Title of the Project

“A Study on Customer Satisfaction & Brand Preference of AK Plywood’s in India”.

 INDEX

CHAPTER. CONTENTS Page No.

INTRODUCTION
1.1 Introduction
1.2 Statement of problem
1.3 Need for the study
1.
1.4 Objectives of the study
1.5 Research Methodology
1.6 Limitation of the study
1.7 Chapterization

2. 2.1 Research review

3. 3.1 Industry and company profile

4. 4.1 Data analysis and interpretation

A STUDY ON CUSTOMER SATISFACTION OF AK PLYWOODS

PVT LTD,KANNUR

A project report submitted to

For the partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of

BACHELOR OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION (BBA)

BY

MOHAMMEd FARAB

Register No: RA1651001010030

Under the guidance of

Mr.DANIEL SIR

Assistant Professor of

Department of Business Administration

SRM Institute of Science and Technology

Kattankulathur 603203

Faculty of Management
 DECLARATION

I hereby declare that the project report titled “A STUDY ON CUSTOMER SATISFACTION OF
AK PLYWOODS PVT LTD,KANNUR” is outcome of study and is submitted in partial
fulfillment requirement for the award of the degree of BACHELOR OF BUSINESS
ADMINISTRATION at SRM UNIVERSITY FACULTY OF MANAGEMENT
DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION. The project is an original work done by
me and to the best of my knowledge. This work is not been submitted to any other university or
college or award of any other degree, diploma or fellowship.

PLACE: CHENNAI Signature of the Student

DATE: (MohammedFARABl)
 CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that the project work entitled “A STUDY ON CUSTOMER SATISFACTION
OF AK PLYWOODS PVT LTD,KANNUR” submitted by Mohammed Faisal, Register No:
RA1651001010030 for the partial fulfillment of BACHELOR OF BUSINESS
ADMINISTRATION, as per my observation, it was found that the project report has not been
previously formed or copied from any other material for the award of any Degree, Diploma,
Associate, Fellowship or other similar title. The project represents independent wok on the part
of the candidate with the guidance of the supervisor.

PLACE: CHENNAI

DATE:

Signature of the Internal Examiner Signature of the Guide

Signature of the External Examiner Signature of HOD with Seal

 ABSTRACT

The project report entitle “A STUDY ON CUSTOMER SATISFACTION OF AK PLYWOODS

(INDIA) PVT LTD, KANNUR” is intended to determine the Financial position of the company.

In today’s financial world, financial performance is a requirement amongst the perspective of

various stakeholders. Financial performance is crucial for taking financial decisions related to
planning and control. Hence, it forms the basis as one of the importance for taking financial
decisions effectively. This research paper is aimed to analyze and compare the Financial
Performance of Capstocks and Securities (INDIA) Pvt Ltd in five years period and offer
suggestions for the improvement of efficiency by comparing various Financial statements and
crucial Financial Ratios.
 ACKNOWLEDEMENT

I would like to express my heartfelt thanks Dr.V.M.PONNAIAH, Associate dean, Faculty of

Science and Humanities for giving permission and their valuable support.

I express my sincere thanks to, Head of the department, Department of Business Administrtion,
for the valuable suggestion and help to prepare the project.

I wish to take the opportunity to express my sincere gratitude to my guide Mr.DANIEL

Assistant professor, department of Business Administration and all faculty members for their
valuable guidance in this endeavour.

I express my gratitude to the manager of the company “AK PLYWOODS (INDIA) PVT LTD,
KANNUR” for permitting me to undergo institutional training for enlightening me in various
aspect of my project.

Thanks to God Almighty, Parents and my Friends for supporting me in every step to complete
my report successfully.

MOHAMMED FARAB

5. 5.1 Summary
 5.2 Suggestions
5.3 Conclusion
5.4 Bibliography
5.5 Appendix
5.6 Quesstionaire&Attachment
 INTRODUCTION

A sale is completed by the seller or the owner of the goods .It sales with consent to an acquisition
or appropriation or request followed by the passing of the item and the application and due
settlement of a price the douche of or any claim upon the item .The purchase though a party to
the sales does not execute the sale only the seller does that . To be obligation of payment .If the
seller completes the first two above stages of the sale prior to settlements of the price the sales is
still valid and gives rise to an obligation to pay

Academically selling is thought of as a part of marketing however the two disciplines are
completely different .Sale often forms a separate grouping a corporate structure employing
separate specialist operatives known as sales people selling is considered by many to be a sort of
persuading art contrary to popular belief the methodological approach of selling refers to a
systematic process of repetitive and measurable milestones by which a sales person relates his or
her offering of a product or service in return enabling the buyer to achieve their goal in an
economic way.

After sales service refers to all things you do for the care and feeding of valued customers after
they buy your product .This type of customer aftercare is important for any business but
especially for small business where every client .A sale is the first step to increasing your sales
not the last providing good after-sales shows your customers you want to build a long-term
relationship with them earn their loyalty and keep their business

Many successful businesses use after-sales service strategies to consolidates sales build
customer relationships and grow their profits providing after-sales service keeps your customer
coming back to you and encourages them to refer your business to other after-sales service
includes what you do at the point of sale including your customer service and sellings
techniques .It also includes how you follow up after the customer has left such as providing
follow –up contact and effectively dealings with complaints

This guide highlights the importance of after –sales service and explains customers service
techniques that will help you build better relationships with your customers
 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

In today’s competitive world customer plays an important role in every business. The main
purpose of every business is to satisfy its existing customers and attract a new customer which is
also known acquiring customers. Based on above statements I have decided to take up my
academic project on a study on customer satisfaction after sales and services of AK Plywood’s.

NEED FOR STUDY

Customer satisfaction survey is a systematic process for collecting consumer data, analyzing this
data to make it into actionable information, driving the results throughout an organization and
implementing satisfaction survey is a management information system that continuously captures
the voice of the customer through the assessment of performance from the customers’ point of
view.
 OBJECTIVES OF STUDY

PRIMARY OBJECTIVE
A Study Customer Satisfaction & Brand Preference of AK Plywood’s in India

SECONDARY OBJECTIVE
 To find out which sales promotion tools will increase the sales.
 To know the features that attracts the customer to buy spacewood furniture.
 To study the current position of the company.
 To study the buying behaviour of consumer for furniture.
 To know the level of satisfaction of customers towards the spacewood furniture.
 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

RESEARCH TYPE

The research type is descriptive; it means describing the situation as it is

POPULATION

My study covers all the customers who bought plywood’s from this showroom. It comes around
1220 in 2018

SAMPLING UNITS

The customers who bought Plywood’s from the showroom

SAMPLING AREA

This research covered Kannur

SAMPLING TECHNIQUE

The research is conducted through simple random sampling

SAMPLE SIZE

The sample taken amount the respondent is 100

DATA COLLECTION METHOD

PRIMARY DATA: Primary data is collected through questionnaire method. Which constitute 11
liket questions

SECONDARY DATA: Secondary Data’s are collected through Textbooks, Journals, and
Websites

DATA ANALYSIS

Analysis is done by percentage Analysis method

 LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

 The responses given by the respondent may not be true

 The respondent may be illiterate
 The respondent may be careless in responding to the questionnaire
 Time division is limited to only 2 weeks, which cannot cover all the customers.

