A Study on Relative Importance of Service Convenience in the Convenience Store Using AHP : Gap Analysis between Consumers and Store Owners

Abstract

[Purpose] It aims to suggest the differential factors to enhance the customer satisfaction and to activate the shopping in the convenience store (CVS). [Methodology] Convenience store service convenience (CVS SERVCON) was developed at the first time and the gap of relative importance level between the owners and the consumers was assessed by AHP analysis method..[Findings] First, the importance of access convenience was assessed as the first priority in both CVS owners’ group and the consumers’ group, while the detailed elements showed the differences which required the improvements. Based on the consumers’ assessment, the importance of location was relatively low. They assessed relatively high on 24 hours operation of CVS and personal services. Second with respect to the transaction convenience, CVS owners’ group rated it as the fourth priority while the consumers’ group rated as the second, which requires the improvement. Third in terms of benefit utility and value-added service of post-benefit convenience which are the sub-factors of benefit convenience, the rate on the importance from the consumers showed higher than that from the owners, which requires the improvement. [Implications] Based on this study results, CVS operating companies are anticipated to be able to satisfy the customers, moreover, to secure the loyal customers if they concentrate the resources to develop the differentiation strategy on the areas where the consumers’ demands are high while performs the maintenance strategy on the areas where their demands are low. In addition, this study contributed the theoretical expansion of SERVCON upon development of CVS SERVCON to comply with its definition.