A STUDY ON CONSUMER PRECEPTION TOWARDS HONDA CITY CARS WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO COIMBATORE CITY INDEX CHAPTER PARTICULARS PAGE NO. LIST OF TABLES LIST OF CHARTS I INTRODUCTION 1.1 INTRODUCTION OF THE INDUSTRY 1 1.2 ABOUT THE ORGANISATION 6 1.3 INTRODUCTION OF THE STUDY 18 1.4 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY 19 1.5 LIMITATION OF THE STUDY 19 1.6 SCOPE OF THE STUDY 19 1.7 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM 20 II REVIEW OF LITERATURE 21 III RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 23 IV DATA ANALYSIS AND 26 INTERPRETATION V 5.1 FINDINGS OF THE STUDY 74 5.2 SUGGESTION 76 5.3 CONCLUSION 77 BIBLIOGRAPHY 78 QUESTIONNAIRE 79 LIST OF TABLES S.NO. TITLE PAGE .NO 1 GENDER OF THE RESPONDENTS 26 2 AGE WISE CLASSIFACTION OF THE 28 RESPONDENTS 3 OCCUPATION OF THEE RESPODENTS 30 4 INCOME LEVEL OF THE RESPODENTS 32 5 EARNING MEMBERS OF THE FAMILY 34 6 NO. OF RESPODENTS OWNING A CAR 36 7 BRAND PREFERED BY RESPODENTS 38 8 USAGE OF CAR 40 9 BRAND SELECTION 42 10 BRAND PREFERENCE 44 11 ENGINE PREFERENCE 46 12 CAR PREFERNCE 48 13 CONSIDERING THE NEW MODEL OFHONDA CITY MORE COMFORTABLE THAN PREVIOUS 50 MODEL BY THE RESPONDENTS 14 FACTORS CONSIDERED AT THE TIME OF BUYING HONDA CITY CAR BY THE RESPONDENTS 52 15 CUSTOMERS OPINION ON THE INNOVATIVE FEATURES OF HONDA CITY 54 16 CUSTOMERS RATING TOWARDS THE CAR THEY ARE CURRENTLY USING 56 17 OPINION ABOUT OVERALL PERFORMANCE OF HONDA CITY BY THE RESPONDENTS 58 18 PERCEPTION OF THE RESPONDENTS TOWARDS 60 BUYINGHONDA CITY 19 SATISFACTION OF THE RESPONDENTS WITH 62 THE HONDACITY 20 CUSTOMER’S SATISFACTION TOWARDS THE MILEAGE ANDMAINTENANCE FEATURES OF 64 HONDA CITY 21 CUSTOMER’S SATISFACTIONTOWARDS THE PICKUP AND PERFORANCE OF HONDA CITY 66 22 COMPARISON OF PRICE WITH OTHER VEHICLES OF THE SAME CLASS 68 23 CUSTOMER SUGGESTION ON VARIOUS FEATURES OF OTHER BRANDS 70 24 RECOMMENDATION OF THE CAR 72 LIST OF CHARTS S.NO. LIST OF CHARTS PAGE .NO 1 CHART SHOWING THE GENDER OF THE 27 RESPONDENTS 2 CHART SHOWING THE AGE OF THE 29 RESPONDENTS 3 CHART SHOWING THE OCCUPATION 31 OF THE RESPODENTS 4 CHART SHOWING THE INCOME LEVEL 33 OF THE RESPONDENTS 5 CHART SHOWING THE EANING MEMBERS 35 OF THE FAMIL 6 7 8 CHART SHOWING THE RESPONDENTS OWNING A CAR CHART SHOWING THE BRANDPREFERANCE OF THE RESPONDENTS CHART SHOWING THE USAGE OF THE CAR 37 39 41 BY THE RESPONDENTS 9 10 11 CHART SHOWING THE BRAND SELECTION OF THE RESPONDENTS CHART SHOWING THE BRANDPREFERANCE OF THE RESPONDENTS CHART SHOWING THE ENGINE 43 45 47 PREFERANCE OF THE RESPODENTS 12 CHART SHOWING THE CAR PREFERENCE OF THE RESPODENTS 49 13 CHART SHOWING THE COMFORTABILITY OF HONDA CITYTHAN PREVIOUS MODEL BY THE RESPODENTS 51 14 CHART SHOWING THE FACTORSCONSIDERED WHEN BUYING A HONDA CITY CAR BY THE RESPODENTS 53 15 CHART SHOWING THE CUSTOMEROPINION ON THE INNOVATIVE FEATURES OF HONDA CITY 55 16 CHART SHOWING THE CUSTOMERSRATING TOWARDS THE CAR THEY ARE CURRENTLY USING 57 17 CHART SHOWING THE OPINION ABOUT OVERALL PERFORMANCEOF HONDA CITY BY THE 59 RESPONDENTS 18 CHART SHOWING THE PERCEPTION OF THE 61 RESPONDENTS TOWARDSBUYING HONDA CITY 19 CHART SHOWING THE SATISFACTION OF THE 63 RESPONDENTS WITH THE HONDACITY 20 21 CHART SHOWING THE CUSTOMER’SSATISFACTION TOWARDS THE MILEAGE AND MAINTENANCE FEATURES OF HONDA CITY CHART SHOWING THE CUSTOMER’S SATISFACTION 65 67 TOWARDS THE PICKUP AND PERFORANCE OF HONDA 22 23 CITY CHART SHOWING THE COMPARISONOF PRICE WITH THE OTHER VEHICLES OF THE SAME CLASS CHART SHOWING THE CUSTOMER SUGGESTION 69 71 ON VARIOUS FEATURES OF OTHER BRANDS 24 CHART SHOWING THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE CAR 73 CHAPTER - 1 1.1 INTRODUCTION OF THE INDUSTRY AUTOMOBILE INDUSTRY: The Indian automobile industry is one of the driving forces of the economy, contributing about 49% to the country’s manufacturing GDP (gross domestic product) and 7.5% to its overall GDP. The sector’s value chain employs about 32 million people. In 2018, the Indian automobile market piped Germany to become the fourth-largest in the world. In the last decade, while the production of two-wheelers in India has nearly tripled, the production of passenger vehicles and commercial vehicles in the country has doubled. The automobile industry in India is world’s fourth largest, with the country currently being the world's fourth largest manufacturer of cars and seventh largest manufacturer of commercial vehicles in 2018. Indian automotive industry (including component manufacturing) is expected to reach Rs 16.16-18.18 trillion (US$ 251.4-282.8 billion) by 2026. Two-wheelers dominate the industry and made up 81 per cent share in the domestic automobile sales. The Indian automobile sector has emerged as one of the significantly developing and growing sector in the last decade. The automobile industry of India has witnessed tremendous growth in all sections, right from two wheelers, three wheelers and passenger car segment. Delicensing in 1991, brought revolutionary changes in the industry and provided well deserve and timely growth impetus to the respective industry. This attracted foreign auto giants to set up their production facility in the country in a bid to take advantage of several benefits provided by the industry The automobile sector experienced a drastic change in the car segment with the number of entrants like Toyota, Honda, Ford, GM etc. Indian auto makers like Tata, Mahindra and Mahindra, Hindustan Motors and MUL are given a tough run for their money by the foreign players. A number of four wheelers brand competing with each other have left the customer with a large number of alternatives to choose from. The presence of large number of alternatives in this segment is the important factor in studying the customer behavior. 1 The rise in disposal income, wide choice of models and easy availability of finance will drive growth in four wheelers segment and future looks even brighter. The data collected and analyzed to bring profitable insights for the marketers. Various factors and motivators that derive the purchase behavior of the mass have been compiled through primary data and the changes in the outlook of the consumer’s mindset have to be considered carefully by the marketers. This thesis is a research to identify the consumer expectation in four wheeler segment of automobile industry. As far as Consumer expectation is concerned it is the study of how they purchased and their expectation towards the particular brand Production: The industry produced a total 30,915,420 vehicles including passenger vehicles, commercial vehicles, three wheelers, two wheelers and quadricycle in April-March 2019 as against 29,094,447 in April-March 2018, registering a growth of 6.26 percent over the same period last year. 2 Domestic Sales: The sale of Passenger Vehicles grew by 2.70 percent in April-March 2019 over the same period last year. Within the Passenger Vehicles, the sales of Passenger Cars, Utility Vehicle & Vans grew by 2.05 percent, 2.08 percent and 13.10 percent respectively in AprilMarch 2019 over the same period last year. The overall Commercial Vehicles segment registered a growth of 17.55 percent in April- March 2019 as compared to the same period last year. Medium & Heavy Commercial Vehicles (M&HCVs) increased by 14.66 percent and Light Commercial Vehicles grew by 19.46 percent in April-March 2019 over the same period last year. Three wheelers sales increased by 10.27 percent in April -March 2019 over the same period last year. Within the Three