CHAPTERISATION

CHAPTER 1 Introduction

CHAPTER 2 Reviewof Literatures

CHAPTER 3 Profile of Company and Industry

CHAPTER 4 Data Analysis& Interpretation

CHAPTER 5 Finding, Suggestions & Conclusion

 THEORETICAL AND RESEARCH REVIEW

THEORETICAL REVIEW

 Satisfaction:

Satisfaction is a person feeling of pleasure or disappointment resulting from comparing the

products to comparing products received performance is or (out come) in relation to his or her
expectations. As this definition makes clear satisfaction is a function of received performance
and expectations. With the performance falls sharp expectations, the customer is dissatisfied. If
the performance matches the expectations the customer is satisfied. With the performance
exceeds expectations, the customer is highly satisfied or delighted. Mini companies are aiming
for high satisfactions because customers who are just satisfied still find it easy to switch when a
better offer comes along. Those who are highly satisfied are much less ready to switch High
satisfactions are delight creates an emotional brand with the brand. Not a just rational
performance the result is high customer loyalty Xeroxes senior managers believes that a very
satisfied or delighted customer is worth tent times as much to the company as a satisfied
customer. A very satisfied customer is likely to stay with Xerox many more years and buy more
than a satisfied customer. A customer's decision to be loyal or to defect is the some of many
small encounters with the company. Consulting form forum corporation says that in order for all
this small encounters to add up to customers loyalty, companies need to create a" branded
customer experiences" in addition to customer value expectations and satisfactions companies
need to monitor their competitors performance in this areas. For example a company was pleased
to find the 80% of his customers said they were satisfied. Then the CEO found out that its
leading competitor attends a 90% customer satisfaction score. He was further dismayed when he
learned that this competitor was aiming to reach a 95% satisfaction score. For customer-centered
companies, customer satisfaction is both goal and marketing tool. Companies that achieve high
customer satisfaction ratings make sure that their target market knows it. Although the customer-
centered firm seeks to create high customer satisfaction, its main goal is not to maximize
customer satisfaction. If the company increases customer satisfaction by lowering its price or
increasing its services, the result may be lower profits. The company might be able to increases
its profitability by means other than increased satisfaction (for example, by improving
manufacturing processes are investing more in r&b (also the company has many stake holders
including employers, dealers, suppliers and stock holders. Spending more to increase customer
satisfaction might divert funds from increasing the satisfaction of other partners. Ultimately the
company must operate on philosophy that it is trying to deliver faction to other stake holders
within the constraints of its total resources.

 Customer satisfaction service:

Studies show that although customers are dissatisfied with one out of every 4 purchases. Less
than 5% of dis-satisfied customers will complain. Most customers will buy less or switch
suppliers. Complaint levels are thus not a good measure of customer satisfaction. Responsive
company measure customer satisfaction directly by conducting periodic service, they sent
questionnaires or make telephone calls to a random sample of recent customers.
While collecting customer satisfaction data, it is also useful to ask additional questions to
measure repurchase intention; this will normally be high if the customer's satisfaction is high. It
is also useful to measure the likelihood or willingness to recommend the company and brand to
others. A high positive word-of-mouth score indicates that the company is producing high
customer satisfaction.

 Defining customer satisfaction:

Over 35 years above peter drucker observed that a company’s first task is to create customers.
But today's customers face a vast very of product and branch choices, prices and suppliers.
We believe that customers estimate which offer will deliver the most value. Customers are very
valuable maxi misers, within the bounds of search costs and limited knowledge, mobility and
income the form and expectations of value and act on it. Whether are not the offer lives up to
value expectations affects both satisfaction and repurchase prop ability.
The key to customer retention is customer satisfaction. A highly satisfied customer:
1. stays loyal longer
2. Buys more as the company introduces new products and upgrades existing products.
3. Talks favorably about the company and its products
4. Pays less attention to competing brands and advertising and is less sensitive to price.
5. Offers product or service ideas to the company
6. Costs less to serve than new customers because transactions are reutilized
Thus a company would be wise to measure- customer satisfaction regularly. The
company could phone recent buyers and inquire how many are very satisfied, satisfied,
indifferent, dissatisfied, and very dissatisfied.

A buyer's satisfaction is a function of the product's perceived performance and the buyer's
expectations. Recognizing that high satisfaction leads to high customer loyalty, many companies
today are aiming for tcs - total customer satisfaction. For such companies, customer satisfaction
is both a goal and a marketing tool. Quality is the totality of features and characteristics of a
product or service that bear on its ability to satisfy stated or implied needs. Today's companies
have not choice but to implement total quality management programs if they are to remain
solvent and profitable. Total quality is the key to value creation and customer satisfaction.
:

 Customer satisfaction:

Today in the customer driven economy, ail firms are engaged in a rat race to attract customers
and build) a long term relationship with their loyal customer. The key to customer loyalty is
through customer satisfaction. A satisfied customer will act as a spoke person of the company's
product, and bring in more buyers. There is the pare to principal or the 80/20 rule, it says 80 % of
one thing comes from 20% of another. That is to say a small percentage of loyal customers will
lend a large weight to the company's sales. So marketers have to ensure customers value
satisfaction. For this they have to ensure.
1. Products are developed to meet customer requirements.
2. Brands are positioned so as to convey distinctiveness.
3. Relationships are built to offer lifetime customer value to enable the customer
to experience value satisfaction.
All the efforts of the marketers at trying to understand buying motives. Organizing buying
behavior and working out suitable promotional strategy to suit the customer behavior is to ensure
customer satisfaction.
In today’s competitive environment, where companies are adopting various methods to
whom the prospective customers, marketers have to make all efforts to understand all the
complexities which go into the behavior and frame marketing programs suitable to the target
market.

 After sales and service

How should equipment manufacturers respond to shifting customer needs, to provide after‐sales
service that sustains the competitive advantage of a complete product offering? What changes
should they make in product design and support strategy? Which technological developments,
such as modularity, redundancy, and greater component reliability, will be critical to their
success?To answer these questions, we at SLC Consultants Inc. have developed our after‐sales
service framework, which examines the costs customers absorb when their equipment fails. Our
approach helps manufacturers identify the most cost‐effective service strategies for different
customer segments, and determine how these strategies should influence equipment design. We
also use the framework to predict how product and service strategies must change in response to
new technologies and evolving customer needs.When equipment fails, customers incur two types
of cost: fixed and variable. Fixed costs occur regardless of the duration of equipment downtime.
Usually these are the expense of parts and labour involved in fixing a malfunction. They might
include the cost of the entire repair process, including, for example, the effort of ordering parts or
sending an inoperative component to the manufacturer for service. Fixed costs are often out‐of ‐
pocket costs, especially for consumer goods when a product is no longer under
warranty.Variable costs, which change according to the duration of equipment downtime, can be
either out‐of‐pocket expenses ‐ pay for idle workers, for example ‐ or the opportunity costs of
diverted resources and production time lost until repairs are completed.We can classify service
strategies into three basic groups: those that are product or design related, those that concentrate
on the service support system, and those that reduce customer risk.
  Product design‐related strategies

This focus on increasing product reliability, building in redundancy, and adopting a modular
product design. Reliability improvement reduces customers’ total costs. This is usually the first
approach used by firms to improve service support.Modular design can reduce variable costs
both by making equipment easier to repair and by allowing customers to replace modular
components themselves. The entire product is divided into modules or components, many or all
of which can be removed for repair or replacement. This approach is often referred to as “swap‐
out” maintenance.Built‐in redundancy, products or systems designed with two or more of each
critical component, allows a backup to take over if a part fails. Mission‐critical non‐stop
computing applications are a prime

 Support system‐related strategies

These concentrate on changing the way manufacturers provide service. These approaches can
address either improvements in system design or reductions in equipment repair.Improved
system response time. Support systems often react slowly to equipment failure. Providing
additional service technicians, moving them closer to customers or even on‐site, and filling
orders for emergency parts more rapidly will improve service response.Reduction in equipment
repair time. Complementing reduced response time, improved service technician training, on‐site
or built‐in diagnostic equipment, better‐equipped mobile repair vans, and designing equipment
for fast module swap‐outs can cut repair time.

