CHAPTER ONE

1.1. Background to the study

One of the greatest tools to curb economic challenges is effective and efficient logistics management. It is the function of how resources are acquired, stored and transport to their various destinations. It entails identifying prospective distributors, suppliers and equally determining their effectiveness and accessibility (Amin, 2018). The logistic activities within a business setting attempts to satisfy customers through achieving the time and location related to the market challenges and also through the cost of the service provided as well as quality taking into consideration customers’ needs and purchasing power (Ibid 2018). The growing satisfaction of customers due to effective logistics management is the main determining force which provides marketers and business owners with the rang that they can use to manage and improve their business

Gabriella notes that since the beginning of customer service revolution almost 25 years ago, business research have focus on customer satisfaction. Business consultant, corporations and operational management has all worked together to identify the characteristics of organizations that consistently made customers satisfy (Gabriella 2018). In any business setting, customer satisfaction has remain the way of determining the continuity of sales which means the continuity of the business. Customer satisfaction is achieved through customer service which is the main strategy to ensure they customers do not switch to other places (Quirine 2017).

According to Liu and Xie (2013) quality is the basic for the functioning of the service sector, this one of the main tasks of the rapidly growing service sector is to ensure the quality of service to the customers. Considering this, it is safe to say that one of the most important current logistics business success guarantors is the quality of the provided service, especially knowing that a service is an impalpable act of process. Therefore, it is closely related to the satisfaction of the clients’ needs. According to Zeithamal (2001) expectations’ manifestation depends on how customers perceive and interpret the environmental factors influencing the formation of expectations. Some factors may be controlled by a company, foreseen and be prepared for, but other factors depend on the clients in a larger extent (psychological, cultural, social), therefore logistics companies face a huge challenge to understand their customers, find out his needs and try to meet customers’ expectations.

Considering this, logistics companies need to keep in mind that seeking competitive advantage and customer’s circles growth, they must immediately ensure the customer’s acknowledgment as a service provided one time is remembered for a long time and the fact whether it was qualities or no further will determine the client’s choice and the means to the logistics company whether it will be able to attract or retain a customer or not. Moreover, according to Jia , Govindan and Meiduté (2013), effective economic development of the country as well as industrial and commercial business success is not possible without logistics service that create added value for businesses., ensuring the expediency of produces’ time and place of meeting the client’s needs. Accessing the effect of the service sector on the performance of different companies, logistics services quality becomes the main object of research for researchers and practitioners.

A similar view is expressed by Sampaio et al (2011) who emphasize that the market is currently transformed under economic, social, political and technological pressure. As a result, there are changes in the value system of customers who focus on personalized service, partnership, spend and reliability of service. The issue of a quality of service is particularly important in logistics, where it deals with the correct and effective implement of the processes related to delivering products to the customers on the right place at the right time, in optimal condition and at the lowest possible cost of the project (Sroufe and Curkovic, 2008; Dellana and Kross, 2018, Zimon, 2016). Even a product with excellent features and characteristics will not fully satisfy the customer if the logistics process related to its displacement in the supply chain fail. Due to the fact that, companies should carry out a thorough assessment of the quality of logo processes and implement a number of improvement measures that will enable customers satisfaction and loyalty ( Zimon, 2017a,b; Madizik, 2018).

This is particularly important for the implementation of the customers’ needs

A good example of a business setting whose effectiveness in logistics management has ensured customers satisfaction is Glocal Gaz limited Company.

Glocal Gaz limited Company is found in Limbe Cameroon. This company was created in 2006 It understood the concept of customer satisfaction and made sure that the needs of its customers are intact. This company deals with gas production.

Glocal gaz set out to eradicate the cooking difficulties faced by Cameroonians, who primarily use wood when preparing meals because of a shortage in gas in Cameroon. And as a consequence, they contribute to the harmful emission of CO2. Depending more on gas and less on wood would benefit safety for the end-user as well as the environment and help fight deforestation.

The study posits that the effective logistic management of Glocal Gaz Company characterized by high quality products, powerful organization structure has been the brain behind customers’ satisfaction.

1.2.  Statement of the problem

Logistics management is one of the greatest tools to curb economic challenges. It is the function of how resources are acquired, stored and transported to their various destinations. It entails identifying prospective distributors, suppliers and equally determining their effectiveness and accessibility. This is the case in many companies around the globe. The main aim of logistic activities within a business setting is to satisfy customers through achieving quality supply of their needs. 

Warehouses also a needed facility to help an organization in taking advantage of quality purchase discounts and forward purchases which help in supporting the company’s customer service policy. The study maintains that a collaborated effort among supply chain players, together with a responsive approach, an organization can achieve better competitiveness through reduced lead time. This ensures that the end user not only gets value for money, but quality in the product deliver which ensures their satisfaction. In this regard, logistics management is part of all levels of planning and execution strategic, operational and tactical. It is an integrating function, which coordinates all logistics activities, as well as integrates logistics activities with other functions including marketing, sales manufacturing, finance, and information technology.

This paper aims to enlarge the debate concerning the different logistics solutions implemented by industrial companies to increase customer satisfaction and to determine their impact. In particular, this research, by means of semi-structured interviews, aims to identify and propose new links between logistics management solution theory and customer satisfaction. The supply chain and logistics senior manager was interviewed to identify the understanding of what they believe to be important within the suppliers and how logistics management is important in satisfied customers. 

The impact of logistic managements on customer satisfaction has not been taken into full studies in the modern business setting. This therefore push the researcher to go into the investigation and assessment of logistic managements on customer satisfaction. The point of focus is   Glocal Gaz Company one of the fast growing companies in Cameroon. The enterprise’s understanding and servicing of customers’ needs have been the main pointer to customer satisfaction. The mechanism uses by the company to effect customer’s satisfaction is the crux of the research. The study argues that the effective organization and high-quality provisions of Glocal Gaz has been outstanding in ensuring customer’s satisfaction which has therefore encouraged high returns in the company.

1.3. Research questions 

1.3.1. Main Question

• How will effective logistics management influence customer satisfaction in Glocal Gaz Company

1.3.2. Specific Questions

• How will effective logistics planning influence customer’s satisfaction Glocal Gaz Company
• How has logistics implementation influence customer satisfaction at Glocal Gaz Company?
• How will effective control and quality delivery affect customer’s satisfaction in Glocal Gaz company?

1.4. Objectives of this Research.

1.4.1. Main objective

• The main objective of this work is to analyze how effective logistic management influence customer satisfaction in Glocal Gaz company limited.

1.4.2. Specific objectives

Specifically, this research sets out to;

• Show how effective logistics planning influences customer satisfaction in Glocal Gaz company
• Examine how logistics implementation has influence customer satisfaction in Glocal Gaz Company
• Analyze how effective control and quality delivery affects customer’s satisfaction in Glocal Gaz Company
• Suggestions and Recommendations.