Wheelers, Passenger Carrier sales registered a growth of 10.62 percent and Goods Carrier grew by 8.75 percent in April-March 2019 over April-March 2018. Exports: In April-March 2019, overall automobile exports grew by 14.50 percent. While Passenger Vehicles exports declined by (-) 9.64 percent, Commercial Vehicles, Three Wheelers and Two Wheelers registered a growth of 3.17 percent, 49.00 percent and 16.55 percent respectively in April-March 2019 over the same period last year. Government Initiatives: The Government of India encourages foreign investment in the automobile sector and allows 100 per cent FDI under the automatic route. Some of the recent initiatives taken by the Government of India are Under Union Budget 2019-20, government announced to provide additional income tax deduction of Rs 1.5 lakh (US$ 2,146) on the interest paid on the loans taken to purchase EVs. The government aims to develop India as a global manufacturing centre and an R&D hub. 3 Under NATRIP (National Automotive Testing and R&D Infrastructure Project), the Government of India is planning to set up R&D centres at a total cost of US$ 388.5 million to enable the industry to be on par with global standards. The Ministry of Heavy Industries, Government of India has shortlisted 11 cities in the country for introduction of electric vehicles (EVs) in their public transport systems under the FAME (Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of (Hybrid) and Electric Vehicles in India) scheme. The government will also set up incubation centre for startups working in electric vehicles space. In February 2019, the Government of India approved the FAME-II scheme with a fund requirement of Rs 10,000 crore (US$ 1.39 billion) for FY20-22. Road Ahead: The automobile industry is supported by various factors such as availability of skilled labour at low cost, robust R&D centres and low cost steel production. The industry also provides great opportunities for investment and direct and indirect employment to skilled and unskilled labour. Expected Automotive Trends: Vehicle inventory on the roads is expected to decrease significantly according to PWC. This could be because of the expected increase of shared vehicles on the road lessening the total amount owned by consumers. However, vehicle sales are expected to rise because the vehicles will need to be replaced more often as a result of more frequent usage. Expected inventory decrease by country by 2030: Europe 25% decrease, United States 22% decrease, and China 50% decrease. There will be rapid R&D investments by auto manufacturers and related businesses. Total mileage is expected to increase as the amount of shared vehicles increases. Instead of cars sitting around in parking lots while people are at work, shared vehicles will be in use wherever driving needs arise. This will increase total mileage. Decisions regarding long-term structure and regulations for autonomous vehicles are expected to occur between 2020 and 2025. 4 Auto manufacturers and suppliers will have shrinking margins, but will have to invest in innovations to keep pace with the new demand. The lower manufacturing margins could lead to automakers providing mobility services (running a fleet of shared vehicles) to boost margins. So, the future business model for automakers may include: manufacturing, sales and the operation of shared vehicles. About 50% of mileage driven in China, 40% of mileage driven in Europe and 36% of mileage driven in the U.S. could be covered by autonomous vehicles by 2030. By 2030, total mileage driven may increase by 24 in the United States, 28% in Europe, and 183% in China. 55% of all new car sales could be fully electric by 2030. 95% of new car sales are expected to be partially electric by 2030. During the transition period to autonomous, annual vehicle sales are expected to increase by 40% to 24 million units in Europe, up 30% in China to 35 million units, and up 20% in the United States to 22 million units. Ride-sharing in Europe is expected to grow at a CAGR of 20% by 2030. This will take ridesharing from 1% currently to 10% by the mid 2020s and 25% by 2030. Ride-sharing in the United States is expected to increase from 1% to 33.5% in 2030. The fastest growth for ride-sharing is expected to be in China. By 2030, 45% of personal mileage in China is expected to be from shared vehicles. 5 1.2 ABOUT THE ORGANISATION SUNDARAM HONDA HCIL's (Honda Cars India Ltd.,) first manufacturing unit was set up at Greater Noida, U.P in 1997. The green field project is spread across 150 acres and has an annual production capacity of 120,000 units. HCIL's second plant in Tapukara is the first car manufacturing plant in the state of Rajasthan. The state-of the art Power train and Press shop in Tapukara plant have been operational since September 2008. This facility is spread over 450 acres and has an annual production capacity of 120,000 units. HCIL started the production of cars from its Tapukara Plant from February 2014. This plant is the culmination of the best manufacturing know-how and practices gathered from Honda's global operations. Sales Network: Honda Cars India Ltd., (HCIL) has a strong sales and distribution network spread across the country. The network includes 295 authorized dealership facilities in 188 cities. HCIL dealerships are based on the "3S Facility" format, offering complete range of Sales, Service and Spares services to its customers. Environment and Safety: The Honda Group is globally recognized for its concern towards environment, safety and conservation of the society in which it operates. HCIL follows the same in India for achieving high standards in environmental safety in the various processes of car manufacturing. Honda Assure: 'Honda Assure' is an Insurance initiative introduced by HCIL to enhance ownership experience for Honda car customers. Under the Honda Assure program, all Honda car customers get the benefit of a more transparent, hassle-free transaction and a quick turnaround time on their insurance claims. The entire transaction is routed through an on-line central server which enables HCIL to monitor the overall operations more effectively. Some of the direct benefits to the customers include Cashless Insurance across India, instant policy issuance, and improved turnaround time. Auto Terrace: Honda's Exchange and Pre-Owned car division Auto Terrace has been in existence ever since the inception of HCIL in India. Present in all major Honda dealers across the country, 6 Auto Terrace presents itself as the one-stop solution for catering to the needs of customers wanting to exchange their existing cars for a New Honda car. Vision Basic Principles: Respect for the individual. The Three Joys (buying, selling and creating). We at Honda believe that each person working in or coming in touch with our Company, directly or through our products, should share a sense of joy through that experience. This feeling is expressed in what we call "The Three Joys". Our Goal is to provide joy through our Business: The Joy of Buying: For those who buy our Products. The Joy of Selling: Engage in selling our products and services. The Joy of Creating: Involved in business of creating our Products. Company Principle (Mission Statement) Maintaining a global viewpoint, we are dedicated to supplying products of the highest quality, yet at a reasonable price for worldwide customer satisfaction. Management Policies: Proceed always with ambition and youthfulness. Respect sound theory, develop fresh ideas, and make the most effective use of time. Enjoy work and encourage open communication. Strive constantly for a harmonious flow of work. Be ever mindful of the value of research and endeavor. Dreams inspire us to create innovative products that enhance mobility and benefit society. To meet the particular needs of customers in different regions around the world, we base our sales networks, research and development centres and manufacturing facilities in each region. 