 Reducing or minimizing customer risk strategies

Some support strategies reduce buyer risk chiefly through warranties and service contracts.
Warranties minimize customer out‐of‐pocket costs during the immediate post‐purchase period,
allaying any fears regarding equipment reliability. Service contracts reduce or eliminate buyer
uncertainty over maintenance costs.Manufacturers can use these three basic service strategies in
combinations that vary according to customer needs and willingness to pay, available and
affordable technology and equipment design. Choosing the best service approach for a given
product is a complex balance, however, between buyers’ costs and requirements.The
characteristics of customer costs and expectations allows us to determine the most cost‐effective
design and support strategy for a given situation. Any product can be assigned to one of four
after‐sales service segments: disposable, repairable, rapid response and never fail. Figure 1
illustrates the relationship between types of cost, the four market segments, and representative
products in each category.

 Appropriate strategies

Each segment has corresponding optimal support strategies manufacturers should employ.

Disposable

When product failure produces relatively modest customer fixed and variable costs, a disposable
product design is the best option. The manufacturer strives to build in reliability, concentrating
less on product designs amenable to replacement or repair. The product lasts, minimizing the
buyer’s risk of premature failure. But when it fails, it is discarded. Small household appliances,
such as toasters and inexpensive office and industrial maintenance‐repair‐operations (MRO)
equipment, fall into the low‐fixed, low‐variable cost corner of the market Timex, particularly in
its earliest years, provided a classic case of catering to the disposable segment. Its watches were
inexpensive, had a one‐year warranty, and lasted long enough to keep buyers from complaining
when replacing them. Swatch currently uses a similar approach.

Repairable

In this segment, customer fixed costs are high relative to the variable costs of failure.
Consequently, the best strategy is reasonable (at least competitively comparable) reliability with
product and service system designs that minimize customer out‐of‐pocket repair costs. Do‐it‐
yourself repair kits, low‐cost third‐party repair service, and design simplicity epitomize
successful design options. Such strategies are appropriate for products such as personal
computers, PC peripherals and other expensive desk‐top equipment, as well as large household
appliances and high‐ticket entertainment gear. Customer requirements play a critical role in the
producer’s strategy choice, however. When a business customer has several computers, for
example, the failure of one of them is not a disaster. Downtime could incur onerous opportunity
costs, however, for an office relying on one computer for customer records, financial controls,
communication, etc. In those cases, variable costs of downtime skyrocket, dwarfing fixed costs
and making the strategies discussed in the rapid response segment more appropriate.
Rapid response

When the variable costs of failure assume prime importance, the favoured strategy is a rapid
response with designs and service systems that minimize total downtime when a breakdown
occurs. Reliability is of course important, but the key task for the manufacturer is balancing the
expense of rapid response (via owned or outsourced field service infrastructures and loaners)
with the cost of design facilitating quick problem diagnosis (remote read‐outs, for example) and
repair (such as modular replacement).IBM and AT&T are leaders in implementing such balanced
strategies, as are farm and construction equipment makers Caterpillar and Deere. For example,
just a few hours downtime can be critical to a crop harvest or a construction site’s deadline.

Never fail

When the fixed and variable costs of equipment breakdown are both relatively high, failure is not
an acceptable option for customers, and “never fail” design and service strategies are best.
Building the customer’s trust in the relationship with the manufacturer is essential. Component
or system‐level redundancy is a typical design solution. When that is not feasible, service
providers turn to strategies such as stringent uptime maintenance, continuous monitoring, and
on‐site repair personnel. Large mainframes, PBXs, and central office telecommunications
switches are examples of products sold to this segment.

However, whenever a firm uses redundancy, it becomes the dominant strategy for all competitors
serving this segment. For example, Tandem Computer’s fault‐tolerant designs have supplanted
more conventional approaches in mission‐critical computing applications where uninterrupted
performance is essential. Because the SLC after‐sales service framework covers all instances
where service is important, any conclusions we draw from it have broad application. Evolving
customer expectations and technological change determine the characteristics of service
segments. Segment shapes are therefore fluid and will change as well. A product catering to the
repairable segment today might need to adopt strategies for the disposable segment tomorrow.
The keys for success are substantially different in each of these segments, as summarized.
Strategic emphasis shifts considerably from segment to segment as well. For example, with
disposables it is essential to bring total price below the threshold at which customers will no
longer pay for a repair. On the other hand, sustaining advantage in the rapid response segment
requires the ability to improve total system performance: design, manufacturing, and service.
Shifts from one segment to another are of crucial importance because they signal potentially
major changes in the industry. Tandem shifted one segment of mainframes from rapid response
to never fail, creating a new niche not dominated by IBM. In the past, changes in technology and
customer needs occurred gradually, permitting product design and marketing strategy to evolve
at an equally slow pace. Manufacturers no longer have that luxury of time. Managers must
anticipate how the accelerating rate of technological development and rapid shifts in customers’
priorities will affect their product strategies. They will find their products shifting positions
among the fixed‐to‐variable cost relationships shown in Figure 1, changing market segments and
appropriate strategies in the process. The SLC after‐sales service framework thus is an early
warning system, advising management to change course in advance of major upheavals.
Companies can determine how future generations of equipment should be designed by analysing
likely changes in customers’ costs and projecting future technological developments. Such
forecasting is vital for products that are now on the edge of a segment, such as larger disk drives,
medium‐sized copiers, and super mini‐computers. Yet, anticipating change is critical for
established product types as well. Declining prices have caused small office copiers, for instance,
to shift from the repairable segment towards the disposable. Lower prices no longer justify major
repair costs, and major small copier components such as drum cartridges are themselves fully
disposable. Similarly, personal computers have moved from the rapid response segment towards
the repairable as those machines proliferate, minimizing the average user’s high variable cost of
failure. It is cheaper for the customer to purchase a spare PC (or go to a printing centre such as
Kinko’s) and rely on carry‐in repair shops rather than pay for on‐site service. Rapid obsolescence
nudges specific PC models closer to the disposable segment as well.

The net effect in those and other high‐volume product categories will be to reduce substantially
the size of the rapid response segment. Fewer customers will demand fast repair, leading to
major alterations in those products’ service strategies:Service contracts will become an
endangered species. Once a product moves into the never fail or disposable segments, customers
will no longer be willing to pay anywhere from 2 to 10 per cent of the purchase price for service.
For example, most owners of personal computers now opt for an extended warranty; ten years
ago they would have chosen the more expensive on‐site maintenance contract. Also, low‐end
home and small‐office computer printers have become reliable and cheap enough to make
service contracts unnecessary. Support services will be unbundled. Equipment makers will be
forced to set separate prices for parts, warranties, training, and walk‐in service to meet the
dissimilar needs of different groups of customers.Profits will be squeezed. Service and support
revenue once represented a major source of total corporate profits. Competitive pressures are
already eroding profits on equipment sales, and changing service requirements will take away
companies’ last source of relief. In the future, manufacturers face the unpleasant prospect of
being squeezed in both areas.

