1.1 Introduction Logistics is the management of the flow of resources, not only goods, between the point of origin and the point of destination in order to meet the requirements of customers or corporations. Logistics involves the integration of information, transportation, information, transportation, inventory, inventory, warehousing, material warehousing, material handling, and handling, and packaging, packaging, and and often security. often security. Today Today the complexity of production logistics can be modeled, analyzed, visualized and optimized by plant simulation software, but is constantly changing. This can involve anything from consumer goods such as food, to IT materials, to aerospace and defense equipment. e quipment. A Courier is Courier is a person or a company who delivers messages, packages, and mail. Couriers are distinguished from ordinary mail services by features such as speed, security, tracking, signature, specialization and individualization of services, and committed delivery times, which are optional for most everyday mail services. As a premium service, couriers are usually more expensive than usual mail services, and their use is typically restricted to packages where one or more of these features are considered important enough to warrant the cost. Different courier services operate on all scales, from within specific towns or cities, to regional, national and global services. The world's largest courier companies are DHL, FedEx, TNT N.V., UPS, and Aramex. These offer services worldwide, typically via a hub and spoke model. Types of couriers In cities, there are often bicycle couriers or motorcycle couriers but for consignments requiring delivery over greater distance networks, this may often include Lorries, railways and aircraft. Many companies who operate under a Just-In-Time or "JIT" inventory method often utilize on-board couriers. On-board couriers are individuals who can travel at a moment's notice anywhere in the world, usually via commercial airlines. While this type of service is the second costliest —general aviation charters are far more expensive— expensive —companies analyze the cost of service to engage an on-board courier versus the "cost" the company will realize should the product not arrive by a specified time (i.e. an assembly line stopping, untimely court filing, lost sales from product or components missing a delivery deadline, organ transplants).
Representative couriers Over time, demand for a new type of representative courier has emerged. With the increase in fuel prices and productivity goals monitored closely by companies, this new type of allin-one courier has developed to "take care of business". Workers in companies have more work and less time to be out of the office. Operating largely using independent contractors that have gone through a screening process and background checks have found a niche in the courier industry. Research, in transit pet care, complex paperwork filing, and a host of other services are now offered in this new category of courier service.
About DHL Express DHL Express is a division of the German logistics company Deutsche Post providing international express mail services. DHL is a world market leader in sea and air mail. Originally founded in 1969 to deliver documents between San Francisco and Honolulu, the company expanded its service throughout the world by the late 1970s. The company was primarily interested in offshore and inter-continental deliveries, but the success of FedEx prompted their own intra-US expansion starting in 1983. DHL aggressively expanded to countries that could not be served by any other delivery service, including the Union, Eastern, Iraq, Iran, China, Vietnam and North Korea. The DHL Express Service has ceased domestic operations in the United States of America, as of February 2009. They are still highly popular for international shipments, for example to Iraq. In 1998, Deutsche Post began to acquire shares in DHL. It finally reached majority ownership in 2001, and completed the purchase in 2002. Deutsche Post then effectively absorbed DHL into its Express division, while expanding the use of the DHL brand to other Deutsche Post divisions, business units and subsidiaries. Today, DHL Express shares its well-known DHL brand with other Deutsche Post business units, such as DHL Global Forwarding and DHL Supply Chain.
History of DHL By bus, boat, or bicycle, from Albania to Kyrgyzstan, Qatar to Zimbabwe, DHL Worldwide Express delivers. The company is the world leader in cross-border express deliveries, ahead of FedEx and UPS. Overall, DHL links 120,000 destinations in about 230 countries and territories. The company has about 4,000 offices worldwide, and it operates a fleet of more than 250 aircraft. Affiliate DHL Airways provides air cargo services in the US.
In 1969 Dalsey, Hillblom, and Lynn developed a way to decrease turnaround time in the shipping business by flying bills of landing to port ahead of time. DHL started out moving documents between San Francisco and Honolulu; the process soon evolved into an international door-to-door express mail service throughout the Pacific. Within a few years, DHL began expanding its service to the Philippines, Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore and Australia. The company started to serve Europe in 1974, the Middle East in 1976, Latin America in 1977, and Sub-Sahara Africa in 1978. The company did not begin developing a network within the United States until 1983, when it established a hub at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport. That year the company also became the first to offer international service to Europe's Eastern Bloc. In the years to follow, DHL would also be the first to include Vietnam and the People's Republic of China in its delivery network and the first to reestablish service to Kuwait following the Gulf War. More recently, DHL was the only company to continue air express service in Indonesia - despite the civil unrest in that country during May 1988. In December 1998, DHL was named the "World's Most Global Company" by Global Finance Magazine, based on criteria including global reach, sales, assets, and profits. Featured alongside companies like Reuters, Citibank, and Shell, DHL was specifically cited for its practice of establishing "its own, rather than agent, operations overseas" and for employing "as many local staff as possible." To bolster its international influence, DHL has expanded its interests in Asia, Australia, and South America since summer 1999. In looking at DHL and its place in the overnight shipping industry, I plan on focusing in on the overnight operations based out of the Cincinnati hub, located at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International airport.