7 Furthermore, as a socially responsible corporate citizen, we strive to address important environmental and safety issues. Certifications: Honda strives to consistently improve the environmental performance of its manufacturing operations, products and supply chain. The Company identifies environmental impact and develops strategies to mitigate impacts in each of these areas. ISO 14001:2004 BS Environmental management OHSAS 18001:2007 ISO Occupational health and safety 9001:2008 Quality Management Systems for applying management system of high standards for Manufacturing, Marketing and after Sales Service of cars BUSINESS ETHICS PROPOSAL LINE (BEPL) - VIGIL MECHANISM POLICY: Honda Cars India Limited (HCIL’s) stated vision and goal is to become a company that society wants to exist. In order to meet the expectation of the stakeholders and the society, Honda Corporate Governance (HCG) System has been set up. As part of Corporate Governance system, the BEPL – VIGIL MECHANISM Policy has been established, with the aim to enable Directors and employees to report any instance 8 of unethical behaviour, actual or suspected fraud or violation of Honda Conduct Guidelines, internal policies and statutory laws in the Company. Legacy Foundation (1960's) 1980's 9 INNOVATION: Honda has always believed in giving more excitement and more joy. Be it designing high performance sports cars that are a pleasure to behold and a joy to drive or creating the world's first humanoid robot to walk on two legs or countless other technologies that astonish and delight Honda's spirit of exploration frequently invents the future. Not surprisingly, millions of people worldwide often respond to Honda's spirit of innovation with a sense of delight and amazement. Honda's obsession for technology that continuously improves upon the performance and safety of all Honda vehicles is what sets it apart from other names in the car industry. TECHNOLOGY: I-VTEC: Honda engine technology delivers environmental responsibility and driving pleasure... VCM: With its flexible use of cylinders, the unique VCM (Variable Cylinder Management)... VSA : The VSA (Vehicle Stability Assist) technology. IMA: With an electric motor assisting the engine, Honda hybrid vehicles realize both superior 10 Environment: Honda has established a global environmental slogan as an expression of the company’s proactive commitment to make progress in its environmental efforts on a global basis. With this slogan, Honda will strive to become the leader in the area of environmental and energy technologies. The new global environmental slogan and symbol will be used with Honda’s internal and external environmental activities and communications around the world. "Blue Skies for Our Children." Honda Environmental Vision: Realizing “the Joy and Freedom of Mobility” and “a Sustainable Society where People Can Enjoy Life” Global Environmental Slogan: Blue Skies for Our Children Honda engineers, who took on the challenge to meet the stringent new emissions standards of the 1970s U.S. Clean Air Act, used the phrase “blue skies for our children” as a passionate rallying cry to devote themselves to this effort. Honda wants to pass on the “joy and freedom of mobility to the next generation” (for our children), therefore, we want to realize a sustainable society where people can enjoy life (blue skies). This slogan continues to represent Honda’s passion toward its environmental commitment which has not wavered and will remain resolute in the future. 11 Global Environmental Symbol: The circular graphic represents the earth and sun with blue skies (clean air), clean water,and lush green land expressing the bounty of nature that is necessary for us to realize a sustainable society where people can enjoy life. The white line through the middle represents a road where freedom of mobility is realized, while the heart represents Honda’s thinking and passion toward our environmental commitment. SAFETY: Realization of safe coexistence of people and mobility: Honda’s quest for safety is not limited to the needs of car drivers and motorcycle riders. Honda’s total commitment to “Safety for Everyone” extends to passengers, pedestrians, occupants of other vehicles, and everyone on the road. Honda will continue to develop and refine its innovative technologies to realize a safer society. Striving to achieve “Safety for Everyone” Seeking to manufacture cars that enhance safety, Honda has been working to enhance active safety and collision safety to help reduce human injuries. In the area of collision safety, in 1998 Honda announced proprietary G-force Control technology (G-CON), which controls impact (G) forces in collisions to help reduce injuries to people. In 2000, Honda opened the world’s first indoor Omni-directional crash test safety facility. Through testing and analysis of real-world accident scenarios, Honda invented Advanced Compatibility Engineering TM (ACETM) body technology, providing enhanced G-CON safeguards and improved selfprotective capabilities to better shield occupants of both vehicles in car-to-car collisions. 12 Honda also created technology to raise the vehicle hood in car-to-pedestrian collisions, helping to lessen the potential for pedestrian head injuries. In the area of active safety, in 2003 Honda devised the Collision Mitigation Braking System TM (CMBSTM), which can anticipate and help reduce the likelihood of a collision with the rear of another vehicle, as well as seatbelt E-pretensioners. In 2004, Honda developed the world’s first Intelligent Night Vision System, which uses a far-infrared camera to detect pedestrians on nighttime roads and then alerts the driver. Honda will continue its efforts to create technology and equipment for both active and collision safety measures, helping to ensure the wellbeing of all people on roadways. World’s first driver-side i-SRS airbag system with continuously staged inflation: In September 2008, Honda developed the world’s first driver-side i-SRS airbag system with a continuously-staged inflation function that accommodates a wider range of driver seating positions and types of collisions. It features spiral-shaped seams and a gas release control valve designed for optimal control of an airbag’s internal pressure to achieve prompt and low-impact deployment with continuously-staged inflation, making it possible to sustain protection for a longer period of time. HONDA CITY: The Honda City is a subcompact, then a compact car which has been produced by the Japanese manufacturer Honda since 1981. Originally made for the Japanese, European and Australasian markets, the City 3-door hatchback was retired in 1994 after the second generation. The nameplate was revived in 1996 for use on a series of subcompact four-door sedans aimed primarily at developing markets, first mainly sold in Asia outside Japan but later also in Latin America and Australia. From 2002 to 2008, the City was also sold as the Honda Fit Aria in Japan. Since then, it has been a subcompact sedan built on Honda's Global Small Car platform, which is shared with the Fit/Jazz (a five-door hatchback) the Mobilio, and the Mobilio Spike all of which share the location of the fuel tank under the front seats rather than rear seats. For the seventh generation model, it has grown in size to the compact class, but still competes in the subcompact class. 