The SLC after‐sales services framework is an invaluable diagnostic tool for equipment
manufacturers. Managers can use it to identify potential weaknesses quickly in their current
product or service strategies, redirect long‐term plans for product development, and determine
whether to act as reactors or initiators of change.

Diagnostic tool

Analyzing customers’ fixed and variable costs will allow companies to determine rapidly which
of the four segments their products should pursue. They then should compare their current
approaches to design and service to the strategies appropriate to chosen segments, determining
how well they are positioned today. Managers must be careful to use customers’ perceptions of
costs and evaluate service and product design along the lines of the keys for success shown The
analysis might reveal some common mistakes, such as: reliability is not high enough to support a
disposable design; manufacturing costs are too high to permit disposable design pricing;
designers are still concentrating on making the product repairable, increasing manufacturing
costs; never fail designs are “over‐engineered” and too expensive; and logistic systems are
unable to meet the demands of the rapid response segment.

Initiate change or respond

Equipment manufacturers must choose: initiate change or wait until leading‐edge customers are
ready to accept it. The SLC framework helps to identify the best timing. Initiators have the
advantage of moving first and avoiding further investment in obsolescing designs. However,
pioneers bear the risk of calling the market incorrectly. Reactors avoid making the wrong
decision, but risk making it too late as competitors surpass them. Xerox, for instance, moved too
slowly as Canon’s innovative disposable copier cartridge revolutionized the small copier market.
The strategic significance of the SLC after‐sales service framework is considerable. It identifies
the best combination of product design and service strategies for any set of customer needs. It
also highlights the key for success in each segment, and illustrates how strategic emphasis shifts
from segment to segment. In addition, the framework predicts how technology and customer
costs and expectations will affect marketing and operations strategies. Finally, it acts as an early
warning system. Customers shifting from one segment to another often signal major structural
change within an industry.

The importance of after sales service has been known by durable goods manufacturers. Firm’s
present durable goods are essentially offering after sales services. After sales service not only
increase competitive advantage and helps in brand positioning but also contributes extensively in
profit generation. Customers are very conscious about purchase choice, mostly in sales services.
The most important reason is to conduct this study is to evaluate the impact of after sales
services on consumer customer satisfaction.
 REVIEW OF LITERATURE

Numerous specialists have been led concentrates as of late to highlight the relationship of
consumer loyalty and nature of good administrations. Customer expectation is one of the upper
hand elements and fundamental component for forecaster of consumer loyalty, brand faithfulness
and monetary execution. Industries should manage or indirect renovation and adjustments in the
marketplace demand to be modified by the technologically advance firms and the combination of
outstanding technology. After sale ability is an rising understanding in countless associations are
extremely vital on client satisfaction. Client are gratified their needs and increases effectiveness,
If customer are not satisfied then they have to lose the market share. The after sale values
includes timely delivery of the services to customer, good contract terms and time, improved
service quality, proper feedback from consumer about the whole services and work according to
most common recommendations of the consumer. All these after sales services are viewed as
vital part of after deal benefit, and amid fitting utilization of this qualities association can expand
consumer loyalty and upgrade the association’s efficiency ( Mansor, 2010). To give great
administrations to the client on the ideal time at the ideal spot furthermore satisfy the client
needs, craved and needs, to impact the general fulfillment. It’s vital, is to convey administrations
on client request at the ideal time and correct spot.

Delivery

Numerous associations give conveyance administrations to its client at their doorsteps. For
instance Nestle Water .They takes note of all the data of clients and conveys the item to client
doorsteps. Conveyance of the item portrayed by two dimensions , rate and consistency (Lee
2001) and guaranteeing that right item at ideal time in right amount from right premise to
conveyed to perfect individual at right cost . The vast majority of businesses have no key
arrangement to give great administrations to the buyer. That is the reason for the most part
shopper end

Feedback

Customer feedback measuring is very important these days. Mostly industries are client oriented
for that reason they desire to understand concerning client needs in the service. This data can be
extremely helpful as develop services according to customers. It wills b extremely functional for
a client, that’s why they are able to buy produce and services. After a client is dissatisfied
alongside the product or skill, subsequent there are two choices obtainable to the clients. The
early one is to depart the product or services and selected each supplementary produce or
services that are available. The subsequent option is to make proposition or complaints for the
alike produce or services. This reply from the clients is extremely vital for the association to
enhance services.(Barlow 1996)Feedback can be collected through different actions like
comment, cards, through telephone, Questionnaire or through internet.

Service quality

Service quality is one of the main group where industries face many problems this setback is
generally in ability sector whereas customer oftentimes complaint concerning the overall good
service. It happens after customer use the services and touches uncomfortable alongside it. To
retain and gratify customer is most vital thing in afterward sales services. It is compulsory that
services quality ought to be elevated (Taylor, 1992)

Service quality dimensions and performance elements

The helpful perceptions and attitudes of the target clients towards the quality basics presented by
the industries, leads to both attraction of new clients cheers to word-of-mouth (WOM) link and
recommendations of the continuing clients, as well as to progress of the connection of the stable
alongside its present clients by making them supplementary loyalty and devoted. In
supplementary words, Later denoting to finished ability quality perceptions, it is noticed that a
colossal body of the works (Rust 1993) is in line with (Spring 1996) results, claiming that
finished ability quality perceptions convince WOM contact, recommendations, as well as
Loyalty. In this context, client satisfaction has been the subject of a colossal body of works
(Parasuraman et al., 1994) because of its impact on client behavioral aims and attitudes
(Anderson and Sullivan,1993(Rust, 1993); Taylor, 1992). concerning behavioral goals,
Zeithamlet al.(1996) ) counsel that favorable behavioral aims are generally in the form of clients
referrals and recommendations ,customers, enthusiasm for re-buying as well as customers
willingness to expend supplementary money alongside the specific firm or to wage extra for the
produce of this company.
Because of the present discover focuses on two aspects of behavioral aims and as a lot has been
said concerning the re-buy intention it is vital to investigate additional suggestion feature.
Referrals or recommendations embody one form of WOM contact, and denote to the affirmative
interpersonal contact concerning product and ability offered , Because of the present discover
focuses on two aspects of behavioral aims and as a lot has been said concerning the re buy
intention it is vital to investigate supplementary suggestion feature. Referrals or
recommendations embody one form of WOM contact, and denote to the affirmative
interpersonal contact concerning product and ability presented (Wheiler, 1987). This kind of
contact, nevertheless casual and unstructured, it is extremely competent and consequently
powerfully desirable as a marketing output. A lot of models describe in the literature(McDougall
2000);(Lam et al., 2004) reveal that WOM is a consequence of client satisfaction. Alongside
these lines, the appropriate works suggests that there is a affirmative association amid referrals
and loyalty and dedication Heskettet al., 1994). Moreover, as it is very important in the literature
(e.g. Wilson,1994), because of the reduced risk that the beneficiary as a new customer gains by
the referrals, they perform as very strong motives for buying the service, and as such they must
be integrated among the most efficient and useful marketing tools. For these reasons, it is
asserted that referrals in finished are alongside the company’s vital intangible resources though,
after the worth of referrals they are institute to craft difference amid the assorted services
categories. Additionally, the noted chance by the client afterward challenged alongside buying a
product a skill is a vital factor that influences the worth and the efficiency of referrals (Murray,
1991; Roselius, 1971).

