Impact of Quality Improvement in a Department Store by Sales Associates on Customer Loyalty

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to identify how to improve the quality of department store`s sales associates for customer loyalty. This study examines the importance of sales associates`` education, skills, and customer service towards customer loyalty. The questionnaire survey was conducted to collect data from 220 clothing sales associates working in department stores. This survey was paper- based. The participants were asked about the questionnaires; sales associates`` education, sales associates`` ability, customerservice, and customer loyalty. General demographic characteristic of participants in the study are as follows; females (72.27%) participated the survey more than males (27.73%). With the age ranging from early 20s to over 40s, most people who took the survey ranged from early 30``s to mid 30``s with 33.64%. The result indicated that sales associates` education, and customer service skills were significantly corelated to each other. Salesassociates`` education had no co relation to customer loyalty. In applying the research findings, department stores can design their training contents to offer better training quality. Education of sales associates can be focused by providing various training contents, exercise, effective options, along with the opportunity to improve the qualities of training.