13 By 2017, cumulative sales of the City have exceeded 3.6 million units in over 60 countries around the world since the nameplate was revived in 1996. As of 2017, cumulative sales of the City reached 700,000 in India. Sales of the City in India contribute to 25 percent of global sales and the City is Honda's best selling model in India. There are seven generation in Honda city. They are; FIRST GENERATION (1981 – 1986): The first Honda City was introduced in November 1981 with the innovative "Tallboy" design; of unusual height it enabled four adults to fit comfortably in the very short City (under 3.4 m or 11.2 ft). At the time of its introduction, it was Honda's smallest car, while not being in compliance with Japanese Government key regulations. First generation (AA/FV/FA) 14 SECOND GENERATION (1987 – 1994): Honda replaced the original City series AA in November 1986 with this generation (designated GA1), and again with an update in 1989 (GA2). This model was produced until 1994. The Fit name also first appeared as a trim variant of the Second Generation City. Second generation (GA1, GA2) THIRD GENERATION (1995 – 2002): The third generation Honda City, codenamed SX8 but with chassis codes 3A2 and 3A3. It was designed for and sold in the South East Asian market only, launch with slogan “Smart for the new generation" in 1.3-liter version launch, 1.5-liter version are launch with "Topin-class smart" slogan . First production began in an all-new plant in Thailand, in April 1996. The car had a dominant position in the market. Third generation (3A2/3A3 15 FOURTH GENERATION (2003 – 2008): The Fourth Generation City made its world debut at the Bangkok International Motor Show in November 2002. It was now offered as a four-wheel drive version. It was imported from Thailand. Fourth generation (GD8/GD9) FIFTH GENERATION (2009 – 2013): The fifth generation Honda City was unveiled in Bangkok, Thailand in September 2008 followed by launches in India, Pakistan, and Malaysia. . It is manufactured in number of locations including Turkey, Thailand, Pakistan and Brazil. Since it was launched in India in November 2008, the City became the best-selling model of the company in the country, with sales volume even surpassing that of Thailand, previously the best selling market for the City. The Honda City has been the leader in the mid-sized sedan segment for a decade, with 35% market share in 2010. In India it came with a 1.5 liter petrol engine mated to a manual transmission and a CVT. Fifth generation (GM2/GM3 16 SIXTH GENERATION (2014 – 2018): The Sixth Generation City is Honda's second model to incorporate the new "Exciting H" design which was first seen on the third generation that launched in September 2013. It also won the award of 'Middle East Car of the Year 2014’. Sixth generation (GM4/GM5/GM6/GM9) SEVENTH GENERATION (2019 – PRESENT): The Seventh Generation City was unveiled in Bangkok, Thailand on 25 November 2019. It shared its platform with the fourth generation. Seventh generation (GN1) 17 1.3 INTRODUCTION OF THE STUDY Customer Expectation: Customer expectation encompasses everything that a customer expects from a product, service or organisation. Customer expectations are created in the minds of customers based upon their individual experiences and what they have learned, combined with their pre-existing experience and knowledge. Customers will have both explicit and implicit expectations regarding the product or service which they have purchased. They will have performance expectations which include a dynamic element due to anticipated changes to the product or service over time. Importantly, they will also have interpersonal and service-level expectations which relate directly to the customer relationship and interaction with a business or organisation. Customer expectations are the feelings, needs, and ideas that customer has towards certain products or service. Customer experience is based on what they want from the product they are paying for. Most successful organization always aims at meeting or exceeding customer expectations through high quality products and services. These expectations influence decision making towards a product or service selection which can be very difficult to change. This is called as customer expectation. Customer satisfaction is a must in business. Satisfaction is a person's feelings of pleasure or disappointment resulting from comparing a product's perceived performance in relation to his or her expectations. Satisfaction is a function of perceived performance and expectations. If the performance falls short of expectations, the customer is dissatisfied. If the performance matches the expectations, the customer is satisfied. If the performance exceeds expectations, the customer is highly satisfied or delighted. Many companies are aiming for high satisfaction because customers who are just satisfied still find it easy to switch when a better offer comes along. 18 1.4 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY: To know the factor influencing the customer purchasing of Honda. To find the consumer perception towards Honda city. To know the customer satisfaction on Honda city car. To identify the opinion of the customer on Honda city with other brands. 1.5 LIMITATION OF THE STUDY 1. A major limitation of the study was the time factor. Due to which sample size had to be restricted. 2. The study was restricted to the customers in Tirupur City. So the findings can’t be generalized to the entire market. 3 Information gathered from the respondents may be biased. 1.6 SCOPE OF THE STUDY The study is mainly intended to ascertain customer satisfaction and customer expectation on Honda city. It is believed that such a study will throw light on the strength and weakness of the dealer on one hand, its opportunity and threats on the other hand. The scope is mainly focused on customer expectation towards Honda city. These can be studied in detail or in depth and good remedies can be taken to meet the customer expectation. The scope also extents about to know what are people's opinion about the company's service and product, their awareness, likes and dislikes and the company can take into consideration the suggestion made by them if they compensate with company's view and policies. 19 1.7 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM The problem selected for present study is to identify the customer expectation of Honda cars among the customers at Tirupur city. Since it is said “A problem well defined is half solved”. The problem is specified clearly with which aspect it should be carried out. The main purpose of the study is to know the customer expectation and their perception towards the Honda city in Tirupur. To know the satisfaction level of the product dealt and thus improve distribution pattern. Also to know reason for purchasing more of specified company brand and thus improve in that aspect. To know the level of awareness about choice brand of the equipment and also the awareness about the different brand in the market, this would help to attain the company to take appropriate steps. The title of this project clearly states that the purpose of the study is to know the customer expectation of Honda city. Also the study is an attempt to know the exact expectation of customers in Tirupur region for the company to do good business. 