In finish, preceding studies connected to satisfaction, the volume of the people are focus on
satisfaction as the effect of the presenting of the core ability that endowed by the hotel industry.
On the supplementary hand, there is yet question as to the relation amid the rather faithful and
creative services generated finished satisfaction and their encounter on satisfaction. This is the
question that this exacting discover activities to address as it has been clashed that the softly
more important act of competitive primacy necessitates are conceptualization of instituted
thoughts like that of the scale of the services presented in the restaurant services sector, in the
form of merchandising sustain or client support.
Customer satisfaction

Consumers are very important for every industry. Industries are more customers oriented they
have to satisfy their customers’ needs, the satisfied customer enhance the level of retain more
customers, which results in high sale earnings, higher efficiency and profit to the organization.
Customer satisfaction is associated with good after sales services to the customer and financially
established performance of the industries.

The component of client consideration is all that much administration arranged as most
merchandise are energetic in the meantime as administrations are experienced. To satisfy a
customer, the supplier needs to have the those services which satisfy customer needs, which
customer requires through after sales services.(Davidow, 2003) On the off chance that the client
sees an administration in a constructive manner, however evaluated less, then the client is
fulfilled, People and associations that utilization expert administrations are generally set to pay
high charges for the administrations, due to the equivocalness, significance, and danger included.
The client needs to realize that they get the obliged focus. A service firm that is able of project a
helpful image and support that image with import is likely to success (Liljander, 1997)

The customer wants to know how the service will be act and that is added to his/her expectations.
Customers have previous experiences and based on those experiences, clients understand
services to be delivered in a helpful way, which can be measured company fulfill expectations.
Most of companies fulfill customer expectations and most of is not.

Mostly clients analysis services according to industries values with which they are well-known
and those do not essentially relay to the service that is performed(Cotts, 1995), and
(Oliver,1997)It is important for the supplier to learn, to think as the customer does and be aware
of why a customer is buying specific supplier’s products. This will make it easier to perform in a
way that influences the customer to purchase services from that supplier. (Koskela, 2002)note
that many managers require the intensity of understanding about how their customers run and
make their money. Often companies focus on mechanics but ignore social relationships. Barsky
(1995) notes that customer satisfaction is a feeling and can affect the customer’s attitudes
towards a product or a service. In a different environment, it is very important to remember that
it is the people who work together (Maister, 1997).
Attitudes are important for the supplier as there will become a strong relationship between
satisfaction and expectation.

Customer Loyalty

(Oliver et al., 1997) defines customer loyalty as follows:

Customer loyalty is an exceedingly held loyalty to re purchase and preferred that service again
and again in the future. According to Liljander, customer satisfaction and repurchase decision
intentions create a positively connection. They discovered that it could be extra favorable to
focus on affecting customers’ experiences than changing their expectations in their study set-up.
(Rust, 1993) have learned client lifetime worth and the significance of client loyalty by listening
to their complaints, anticipating their setbacks, and understanding why clients move to
competitors. Clients stay faithful because of the worth they accord from the supplier.

Customer retention way long-term an long live connection alongside a client (Cannie, 1994),
(Berger, 1998) situation that preceding this research presenting a little facts that good ability
quality and client satisfaction affirmatively alter the customer’s behavior. Customers, after their
have no ability setbacks have the strongest levels of loyalty intentions. On the supplementary
hand, their aims to wage extra are not extensively higher than customers who are experiencing
ability setbacks that are resolved satisfactorily.

Therefore, firms keen to enhance services, chiefly afar the wanted service-level, ought to do so in
a cost-effective manner. Firms aiming for client loyalty change their offerings to clients to fit
client demands. Produce or services are held to clients alongside minimum difficulty and at
hostile prices. Fulfilling client demands can be expensive, but its additionally extremely vital
factor. The client could additionally have to wage supplementary for best quality ability.

Customer Expectations

Customer expectations are thinking considering skill transport that give out as benefits or
proposition points opposite that presentation is judged. Knowing what the client expects is the
main and plausibly most vital pace in grasping good quality service.
In this Thesis we furnish a assembly for thinking considering client expectations. The meaning
and kinds of anticipated skill, that factors that encounter client expectations of skill, and present
subjects pondering client ability expectations. Different clients grasp disparate kinds of
expectations considering service. The anticipation result the hopes and wishes of these clients
,without these hopes and wishes and they believed that they might be fulfilled, clients ought to
perhaps not buy the dating service.

Activities In After Sales Services

According to Levitt (1983), the sale of a product is merely the onset of a seller-buyer connection
whereas the long-term connection amid the two parties is the key for long-term prosperity
influence the fact that after-sales services are frolic vital act in a firm to stable competitive gains
and to amass profits. There are a number of classifications hobbies inside after sales services, is
to uphold client uphold, product prop, and ability (Goffin, 2001) After sales has many times
confidential as a business network process, due to the fact that it has a direct impact on the
overall business performance and the competitive advantage (Egonsson, 2013) The hobbies
inside a company can be endowed across alternative channels and actors, or across several
channels and actors parallel. Internet has additionally endowed at after-sales ability channel that
has made it probable for firms to have extra stroke points alongside its client, consequently it is
extremely easier to present the attention of client care. According to (Saccani, 2007) after sales
could be seen as a business, contain of multiple activities.

Profit is the affirmative degree of difference amid subsidiary revenue and subsidiary cost. Later
sales ability is measured a main basis of business efficiency as well as the main factor of
presentation evaluation of associations (Dimitriades, 2006)Accepted is the fact that profit create
positively link with after sales services is greater than that generated based on sales and sales
activities of those product display to point of sales Levitt (1983), for this reason after sales
services protected consumer loyalty, enhanced revenue based on enhanced consumer satisfaction
.

To make sure enhanced business profitability therefore, organizations are estimated to invest on
after sales services as method for enhanced word of mouth communication among satisfied
consumers, for improved consumer perception, loyalty and revenue.
After-Sales Services, Quality and Customer Perception

After sales services have great cost inference even at this, consumers are demanding high quality
at low prices. Quality, hence is a key source of services differentiation between firms in the
market place and gives competitive advantages to organizations that are highly quality
aware(Mosota, 2013) It fuses the association’s capacity to meet the particular needs and
necessities, for example, conveyance on time of precisely the right quality, bundled legitimately,
including administration to clients some time recently, amid and after a buy. (Inghilleri
2010)Customer services, according to(Rowley, 2002), are arrangement of exercises intended to
impact the level of consumer loyalty, that is the inclination that an administration has met the
clients desire. It is additionally an agreeable execution for the nature of administration in eatery
hopes to convey to its clients, and can much of the time disclosed concerning conveyance and
accessibility of item.

