CUSTOMER SATISFACTION MODEL ESTIMATION

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INTRODUCTION

The research investigates the relationship between public transport service quality and customer satisfaction in order to facilitate improved specification of customer satisfaction in public transport service contracts. The departure point of the research is that contracts are the only manageable interface between public transport service delivery intent and the actual service experienced by public transport users, where such services are managed through contracts. Therefore, if public transport has a global goal of supporting sustainable development (United Nations, 2012), for example through reducing the rate of natural resource consumption and depletion such as space and air quality, the design of public contracts deserves sterner consideration. One of the ultimate goals, therefore, of carrying out research on public transport contracts, is to understand how public transport services and associated contracts can be systematically adapted to meet the ever changing needs of customers, potentially leading to increased customer satisfaction or minimisation of dissatisfaction, hypothesised in this research to be critical in public transport service demand.

BACKGROUND 

Travel demand management, a phrase that became popular during the 1970s energy crisis period, is a set of tools, including transport policies, strategies and management practices aimed at marginally changing travellers’ behaviour in order to encourage efficient use of transport systems, particularly reduced individualised car travel (Ferguson, 2000). An improved public transport service is widely accepted as one of the effective measures for TDM implementation (Gӓrling, et al., 2002). In fact, based on an empirical survey carried out in Sweden, 76% of private car commuters stated improved public transport as a reason that would compel them to use public transport (Eriksson et al., 2008). The success of the Singaporean TDM measures is attributed to public transport service improvements as one of the key interventions (May, 2004).

PROBLEM STATEMENT 

Planning authorities have a goal to maximise the number of public transport users from the population being served by the service. However, when these services are provided in terms of contracts between the authorities and the contracted operator, the contracts emphasise the relationship between the authority and the operator, with little consideration for the explicit requirements of the customers being served by the service. Where some of the needs of the customers are considered, the contracts often are limited to the existing customers and not the population being served, which is inclusive of the non-users of the service. Furthermore, where customer needs are catered for, it is usually done in a simplistic manner that does not take into account the complex and changing needs of customers, which is essential for improving and maintaining customer satisfaction. The use of these incomplete contracts, from a customer definition and customer requirement perspective, has the long-term impact of limiting the growth of public transport service users.

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OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY 

The objectives of the study can be summarised as follows:
a) To review the concept of customer satisfaction both qualitatively and quantitatively, including associated analytical models, and explore its applicability for public transport services.
b) To carry out empirical research in order to understand the nature of public transport service attributes in respect of their impact on customer satisfaction.
c) To explore ways to specify customer satisfaction in public transport service contracts in a manner that promotes the patronage maximisation goal of public transport.
d) To investigate the practical implications of the above in public transport service design and service delivery.

DECLARATION
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
1.INTRODUCTION 
Background
Problem statement
Objectives of the study
Scope of the study
Contribution to the state of knowledge
Organisation of dissertation
2.LITERATURE REVIEW
Introduction
Service quality and customer satisfaction
Customer satisfaction modelling
Public transport contracts
Specification of quality and satisfaction in public transport contracts
Public transport contracting practices in South Africa
Summary
3.RESEARCH APPROACH
Introduction
Overall research approach
Formulation of research questions
Choice of approach to address research questions
Choice of a case study
Modelling
Practical implications of findings
4.QUALITATIVE EXPERIMENT 
Introduction
Qualitative research
Survey design and sampling procedure
Results
Synthesis of qualitative findings
Benchmarkng of qualitative findings
Summary
5.QUANTITATIVE DATA COLLECTION 
Introduction
Survey design and sampling procedure
Sample description
Analysis of survey results
Summary
6.CUSTOMER SATISFACTION MODEL ESTIMATION 
Introduction
Model structure
Model estimation
The impact of satisfaction on mode choice
Summary
7.PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS 
Introduction
Contract specifications
Contract monitoring
Cost implications
Summary
8.CONCLUSIONS 
9.RECOMMENDATIONS 
10.REFERENCES 
11.APPENDIX A: QUALITATIVE SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRE 
Introduction
Qualitative questionnaire for current users of Tshwane Business Express
Qualitative questionnaire for non-users of Tshwane Business Express

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SPECIFICATION OF CUSTOMER SATISFACTION IN PUBLIC TRANSPORT SERVICE CONTRACTS

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