Business Strategy DHL strives to be the number one leader in the overnight shipping business. Competing against such entities as UPS, FedEx, and the U.S. Postal Service, only allows them to compete by means of stuck-in-the-middle. This type of strategy is clearly seen because DHL only offers one means of delivery, overnight; where all three competitors offer several options. When a customer wants to send a package through one of the competitors, they have a choice in overnight, 2 day, or 5 day delivery. The cost for shipping a letter or package also leaves them stuck in the middle because they only offer one set price, no matter where the shipment is going, whether it’s from Kansas to New York, or California to Moscow, the same price applies to both. FedEx and UPS offer a discounted rate compared to DHL that reflects the travel time the shipment is going, while the U.S. Post Office offers a cheaper rate, but it normally does not get there overnight. Also, UPS offer bundling to their customers. If a UPS customer only uses UPS for domestic shipping and DHL for international; UPS decided to offer a discounted rate if that customer decides to use UPS for both international and domestic shipping. This opens the door for UPS to acquire more business at a lower cost to the customer.
DHL in UAE There are only a few global brands that over time have left a lasting impression on people. DHL would certainly count as one among them. Since 1969, the company has grown to become one of the most trustworthy providers of delivery solutions for customers worldwide. Present in the UAE since 1976, DHL Worldwide Express has consistently delivered quality to its customers. Effective use of information technology has been key to the organization’s achievement of its goals. "The majority of the UAE team is focused on front-end services. They have a centralized service desk for their area located in Bahrain. Basically, when someone needs help they are directed there. These calls are categorized into tickets using HP Open view and then assigned accordingly. First, timely resolution is the key focus. If this cannot be achieved the ticket is then routed to the local team or to one of the datacenters," says Sammut. (Regional manager) DHL Express has an established datacenter in Dubai for the UAE. Performing multiple functions for the country, the datacenter is also meant to connect to the core.
"DHL Express is one of several business units in DPWN (Deutsche Post World Net). There is an extensive amount of work that goes into integration between these businesses. Apart from the DHL Express datacenter in Dubai, there is also an area supply organization one, which provides connectivity and shared services," The list of DHL Logistics services provided in UAE: Sea Cargo Services Freight Clearing Services Cargo Packing and Forwarding Services Cargo Services Logistics and Distribution Cargo Loading and Unloading Services Clearing and Forwarding General Warehousing
1.2 Research title “Customer Satisfaction and Loyalty in Logistics Services of D HL Express in UAE ”
1.3 Research Objectives
To study about the quality of Logistic Services provided by DHL Express among people of UAE. To identify the loyalty of customer towards DHL Express in UAE.
To measure the specific reasons for satisfaction and dissatisfaction in with Express.
DHL
To identify the recommendations of DHL Express to others by existing loyal customers.
1.4 Scope of the study Scope of the study mainly to know the current level of customer satisfaction. Scope of the study mainly to know the loyalty of the customer towards the company. To give suggestion regarding improvement of performance standard of the Company
1.5 Limitations of the study Time limit restricts detailed survey work for this particular topic of research The survey is restricted to the customers of DHL Express in UAE who are involved in imports. Some customers have lack of time, so they may not communicate properly.
1.6 Research design The objective of the study has been achieved by using both Primary and Secondary Data’s. The data’s obtained for the study was primarily from field investigation carried out among the customers of DHL in UAE. The research methodology used in the present research focuses on collecting information on current position of Logistics service and its possibilities of service growth in near future. Data was collected with a survey instrument which focused DHL Express Logistics service context. Responses on the customer satisfaction, expectation, and perception of services provided by DHL are measured. Both primary source and secondary source was used to collect the information. The sampling size was used is 50 respondents using convenience sampling.
1.7 Chapter Scenario Chapter 1: Introductory chapter - Provide an out view of the research subject which contains the brief introduction and background information about the topic, the reason and the aims of the research and choice of research methodology. Chapter 2: Literature review - It gives a brief introduction of Logistics, Customer Satisfaction, Loyalty determinants and review of the literature. Chapter 3: Research methodology- The way in which the research has been carried out has been described. The different methods and approaches used and why they were more appropriate than others is justified. Chapter 4: Data Analysis and research findings - The data that has been collected is evaluated and analyzed.
Chapter 5: Conclusion and recommendations - The main points in discovered in the research have been summed up. Conclusion and recommendations on the basis of the finding has been given. Chapter 6: It includes references and appendix