From the position of an overall sales process development, after sale services plays an important
role in an organization’s ability to make income and generate revenue (Selden, 2000) From that
insightful, customer services should be included as part of an overall approach to organized
success. Customer service experience can change the actual perception of customer has of the
organization Micah, (2010). Services performance and client service are closely linked in any
quality programmed the greater the attention to services quality in production, the less demand
on the customer service act to correct following problems. Additionally its typical capacities,
client administration can execute as an early cautioning framework to identify item quality
issues. Client overviews measuring item execution can likewise help spot quality control or plan
challenges; and obviously identifying issues early, then the level of satisfaction is consequently
increment. So that is the reason additionally maintained a strategic distance from humiliation and
migraines. The quality of customer service after the sale is very important as the quality of the
product itself (Rust, 2000)A broad majority of high tech firms managed to grow successfully
during the recent economic recession by developing their after sales services. In high technology
area, more than any other industry, after sales activity is very often a highly beneficial business,
but has great cost suggestion associated there to it. After-sales services include not only the
customers’ its management ,but also the maintenance operations perform, the extra parts
planning and logistics, and all the operations with a long-lasting effect on customers
satisfaction(Viardot, 2004),(Erasmus, 2010)For firms that have marketing strategy, after sale
services cannot be measured without help of the product or services in terms of market share and
profitability.

In a study of the restaurant services, show that finished satisfaction indicated that the services
sector made extra profit alongside its $9 billion after-sales than alongside its manage $150billion
to furnish delivery Different companies, such as Dell, Lexmark have conducted research on the
needs and loyalty of their customers regarding after-sales services. All the surveys display that
although price is important to customers, the key issues are quickness of delivery, reliability, and
availability of different menu choices and maintenance services. The beauty of after-sales
services, they can double profit margin contrast to the profitability of the goods sold, particularly
in an environment that is economically depressed like Nigeria. But this is limited by the
incapability of firms to create favorable balance between the marginal cost of operation (implicit
and explicit) and actual and or predictable marginal revenue. This work is interested in the
management of the cost implications of after sales services as factor of quality of offer and
method to customer favorable perception, loyalty and revenue and business profitability.

Services

(Kotler, 1997) defines ability as follows: Service is each deed or presentation that one party can
proposal to one more that is basically intangible and does not consequence in the ownership of
anything. Its creation could or could not be tied to a physical product. (Mathe 1993) define
ability as follows: Service is all of the hobbies undertaken by the stable to furnish worth in use
above period, measured by increased client satisfaction alongside a palpable product or sequence
of products. Producing and ability procedures have public characteristics, but most services are
crafted at the client boundary.

After-sales services and retail management:

According to (VITASEK, 2005) ‘After-sales services’ are mostly referred to as client services
activities, meaning all hobbies that prop the product-centric transaction. Furthermore, the word
‘after-sales services’ has been approached in the works below two large perspectives. Later
denoting to skill bestowing companies, after-sales services are being indulged as one amid
countless supplementary skill agents endowed by them (Oliva, 2003). The theory of allocation
services quarrels that the merchandise of explicit produce or services is to be observed embodied
in a collection of allocation services (Betancourt , 1998) As per the specific hypothesis, these
administrations escort the stock owning one of the two primary constituents or retailing and can
be attack five bunches, to be specific variety, data, area and atmosphere and “confirmation of
moment item transport at the needed period and in the needed structure” From the above
administrations, just the latter is being gave as an “after-deals” capacity, as, time-wise, it takes
after the purchasing offering collaboration. The key four organizations, intending to “in-store
“organizations, are skirting a supplementary or less enduring deed in the client acquiring
decision however the fifth can be seen as worth adding fitness to customers.

While the above methods can be connected, it is clashed here that both these perspectives are
rather slender in scope because of their limitations. This contemplate, that focuses on an
oftentimes undifferentiated palpable good or ability, and grips the rising services as being of
minor meaning, leads to a cut finished worth proposition and subsequently a connection
alongside manipulated potential.

Such an method provides the most finished basis alongside sound implications encompassing,
amid others, the endowed competitive supremacy (C. Armistead, 1994)and the achieved clients
satisfaction and long-term relationships (Cespedes, 1995) Thus, in line alongside the trusted of
connection marketing, whereas firms battle to retain the relations alongside their clientele alert,
the intangible giving can be proved to be tremendously priceless as an agent of the finished
offering.

ervices have been studied broadly since 1980s. The idea of involving service importance and
customer satisfaction has existed for a long time. This Study examine that there are association
between customer satisfaction, customer loyalty, and profitability. Throughout a couple of years,
there have been studies that have instituted to develop connection amid client satisfaction and
client loyalty. Countless studies additionally develop associations amid good skill quality, client
satisfaction, client loyalty, and proficiency. (Gr”nroos, 1980) Finally after sales used to express
services for those customers who are very able to provide such services (Lim, 2011). At last,
after deals capacity is an approach to allow a consistent improvement of item outline and value.
Deep perceptive of afterward sales as a basis of competitive advantage and company opportunity
needs from a anticipated product centric think, in that afterward sales is believed a vital (Lele,
1997) to customer centric view.

Many studies related to customer loyalty, customer expectation since 1990 have been conducted
in the area of consumer markets. Such studies have mostly concentrated on relationship
marketing, but only a few studies have concentrated on after sales services creating an impact on
customer satisfaction. Even nevertheless there are countless studies in the span of services,
afterward sales services and afterward sales hobbies normally have signify a flouted span of the
association works and merely an insufficient researchers have paid attention on it. For the most
portions, subjects connected to afterward sales hobbies and afterward sales services have been
given merely manipulated attention in those studies. On the other hand, afterward sales services
crafting an encounter on client satisfaction. Customer satisfaction survey questions are not
designed to measure loyalty, how the customer will perform. In a survey by Deloitte across
different industries, it was found that companies set goals for improving customer loyalty for
more advantageous and more likely to increase growth plans than many industries that did not
have such a good strategy. Most managers concur that there is a affirmative connection amid
client satisfaction and client expectation. According to the researchers, mostly in business cases,
price ranked among the most important key factors that consumers were not satisfied with.

One of the reasons could be the difficulty to exactly and consistently measure customer
satisfaction. The customers in general fill the surveys about satisfaction level through after sales
services. There are different ways of inflating satisfaction ratings, including the formation of
questions, timing of the measurement, and the mood of the respondent. Since customers are
likely to overvalue their satisfaction in these surveys, the consistency of satisfaction surveys as
predictors of repeat purchase can be questioned.
 INDUSTRIAL PROFILE & COMPANY PROFILE

INDUSTRY PROFILE

This project report is based on survey which has been done between periods 27 May
2013 to 15 July 2013 to know about most the furniture used in day to day lifestyle. I have
undertaken various areas of Nagpur to analyses customer preferences for daily using furniture’s.
The preferences would be based primarily on their perception level, need, liking and awareness
about the brand.

Pioneering the concept of branding for various products and brand building as its core,
the company’s track record is impeccable as a profit-making dividend paying company over the
last decade with 61% CAGR growth in bottom-line over the last five years leading to 2011-12.

AK plywood has recently merged its subsidiary, Worthy Plywood, into itself. It is also worth
mentioning thatSpacewood Furnishers Industries has recently acquired a Mumbai-based
laminates brand, New Mika, to enhance its presence in the Western markets. It is worth
mentioning that The Spacewood group has recently launched its international arm, SPT
Intercontinental PAE Ltd. to market laminates in Asia Pacific Markets.