20 CHAPTER -2 REVIEW OF LITERATURE A group of researchers of the Center for the Study of Social Policy (2007)13 conceptualize that satisfaction is based on the customer’s experience of both contact with the organization (the moment of truth) and personal outcomes. According to these researchers, satisfaction can be experienced in a variety of situations and connected to both goods and services. To another extent, these researchers defined satisfactions as a “highly personal assessment” that is greatly influenced by “individual expectations”. This definition views “individual” element as powerful force to create satisfaction. Likewise, many researchers (Oliver, 1981; Brady and Robertson, 200114) conceptualize customer satisfaction as an individual’s feeling of pleasure or disappointment resulting from comparing a product’s perceived performance (or outcome) in relation to his or her expectations. Yi and La (2004)17 conclude satisfaction into two general conceptualizations: transaction-specific satisfaction and cumulative satisfaction. Transaction-specific satisfaction is a customer’s evaluation of his or her experience and reactions to a particular service encounter (Cronin and Taylor, 1992; Boshoff and Gray, 2004). Cumulative satisfaction refers to the customer’s overall evaluation of the consumption experience to date. Kan (1995) A dissatisfied customer will tell seven to 20 people about their negative experience. A satisfied customer will only tell three to five people about their positive experience. Iacobucci (2001). Customers may explain their satisfaction with a product or service in terms of specific aspects such as the product attributes, price, customer service, or a combination of these various features. Boselie, Hesselink, and Wiele (2002) defined satisfaction as a positive, affective state resulting from the appraisal of all aspects of a firm’s working relationship with another firm. This definition purported that satisfaction (understood as affective) can be contrasted with an objective summary assessment of outcomes – thereby forming a target-performance comparison mechanism. Therefore, the appropriate definition of customer satisfaction for this study would be the one by Boselie et al. (2002). 21 Edelman (2006) emphasizes that customer service failures can create conflicts and sabotage business. In fact, Terrence J.Levesque and Gordon H.G. McDougall, professors of Business and Economics at Wilfred Laurier University, warned in their study (as cited in Keaveney, 1995) that service failures cause customers to change service provider. Levesque and McDougall (2000) describe such service failures as situations where the customer dose not gain the expected service guaranteed by the provider (2000). The authors (Levesque & McDougall, 2000). Zeithaml & Bitner states that: "Service quality is a focused evaluation that reflects the customer's perception of specific dimensions of service: reliability, responsiveness, assurance, Empathy, tangibles. Satisfaction, on other hand, is more inclusive: it is influenced by perceptions of service quality, product quality, and price as well as situational factors and personal factors. Author: Ina Landua; [2008]: Due to environmental legislation, economic influences and increasing concern about the environment among the general public, today’s businesses are becoming more committed to environmental issues. Some enterprises yet have implemented a green strategy. This thesis aims at identifying issues that determine the long-term efficiency of green marketing and how confidence and trust plays a role in order to gain competitive advantage through customer satisfaction and customer retention. The common denominator of both, CRM and green marketing is the creation of confidence, trust and value for customers. So, focus is laid on measures that lend credibility to companies’ green marketing by interviewing experts and observing their opinions about green marketing and eco-labeling. Breaking the Customer Code: A model to Translate Customer Expectations into Specification Limits Author: Ruben Gregorio; [2010]: Today, firms compete with services rather than goods. Large service organizations are beginning to use Six Sigma as continuous improvement tool. An important part of the Six Sigma methodology is the calculation of number of defects in the process, i.e. points outside the specification limits. Unlike goods quality, which can be measured objectively by number of defects, in service goods the setting up of specification limits is a complicated issue because it is marked by the use and expectations among the different customers. 22 CHAPTER – 3 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY MEANING OF RESEARCH Research is defined as a, “scientific ad systematic search for pertinent information on a specific topic”. The purpose of research is to discover answers to question through the application of scientific procedures. The main aim of research is to find out the truth which is hidden and which has not been discovered as yet. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY It is the scientific procedure adopted to do a market research. It is a systematic way of doing research. The methodology of a research work provides an outline and a frame of how it is conducted. Methodology is defined as “the study of methods by which we gain knowledge, it deals with cognitive processes imposed on research the problem arising from the nature of its subject matter” TYPE OF RESEARCH The present type of research belongs to the category of ‘Descriptive study’. Descriptive study are undertaken when the researcher is interested in knowing the characteristics of certain groups, assessing behavior, making projections or for determining the relationship between 2 or more variables. SAMPLING TECHNIQUE Sampling procedure Non probability sampling method involves a deliberate selection of particular units of the universe for constituting a sample which request the universe. Non probability sampling is any procedure in which elements will not have the equal opportunities of being included in a sample. 23 Convenience Sampling When the population elements are selected for inclusion in the sample based on the ease of access is known as the convenience sampling. The research design is descriptive which is concerned with narration of facts and descriptive of various characteristics of particular group of customer. Here the respondents are chosen on the basis of non-probability sampling under which convenience sampling design was used. Source of data The research should keep in mind two types of data while collecting data via primary data and secondary data. Primary data: primary data may be described as those data that have been observed and recorded by the researcher for the first time to their knowledge. I use the survey method frank questionnaire with general face-to-face interaction of customers. A questionnaire was prepared with the help of the primary data has been collected Secondary data: These data already exist in the companies magazines. I collect the secondary data from:- Magazines Journals Internet Annual reports RESEARCH DESIGN Survey was conducted with a questionnaire having almost 25 questions. Survey was conducted with the general public of Tirupur city. Survey was done in the period of Two weeks. SAMPLE SIZE The study contains a sample size of 150 customers. SOURCE OF COLLECTION OF DATA The mode of data collection is survey method. The survey method is more appropriate to the study. 