Sensory evaluation of customer satisfaction using type-2 fuzzy logic

Abstract

Sensory experiences that include vision, hearing, touching, smelling and tasting are important parameters that enable people to trade effectively in retail stores. In this study, based on multisensory attributes the evaluation of customer satisfaction is considered using fuzzy set theory and conjoint analysis. Fuzzy set theory is one of the best methodologies for describing the meaning of linguistic values that express customer preferences. However, there may be different customer and expert opinions in the evaluation of preferences by expressing linguistic values. In the paper, a type-2 fuzzy set is used to handle these uncertainties. This paper proposes the combination of type-2 fuzzy sets and conjoint analysis in order to evaluate customer satisfaction using customer opinions about sensory variables such as sight, sound, taste, touch and smell when purchasing goods in retail stores. For this purpose, using statistical survey results and type-2 fuzzy sets the customer satisfaction degrees were determined. The methodology used for the determination of customer satisfaction is based on conjoint analysis that uses the similarity measure to determine the closest opinions of the customers and experts for the evaluation of customer satisfaction degrees. The obtained experimental results indicate the efficiency of the presented approach in the determination of customer satisfaction in retail markets.