 The “plywood furniture” company represents 95% of the total furniture market in the country.
 The leading furniture making areas of India are in Nagpur, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Lucknow.
 Exporters are suffering manifold problems while local manufacturers are facing challenges due
to heavy imports of the furniture.
 Chinese furniture also hit the local industry by 70% and the sales of locally manufactured
household furniture have gone down by 30%.
 The prices of raw material used in making furniture which includes chipboard, timber, foam,
polish chemical materials, colour paints and hardware have increased.
 Timber production on other hand has gone down drastically because of unchecked deforestation.
 India’s major buyers of wooden furniture are the UK, USA and Sri Lanka and gulf countries.
 The demand of Indian furniture has been rising constantly.

The global furniture market can be broadly categorised into four categories – domestic
furniture, office/corporatefurniture, hotel furniture and furniture parts. Globally,domestic
furniture accounts for 65 per cent of theproduction value, whilst corporate/office
furniturerepresents 15 per cent, hotel furniture 15 per cent andfurniture parts 5 per
cent.According to a World Bank study, the organisedfurniture industry is expected to grow by 20
per cent everyyear. A large part of this growth is expected to come from the rapidly growing
consumer markets of Asia, implyingsignificant potential for growth in the Indian furnituresector.

Global Furniture Market

Hotels Parts
20% 5%

Domestic
60%
Office
15%

PLYWOOD

 57 per cent increase in plywood production to 12.86 million square metres; average
capacity utilization 77 per cent
 Commissioning of a Greenfield unit in Uttarkhand in May 2006 within eight months as
opposed to the industry benchmark of 12-16 months
 Plywood contributed 48% to the total revenue and 53% to the total PBIT
 85% increase in plywood revenue to Rs. 201.98 crore
Market Size

Estimated market size 12000 cores

INDIAN FURNITURE INDUSTRY

As of 2006, the Indian furniture market is estimated to be worth US$ 7,922 million. Of this,
wooden furniture accounts for US$ 1,358 million. About 11 per cent (US$ 152 million) of this
(wooden furniture) is imported and imports are growing at 50 to 60 per cent every year. India
was the largest furniture importer in the world in 2004-05, with a 17 per cent share in the
furniture imports worldwide. A total of 10, 476 importers shipped furniture to India during this
period, mainly from Italy, Germany, Spain, China, Korea, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines and
Japan. The furniture sector in India makes a marginal contribution to the Gross Domestic
Product (GDP), representing about 0.5 per cent of the total GDP. The major part of this industry,
approximately 85 per cent is in the unorganised sector. The remaining 15 per cent comprises of
large manufacturers, such as, Godrej & Boyce Manufacturing Co. Ltd., BP Ergo, Featherlite,
Haworth, Style Spa, Yantra, Renaissance, Millennium Lifestyles, Durian, Kian, Tangent,
Furniture Concepts, Furniturewala, Zuari, Truzo, N R Jasani&Company, V3 Engineers, PSL
Modular Furniture, etc. The range of indigenous furniture available in India includes both
residential and contract system furniture. Manufacturers in India usually use a three-tier selling
and distribution structure, comprising of the distributor, wholesaler and retailer. The market is
mainly concentrated in A, B and C category cities (the top 589 cities). A and B type cities
together constitute 33 per cent of the total market. With a healthy economy and increased
household and institutional spending, the market is growing steadily.

Share of Organised and Unorganised Sectors

Organised
15%

Unorganised
85%

Furniture Industry Composition

As with the global market, home furniture is the largestsegment in the Indian furniture
market, accountingfor about 65 per cent of furniture sales. This is followedby, the office
furniture segment with a 20 per cent shareand the contract segment, accounting for the
remaining15 per cent. The furniture sector in India makes a marginalcontribution to the Gross
Domestic Product (GDP),representing about 0.5 per cent of the total GDP. The majorpart of this
industry, approximately 85 per cent is in theunorganised sector. The remaining 15 per cent
comprises of manufacturers, such as, Godrej & Boyce ManufacturingCo. Ltd., BP Ergo,
Featherlite, Haworth, Style Spa, Yantra,Renaissance, Millennium Lifestyles, Durian, Kian,
Tangent.

Consumer Segments

Household
29%

Contract
62% Office
9%

Home furniture

Home furniture in India is available in a wide range, tocater to different customer needs.
A typical middle classurban Indian home has five rooms (including kitchen andbathroom).
About 25 per cent of the urban populationlive in homes with five rooms or more, while 45 per
centlive in houses with three rooms or less. About 16 percent is estimated to live in single-room
homes. The typeof furniture used depends on the customer’s affluenceand taste.The rich and
upper middle class is typically very attentiveto design and quality, so price is rarely a
determining factor.In general, European style furniture is only found in homes ofthe urban upper
class. Demand for furniture of international standards is limited to the larger cities. It is also
estimatedthat the wealthier classes do not change furniture veryfrequently; the average life of a
piece of furniture is about20 years and some craftsmen’s pieces are used for as long as50-70
years. Colonial furniture is still very common in India,but the trend seems to be declining slowly.
Office Furniture

The office furniture segment caters to the commercial andoffice space. This segment has
witnessed rapid growth inrecent years, in line with the growth in the Indian economyand
subsequent demand for office space. The thrust on realestate and office construction is expected
to sustain in thenear future, indicating continued growth for the furnitureindustry.

Contract segment

The contract segment caters primarily to hotels and itsgrowth is consequently linked to
growth in tourism anddevelopment of new hotels.

There are around 1,200 hotels in India in the organisedsector. More than 10 per cent of
these are in the 5-star andabove categories (please refer to table below for details).

India is one of the developing countries in the world. The small and large scale
manufacturers of the modern days played a significant role in the Socio-economic
development of the country. Our country is blessed with immense stock of natural
resources both above and beneath the soil surface. Among that trees are great bounty to
man. They provide shelter, fuel, medicines and tools for war, commerce, or transport.
Nature develops trees as a mother brings up children, making each one a separate
individual. It is an amazing sight to see the natural abstract rhythm of line, colour and
texture of wood. Nothing from nature indoors gives a long lasting enjoyment. That is why
decorative wood had as much importance in the past, having in present and will be in
future also. And another fact was that it was timber from trees, which in the early days
helped man to conquer the oceans and to fly in the air
WOOD BASED PANEL INDUSTRY IN INDIA

Wood panel products effect considerable saving of scarce wood as compared to

solid timber. The basic types of wood based panels are;

1. Plywood
2. Particleboard
3. Hardboard and Medium Density fiberboard

Plywood

The history of plywood industry in India is old. It is more than 75 years old that this
industry started here on a very modest scale. It was in the year 1906-07 that plywood was
imported in India for the first-time valued at Rs.32 lakh. Imports rose steadily and by
1924-25 it were worth Rs.90 lakh. Tea industry in Assam, West Bengal and Kerala was
steadily developing and it was thought that plywood industry in the form of Tea chests
production mainly for export should be developed. Accordingly two plywood factories
were started in Assam in 1923-24 but their development was steady, slow and not
potential. These were the pioneers and the resourcefulness and courage shown by them in
the early stages of growth of Plywood industry was remarkable and the industry owes
gratitude to these courageous entrepreneurs.