24 Data collection instrument The tools used for data collection in this research study are questionnaire. A questionnaire is simply a formalized set of questions for elicit information. Multiple choice question When you want respondents to pick the best answer or answers from among the all possible options, consider writing a multiple-choice question. Multiple-choice question are easy to lie out on a written survey. STATISTICAL TOOL USED Tools used for the study are SIMPLE PERCENTAGE METHOD. TOOLS USED FOR ANALYSIS Simple Percentage Method: Simple percentage analysis refers to a ratio. With the help of absolute figures it will be difficult to interpret any meaning from the collected data but when percentage are found out then it becomes easy to find the relative difference between two or more attributes. Present of respondents = No. of respondents *100 Total no of respondents 25 DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION TABLE – 1 Gender of the respondents S.No Gender No. of respondents Percentage 1 Male 94 63 2 Female 56 37 Total 150 100.0 INTERPRETATION The table above shows that 63% of the respondents are male and 37% of them are female. 26 CHART – 1 CHART SHOWING THE GENDER OF THE RESPONDENTS 27 TABLE – 2 AGE WISE CLASSIFACTION OF THE RESPONDENTS S.No Age group No. of respondents Percentage 1 15 – 20 40 26.7 2 21 – 25 60 40 3 26 – 30 22 14.7 4 31 – 35 9 6 5 36 & above 19 12.6 Total 150 100.0 INTERPRETATION From the above table it is inferred that 26.7% of the respondents come under the age group of 15-20 years, 40% come under age group 21 – 25 years, 14.7% come under the age group 26 – 30 years, 6% come under age group 31 – 35 years and only 12.6% are come under the age group of 36 & above years. Thus the majority of the respondents are in the age group of 21-25 years. 28 CHART -2 CHART SHOWING THE AGE OF THE RESPONDENTS AGE OF THE RESPONDENTS 15 - 20 21 - 25 26 - 30 31-35 36 and above 29 TABLE – 3 OCCUPATION OF THEE RESPODENTS S.No Occupation No. of respondents Percentage 1 Employee 39 26 2 Business 39 26 3 NRI 2 1 4 Others 70 47 Total 150 100.0 INTERPRETATION Cars are used for easy transport from one place to another place, and more over occupation plays a key role in this regard. The study shows that respondents of 26% are employed, 26% are doing business, 1% is NRI and 47% comes under the category of other occupation. Majority of the respondents are doing other occupation. 30 CHART – 3 CHART SHOWING THE OCCUPATION OF THE RESPODENTS 31 TABLE – 4 INCOME LEVEL OF THE RESPODENTS S.No Monthly Income (Rs.) No. of respondents Percentage 1 1,00,000 – 2,00,000 61 41% 2 2,00,000 – 3,00,000 25 17% 3 3,00,000 – 4,00,000 24 16% 4 More than 4,00,000 40 27% Total 150 100.0 INTERPRETATION Income is also a main factor that decides in the possession of cars. Out of 150 respondents 41% are earning 1,00,000 – 2,00,000, 17% are earning 2,00,000 – 3,00,000,16% are earning 3,00,000 – 4,00,000 and 27% of them are earning more than 4,00,000. 32 CHART – 4 CHART SHOWING THE INCOME LEVEL OF THE RESPONDENTS 33 TABLE – 5 EARNING MEMBERS OF THE FAMILY S.No Earning members of the family No. of respondents Percentage 1 1member 42 28 2 2members 67 45 3 3members 26 17 4 4members 15 10 Total 150 100.0 INTERPRETATION The above table shows that, out of the 150 respondents, 28% of the respondents have 1 earning member in the family, 45% of the respondents have 2 earning members, 17% have 3 earning member and 10% of the respondent have 4 earning member. 34 CHART – 5 CHART SHOWING THE EANING MEMBERS OF THE FAMIL 35 TABLE – 6 NO.OF RESPODENTS OWNING A CAR S.No Owning a car No.of respondents Percentage 1 Yes 133 89 2 No 17 11 Total 150 100.0 INTERPRETATION 89% of respondents were own a car and 11% of respondents were not own a car. 36 CHART – 6 CHART SHOWING THE RESPONDENTS OWNING A CAR 37 TABLE – 7 BRAND PREFERED BY RESPODENTS No.of respondents Percentage 1 Brand preferred by respondents Skoda 13 9 2 Honda 49 33 3 Maruti Suzuki 47 31 4 Others 41 27 Total 150 100.0 S.No INTERPRETATION 9% of respondents preferred Skoda, 33% of respondents preferred Honda, 31% of respondents preferred Maruti Suzuki, and 27% of respondents preferred other brands. 38 CHART – 7 CHART SHOWING THE BRAND PREFERANCE OF THE RESPONDENTS 39 TABLE – 8 USAGE OF CAR S.No Usage of car No.of respondents Percentage 1 Daily 49 33 2 Weekly 70 47 3 Only for long 31 distance travel 21 Total 100.0 150 INTERPRETATION 33% of respondents use their car on daily basis, 47% of respondents use their car on weekly basis, and 21% of respondents use their car only for long distance travel. 40 CHART – 8 CHART SHOWING THE USAGE OF THE CAR BY THE RESPONDENTS 41 TABLE – 9 BRAND SELECTION S.No Brand selection No.of respondents Percentage 1 Past experience 59 39 2 Online reviews 26 17 3 Friends & family 65 43 Total 150 100.0 INTERPRETATION From the above table, 39% of the people select their brand based upon their past experiences, 17% select the brand through online reviews, and the rest 43% select the brand with the help of their friends and family member’s recommendations. 42 CHART – 9 CHART SHOWING THE BRAND SELECTION OF THE RESPONDENTS 43 TABLE – 10 BRAND PREFERENCE S.NO NO.OF RESPODENTS 35 PERCETAGE 1 BRAND PREFERENE BRAND NAME 2 PRICE 16 11 3 FEATURES 45 30 4 COMFORTABILITY 54 36 TOTAL 100.0 150 23 INTERPRETATION From the above table 23% of respondents prefer the brand name, 11% of respondents prefer the price, 30% of respondents prefer the features and 36% of respondents prefer the comfortability. 44 CHART – 10 CHART SHOWING THE BRAND PREFERANCE OF THE RESPONDENTS 45 TABLE – 11 ENGINE PREFERENCE S.NO ENGINE PREFERENCE NO.OF RESPODENTS PERCENTAGEE 1 PETROL 49 33 2 DIESEL 97 65 3 AUTOGAS 4 3 TOTAL 150 100.0 INTERPRETATION From the above table 33% of respondents prefer petrol, 65% of respondents prefer diesel and 3% of respondents prefer auto gas. 46 CHART – 11 CHART SHOWING THE ENGINE PREFERANCE OF THE RESPODENTS 47 TABLE – 12 CAR PREFERNCE S.NO CAR NO.OF PERCENTAGE PREFERENCE RESPODENTS 1 HATCHBACK 29 29 2 SEDAN CLAS 44 51 3 SUV TYPE 77 19 TOTAL 150 100.0 INTERPRETATION From the above table 29% of respondents prefer hatchback, 51% of respondents prefer sedan class and 19% of respondents prefer SUV type. 48 CHART – 12 CHART SHOWING THE CAR PREFERENCE OF THE RESPODENTS 49 TABLE – 13 CONSIDERING THE NEW MODEL OF HONDA CITY MORE COMFORTABLE THAN PREVIOUS MODEL BY THE RESPONDENTS S.NO COMFORTABILITY NO.OF OF HONDA CITY PERCENTAGE RESPONDENTS THAN PREVIOUS MODEL 1 YES 132 88 2 NO 18 12 TOTAL 150 100.0 INTERPRETATION From the above table 88% of respondents considering the new model of Honda city more comfortable than previous models and 12% of respondents is not considering the new model of Honda city more comfortable than previous model. 