacts differ within a research investigation In the context of this research, it is pertinent to note that two interrelated variables exist, namely the independent variable and the dependent variable The antecedent is the independent variable, whereas the consequent is the dependent variable When the independent variable is active, its values are manipulated to investigate its impact on another variable The dependent variable is the variable that is impacted by the independent variable The value of the dependent variable is contingent upon the value of the independent variable (Kaur, 2013)
Correlation
Karl Pearson coined the term "correlation coefficient" in 1896, according to Ratner (2009) Various metrics can be used to measure correlations (coefficients) between variables (Hauke and Koslowski, 2011) The correlation coefficient, represented by "r", is a metric that measures the strength of the linear relationship between two variables According to its definition (Ratner, 2009), the correlation coefficient may depend on any value between +1 and -1, including the extreme values +1 and -1 Examining the relationship between the variables under investigation, IBM SPSS Statistics 20 Software was used to compute Karl Pearson's coefficient of correlation, additionally referred to as simple correlation
The correlation analysis reveals a strong relationship between service quality traits and customer satisfaction The study found no statistical correlation between the demographic variables, including gender, age, education level, occupation, and income level, and the dependent variables
Table 5: Correlation analysis among the variables
The present study formulated hypotheses positing that both organic coffee products and service quality positively influence customer satisfaction The correlation analysis results indicate a positive association between three independent variables (desirability, hoax and trend, and customer service quality) and customer satisfaction The correlation coefficients for these variables were r=.708, r=.672, and r=.673, respectively The sample size for this study was n05, and the statistical significance level was set at p