50 CHART – 13 CHART SHOWING THE COMFORTABILITY OF HONDA CITY THAN PREVIOUS MODEL BY THE RESPODENTS 51 TABLE – 14 FACTORS CONSIDERED AT THE TIME OF BUYING HONDA CITY CAR BY THE RESPONDENTS S.NO FACTORS NO.OF CONSIDERD RESPONDENTS PERCENTAGE WHEN BUYING A HONDA CITY CAR 1 DURABILITY 84 56 2 AFTER 50 33 PRICE 16 11 TOTAL 150 100.0 SALE SERVICE 3 INTERPRETATION From the above table 56% of respondents considering durability is the important factors when they buying a Honda city, 33% of respondents considering after sale service is the important factors when they buying a Honda city and 11% of respondents considering price is the important factors when they buying a Honda city. 52 CHART – 14 CHART SHOWING THE FACTORS CONSIDERED WHEN BUYING A HONDA CITY CAR BY THE RESPODENTS 53 TABLE– 15 CUSTOMERS OPINION ON THE INNOVATIVE FEATURES OF HONDA CITY S.NO FEATURES VERY GOOD GOOD 1 ENGINE VERY BAD BAD NO.OF RESPONDENTS 76 69 3 2 150 DESIGN 2 HANDLING 57 89 3 1 150 3 ROAD GRIP 72 61 11 6 150 4 EXTERIOR 76 69 4 1 150 84 58 7 1 150 LOOK 5 INTERIOR LOOK INTREPRETATION 76 respondents have stated that the engine design of Honda City is very good; 89 respondents have stated that the handling is good; 72 respondents have stated that the road grip of the car is very good; 76 respondents have stated that the exterior look of the car is also very good; 84 respondents have also liked their interior look. 54 CHART – 15 CHART SHOWING THE CUSTOMER OPINION ON THE INNOVATIVE FEATURES OF HONDA CITY 55 TABLE – 16 CUSTOMERS RATING TOWARDS THE CAR THEY ARE CURRENTLY USING S.NO VEHICLE EXCELLENT VERY RATING GOOD AVERAGE NO.OF GOOD RESPODENTS 78 46 25 1 150 58 75 16 1 150 64 53 31 2 150 4 LOOK&STYLE 67 52 29 2 150 5 SAFETY 68 51 29 2 150 64 56 25 5 150 1 FUEL EFFICIENCY 2 RIDING COMFORT 3 BRAND VALUE FEATURES 6 PICKUP INTREPRETATION From the above table 78 respondents have rated excellent for the fuel efficiency of the car which they are currently using ; 75 respondents have felt that the riding comfort of their car is very good ; 64 respondents feel that their car is of excellent brand value ; 67 respondents have felt that their car’s look and style is excellent ; 68 respondents have again felt that their car’s safety features are excellent ; 64 respondents have also rated excellent for the pickup of the car they are currently using. 56 CHART -16 CHART SHOWING THE CUSTOMERS RATING TOWARDS THE CAR THEY ARE CURRENTLY USING 57 TABLE – 17 OPINION ABOUT OVERALL PERFORMANCE OF HONDA CITY BY THE RESPONDENTS S.NO PERFORMANCE NO.OF PERCENTAGE OF HONDA CITY RESPONDENTS 1 EXCELLENT 43 29 2 VERY GOOD 83 55 3 GOOD 21 14 4 AVERAGE 3 2 TOTAL 150 100.0 INTERPRETATION From the above table 29% of the respondents said excellent about the overall performance of Honda city, 55% of the respondents said very good about the overall performance of Honda city,14% of the respondents said good about the overall performance of Honda city and 2% of the respondents said average about the overall performance of Honda city 58 CHART – 17 CHART SHOWING THE OPINION ABOUT OVERALL PERFORMANCE OF HONDA CITY BY THE RESPONDENTS 59 TABLE – 18 PERCEPTION OF THE RESPONDENTS TOWARDS BUYING HONDA CITY S.NO PERCEPTION NO.OF TOWARDS RESPONDENTS PERCENTAGE BUYING HONDA CITY 1 GIVES GOOD 27 18 MILEAGE 2 A GRAND LOOK 49 33 3 REASONABLE 18 12 ALL THE ABOVE 56 37 TOTAL 150 100.0 PRICE 4 INTERPRETATION From the above table 18% of the respondents prefer Honda city for giving good mileage, 33% of the respondents prefer Honda city for its grand look, 12% of the respondents prefer Honda city for its reasonable price, 37% of the respondents prefer all the factors of Honda city. 60 CHART – 18 CHART SHOWING THE PERCEPTION OF THE RESPONDENTS TOWARDS BUYING HONDA CITY 61 TABLE – 19 SATISFACTION OF THE RESPONDENTS WITH THE HONDA CITY S.NO SATISFACTION NO.OF WITH THE RESPONDENTS PERCENTAGE HONDA CITY 1 HIGHLY 64 43 SATISFIED 2 SATISFIED 84 56 3 DISSATISFIED 2 1 TOTAL 150 100.0 INTERPRETATION From the above table 43% of the respondents were highly satisfied with the Honda city, 56% of the respondents were satisfied with the Honda city and 1% of the respondents were dissatisfied with the Honda city. 62 CHART – 19 CHART SHOWING THE SATISFACTION OF THE RESPONDENTS WITH THE HONDA CITY 63 TABLE – 20 CUSTOMER’S SATISFACTION TOWARDS THE MILEAGE AND MAINTENANCE FEATURES OF HONDA CITY S.NO SATISFACTION NO.OF TOWARDS RESPONDENTS PERCENTAGE MILEAGE AND MAINTENANCE FEATURES 1 EXCELLENT 66 44 2 GOOD 68 45 3 FAIR 15 10 4 BAD 1 1 TOTAL 150 100.0 INTREPRETATION From the above table 44% of the respondents felt that mileage and maintenance features of Honda city is excellent, 45% of the respondents felt that it was good, 10% of the respondents felt that it was fair and 1% of the respondents felt that it is bad. 64 CHART – 20 CHART SHOWING THE CUSTOMER’S SATISFACTION TOWARDS THE MILEAGE AND MAINTENANCE FEATURES OF HONDA CITY 65 TABLE- 21 CUSTOMER’S SATISFACTIONTOWARDS THE PICKUP AND PERFORANCE OF HONDA CITY S.NO SATISFACTION NO.OF TOWARDS RESPONDENTS PERCENTAGE PICKUP AND PERFORMANCE 1 YES 144 96 2 NO 6 4 TOTAL 150 100.0 INTREPRETATION From the above table 96% of the respondents were satisfied with the pickup and performance of Honda city where as the rest 4% weren’t satisfied with the same. 66 CHART – 21 CHART SHOWING THE CUSTOMER’S SATISFACTIONTOWARDS THE PICKUP AND PERFORANCE OF HONDA CITY 67 TABLE – 22 COMPARISON OF PRICE WITH THE OTHER VEHICLES OF THE SAME CLASS S.NO COMPARISON OF NO.OF PERCENTAGE PRICE RESPODENTS 1 CHEAPER 25 17 2 REASONABLE 115 77 3 COSTLIER 10 7 TOTAL 150 100.0 INTREPRETATION From the above table 17% of respondents have felt Honda city is cheaper than other vehicles of the class, 77% of respondent ha felt that it is reasonable and 7% of them felt costlier. 68 CHART – 22 CHART SHOWING THE COMPARISON OF PRICE WITH THE OTHER VEHICLES OF THE SAME CLASS 69 TABLE – 23 CUSTOMER SUGGESTION ON VARIOUS FEATURES OF OTHER BRANDS S.NO SUGGESTION HONDA VERNA CIAZ POLO CITY 1 ENGINE NO.OF RESPONDENT 95 31 11 13 150 DESIGN 2 HANDLING 54 59 20 17 150 3 DURABILITY 75 28 35 12 150 4 PERFORMANCE 56 42 21 31 150 5 SAFETY 67 38 28 17 150 6 STYLE 67 49 15 19 150 INTREPRETATION From the above table 95 respondents have chosen Honda City for their engine design ; 59 respondents have chosen Verna for the ease in Handling ; 75 respondents have again chosen Honda City for their durability ; 56 respondents have chosen Honda City for its best performance ; 67 of the respondents have again selected Honda City for their safety and style. 70 CHART – 23 CHART SHOWING THE CUSTOMER SUGGESTION ON VARIOUS FEATURES OF OTHER BRANDS 71 TABLE – 24 RECOMMENDATION OF THE CAR S.NO RECOMMENDATION NO.OF PERCENTAGE OF THE CAR RESPONDENTS 1 YES 139 93 2 NO 11 7 TOTAL 150 100 INTERPRETATION From the above table 93%of the respondents will recommend their car they are currently using to other and 7%of the respondents won’t recommend their car. 72 CHART – 24 CHART SHOWING THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE CAR 73 CHAPTER -V 5.1 FINDINGS OF THE STUDY SUMMARY OF FINDINGS It is found that majority (63%) of the respondents are male. 1. The study reveals that majority (40%) of the respondents come under the age group of 21-25 years. 2. The study reveals that majority (47%) of respondents are doing other occupation. 3. The study exhibit that majority (41%) of respondent are earning 1,00,000 – 2,00,000 4. The study reveals that majority (45%) of respondents have 2 earning members in the family 5. The study exhibit that majority (89%) of respondents were own a car 6. The study shows that (33%) of respondents preferred Honda 7. The study reveals that (47%) of respondents use their car on weekly basis 8. The study reveals that (43%) of respondents select the brand with the help of their friends and family member’s recommendation 9. The study shows that (36%) of respondents prefer the comfortability 10. The study shows that (65%) of respondents prefer diesel 11. The study reveals that (51%) of respondents prefer sedan class 12. The study shows that (88%) of respondents considering the new model of Honda city more comfortable than previous models 13. The study reveals that (56%) of respondents considering durability is the important factors when they buying a Honda city 14. The study exhibit that 76 respondents have stated that the engine design of Honda City is very good, 89 respondents have stated that the handling is good, 72 respondents have stated that the road grip of the car is very good, 76 respondents have stated that the exterior look of the car is also very good and 84 respondents have also liked their interior look. 74 15. The study shows that 29% of the respondents said excellent about the overall performance of Honda city, 55% of the respondents said very good about the overall performance of Honda city,14% of the respondents said good about the overall performance of Honda city and 2% of the respondents said average about the overall performance of Honda city 16. The study shows that (55%) of the respondents said very good about the overall performance of Honda city 17. The study shows that (33%) of the respondents prefer Honda city for its grand look 18. The study reveals that (56%) of the respondents were satisfied with the Honda city 19. The study shows that (45%) of the respondents felt that mileage and maintenance features of Honda city is good 20. The study shows that (96%) of the respondents were satisfied with the pickup and performance of Honda city 21. The study shows that (77%) of respondents have felt Honda city is reasonable than other vehicles of the class 22. The study shows that 95 respondents have chosen Honda City for their engine design; 59 respondents have chosen Verna for the ease in Handling; 75 respondents have again chosen Honda City for their durability; 56 respondents have chosen Honda City for its best performance; 67 of the respondents have again selected Honda City for their safety and style. 23. The study shows that (93%) of the respondents will recommend their car they are currently using to other. 75 5.2 SUGGESTION Honda car should undertake strategies to get competitive advantage. Since the Honda car having effective competitors, they can be promoting brand ambassadors to attract customers by the way of advertisements. Company should have to undertake checkup camp and service camp, which is helpful to increase customer relation. The company should maintain better customer relationship. 76 5.3 CONCLUSION In India there are numbers of branded Car Manufacturers trying to get leadership position in the market, but this is possible only through boosting the customer satisfaction and brand preference among the people. Many firms and companies try to attain number one position and improve its image by creating awareness about their brand and depend upon the potential market. The analysis of the study show that our brand Honda car have at most satisfaction among the customers, but to get the number one position in this competitive market, Honda car has to improve their effective sales, personals, promotional and advertising activities through famous medium. Hence it is concluded that HONDA is recognized brand and working well, giving good products to market in low price so, it’s nice to go with Honda rather than others. 77 BIBLIOGRAPHY 1. Company Profile, Honda Cars India, 2015 2. ^ HCIL Website - Honda Executives Archived 2007-09-28 at the Wayback Machine 3. ^ "Honda Cars India | Honda Hatchback, Sedan, SUV Cars". Honda Car India. Retrieved 30 April 2020. 4. ^ "India", Wikipedia, 28 April 2020, retrieved 30 April 2020 5. ^ "Honda", Wikipedia, 23 April 2020, retrieved 30 April 2020 6. ^ "Honda Car India-Company Profile". Honda Car India. Retrieved 30 October 2015. 7. ^ "Honda India rolls out its first car from Tapukara Plant in Rajasthan completed in 2014 South of Delhi". IANS. News.biharprabha.com. Retrieved 25 February 2014. 8. ^ "HSCI Commences Construction at its Second Plant in Rajasthan". Honda Car India press releases. Archived from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 30 October 2015. 9. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 12 July 2011. Retrieved 22 July 2012. 10. "Financial Results: Honda Motor Company" (PDF). May 2019. Retrieved 15 June 2018. 11. ^ Grant, Robert M.; Neupert, Kent E. (2003). Cases in contemporary strategy analysis (3rd Ed.). Wiley-Blackwell. ISBN 1-4051-1180-1. 12. ^ Johnson, Richard Alan (2005). Six men who built the modern auto industry. Motor Books International. p. 52. ISBN 0-7603-1958-8. 13. ^ https://hondanews.eu/eu/no/motorcycles/media/pressreleases/199277/honda-iscelebrating-the-production-of-400-million-motorcycles 14. ^ Miller, Edward (18 April 2008). "FIRST MOTORCYCLE AIRBAG EARNS TAKATA AND HONDA 2008 AUTOMOTIVE NEWS PACE INNOVATION PARTNERSHIP AWARD". Honda.com. Archived from the original on 8 March 2009. Retrieved 28 July 2009. 15. ^ "Harga Honda Mobilio". Mobilio. Archived from the original on 10 September 2014. Retrieved 22 November 2009. 16. ^ "The History of Honda". Cars-directory.net. Retrieved 22 November 2009. 17. ^ "World motor vehicle production OICA correspondents survey without double counts world ranking of manufacturers year 2011" . 78 QUESTIONNAIRE 1. NAME: 2. AGE: 3. GENDER 4. OCCUPATION a) Employee b) Business c) NRI d) Others 5. INCOME LEVEL a) 1, 00,000 – 2,00,000 b) 2, 00,000 - 3, 00,000 c) 3, 00,000 – 4, 00,000 d) More than 4, 00,000 6. EARNING MEMBERS OF THE FAMILY? a)1 b) 2 c) 3 d) 4 79 7. DO YOU OWN A CAR? a) Yes b) No 8. IF YES WHAT BRAND DO YOU OWN? a) Skoda b) Honda c) Maruti Suzuki d) Others 9. HOW OFTEN DO YOU USE THE CAR? a) Daily b) Weekly c) Only for long distance travel 10. WHAT DEFINES TOWARDS YOUR BRAND SELECTION? a) Past experience b) Online reviews c) Friends & family 80 11. WHY DO YOU PREFER THE PARTICULAR BRAND? a) Brand name b) Price c) Features d) Comfortability 12. WHAT ENGINE WOULD YOU PREFER? a) Petrol b) Diesel c) Auto gas 13. WHAT KIND OF CAR DO YOU PREFER? a) Hatchback b) Sedan class c) SUV type 14. DO YOU CONSIDER THE NEW MODEL OF HONDA CITY MORE COMFORTABLE THAN PREVIOUS MODELS? a) Yes b) No 81 15. WHICH FACTOR IS MOST IMPORTANT TO YOU WHEN YOU BUY A HONDA CITY CAR? a) Durability b) After sales service c) Price 16. OPINION ABOUT THE INNOVATIVE FEATURES IN NEW HONDA CITY? VERY GOOD VERY BAD BAD GOOD ENGINE DESIGN HANDLING ROAD GRIP EXTERIOR INTERIOR 17. RATE YOUR VEHICLE BASED ON THE FOLLOWING? EXCELLENT VERY GOOD AVERAGE GOOD FUEL EFFICIENCCY RIDING COMFORT BRAND VALUE LOOK&STYLE SAFETY FEATURES PICKUP 18. WHAT IS YOUR OPINION ABOUT OVER ALL PERFORMANCE OF HONDA CITY? 82 a) Excellent b) Very good c) Good d) Average 19. WHAT IS YOUR PERCEPTION TOWARDS BUYING HONDA CITY? a) Gives good mileage b) A grand look c) Reasonable price d) All the above 20. HOW FAR ARE YOU SATISFIED WITH THE HONDA CITY? a) Highly satisfied b) Satisfied c) Dissatisfied 21. ARE YOU SATISFIED WITH THE MILEAGE AND MAINTENANCE FEATURES OF HONDA CITY? a) Excellent b) Good c) Fair d) Bad 22. ARE YOU SATISFIED WITH THE PICKUP AND THE PERFORMANCE OF THE HONDA CITY AFTER USING IT? 83 a) Yes b) No 23. WHAT IS THE COST OF VEHICLE WHEN COMPARED TO OTHER VEHICLES IN THE SAME CLASS? a) Cheaper b) Reasonable c) Costlier 24. SUGGEST YOUR VIEW REGARDING THE FOLLOWING: 1 – STRONGLY DISAGREE 2 – DISAGREE 3 – NEUTRAL 4 – AGREE 5 – STRONGLY AGREE PRICE OFFERS HONDA CITY VERNA CIAZ POLO ENGINE DESIGN HANDLING DURABILITY PERFORMANCE SAFETY STYLE 25. WOULD YOU LIKE TO RECOMMEND THE CAR YOU ARE CURRENTLY USING TO OTHER PROSPECTIVE BUYER? a) Yes b) No 84