With the outbreak of Second World War, necessity of manufacturing tea chests locally was
very much felt and plywood industry in India is a gift of Second World War. Now that tea
chests must be produced, Forest Departments in various states started thinking in terms of
finding suitable timber for manufacturing tea chests. Experiments were made at Forest
Research Institute, Dehra Dun and it was found that plywood made from
Indian timbers were good as imported products and therefore advised forest entrepreneurs
to set up modern factories in different States. Accordingly well equipped plants were
started at different places like Sitapur, Bangalore, Baliapatam (Valapattanam), Dandeli and
Coochbehar. Some of these factories suffered setbacks in the post war years, as after
cessation of war the vested interests tried to sabotage these industries by trying to restart
imports of tea chests. Tariff Board enquiry was held and the Government imposed a lien
on the importers to purchase Indian products equivalent to the quantity allowed to be
imported. Slowly, the Government encouraged the Indian entrepreneurs to modernize their
plants and invest substantial capital in this industry.

After 1947-48, the industry resorted to diversification of its products and block boards,
flush doors, commercial plywood, marine and aircraft plywood, produced in Indian
factories came into the market which was second to none in the world quality and diversity
of its products. Industrial licensing is governed by the Industries (Developmental and
Regulation) Act, 1951 under the wood based industry was covered.

There was no restriction of putting up plywood Mill up to 1970. The only criteria was that
the applicant was required to obtain an Industrial License which was being considered by
Ministry of Industry after consulting various Ministries including Ministry of Environment
& Forests. Forest Ministry was being consulted for ascertaining sustainable raw material of
Timber for a particular project; the wood based industry was more or less in medium and
large scale. The wood based industry was under Compulsory Industrial Licensing 1988
whether a small scale unit or a medium/ large unit, new undertaking or substantial
expansion would require Industrial License.

During 1970 there was clear cut definition of Small Scale Sector and units having an
investment of less than 7.5 lakhs in plant and Equipment were covered under the definition
of Small Scale Sector which would be registered with the respective State Director of
Industries. At that particular stage some of the units with such investment got themselves
transferred to small scale sectors. Meanwhile there were modern technology and
machinery equipped plywood units coming up in different places in India like North East
Zone.
In 1997 the Government of India totally delicensed wood based industry as a result more
than 2000 small scale units coming up.

The potentialities of the industry can be judged from the many uses to which plywood can
be put. Apart from tea chests plywood marine and aircraft plywood there are specific
demand for the following articles from the consumers

1. Shuttering Plywood
2. Packaging Plywood
3. Plywood drums

4. Flush doors
5. Commercial & Decorative Plywood
6. Block Boards
7. Moulded Plywood furniture and chair seats
8. Laminated picking sticks for cotton and jute textile industry
9. Sliced decorative veneers of walnut, teak, rosewood etc.
10. Compregnated wood veneers required for heavy chemical industry and electrical
industry and electrified railways.

Particle Board

Particle board is a reconstituted constructional panel particularly developed as a substitute

for natural construction wood and is made from low grade waste woods or from certain
agricultural ligneous wastes. In that respect particleboard assumes one of the greatest
importances in the wood panel products industry from the point of view of conservation of
scarce forest resources in a country.

In India the first particleboard plant was set up in late 1950s at Sitapur in UP. There are
presently about 12 wood based and agriculture ligneous waste based particleboard units in
India.
Hardboard and Medium Density Fiberboard (MDF)

Fiberboard is a board encompassing sheet materials of widely varying diversities

manufactured from refined or partially refined wood fibers or other vegetable fibers.
Bonding agents and other materials may be incorporated in the manufacture to increase
strength, resistance to moisture, fire or decay.

The first fiberboard (Hardboard) Industry was established in India during late 1950s and
first Medium Density fiberboard plant was set up in India about 20 years back.

FURNITURE INDUSRTY

The other important field is the furniture industry. Competition is keen in this industry.
Furniture manufacturers and exporters are suffering from decreasing profit margins. Many
companies strive to reduce their cost of production and increase efficiency. Some relocate
their manufacturing operations to other areas with lower operation cost. On the other hand,
foreign manufacturers are taking steps to strengthen their domestic production through
product specialization. To stay globally competitive, Hong Kong furniture manufacturers
strive to reduce costs, initiate quality control, improve design concepts and capability, and
upgrade management skills and increase marketing and sales effectiveness. Many
manufacturers have obtained or are applying for ISO 9000/9002 certification.

Hong Kong's furniture makers also started to develop their own brands. Furniture
manufacturers also become more careful about the choice of raw materials to meet
international standards, such as compliance with legal or other environmental requirements
in their target markets. China is the largest furniture exporter to many countries, including
the US and Japan. The total furniture exports of China exceeded US$6,683 million in
2002, with the US being its largest market. Guangdong province is the major
manufacturing centre of furniture on the Chinese mainland. Apart from Hong Kong,
manufacturers from Taiwan and even the US have also set up production plants on the
mainland. China also offers a huge potential market for furniture makers.
 COMPANY PROFILE

A K PLYWOODS PRIVATE LIMITED is a private company. Its registered address is

Cherukunnu, Cananore, Kerala, India, 670301 situated in Cananore. It was established in
06/06/1994. So, it has 24 Years 9 Months 17 Days year of experience.

A K PLYWOODS PRIVATE LIMITED Registration No. is 007960.A K PLYWOODS

PRIVATE LIMITED CIN is U20211KL1994PTC007960.

Current status of A K PLYWOODS PRIVATE LIMITED is - Active.

 Company Name- A K PLYWOODS PRIVATE LIMITED 

 Ownership Type- Private Primary Business type
 Registered Address-CHERUKUNNU P OTHAVAM, Cananore, Kerala, 670301
 Category -Company limited by shares 
 Sub Category-Indian Non-Government Company 
 Main Language- English
 Corporate Identification Number (CIN)-U20211KL1994PTC007960 
 Year of Establishment-06/06/1994 
 Age of Company-24 Years 9 Months 17 Days  
 No. of Employees
 Phone: +91-824-4274865
 Mob: +91-9447684918
 E-mail: info@akplywoods.com
 Primary Location-Cananore  
 Date of Last Annual General Meeting-2018-09-30 

CONTACT
D.No. 10-5-150/1 (1) 
Opp. M.S Pai & Co. 
Azizudin road 
Bunder, Mangalore 
Karnataka, India
 DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION.

1) What is your perception about Plywood prices?

a) Costly
b) Cheap
c) Moderate

OPTION NO. OF RESPONDENTS PERCENTAGE

Costly 52 52 %
Moderate 30 30%
Cheap 18 18%

Sales

18

Costly
Moderate
Cheap
52

30

Interpretation:
From the above diagram, it shows that 52% respondents believe that plywood are
costly for furnish, whereas 30% respondents believe that plywood is acceptable and
remaining 18% respondent believe that plywood are cheap.
2) What are the different types of Plywood you are aware of?

a) Less than 2
b) 2 to 4
c) 4 to 6
d) 6 and above

OPTION NO. OF RESPONDENTS PERCENTAGE

Less than 2 24 24 %
2 to 4 24 24%
4 to 6 30 30%
6 and above 24 24%

Sales

22% 24%

Less than 2
2 to 4
4 to 6
6 and above

30% 24%

Interpretation:
From the above data we can observe only 24% respondents are aware about only less
than 2 types of plywood. 30% respondents are aware about 4 to 6 types of plywood available.
3) Which company do you prefer for plywood consumption?
a) AK Plywood’s Pvt. ltd.
b) Greenply Pvt. Ltd.
c) Century ply
d) Other

OPTION NO. OF RESPONDENTS PERCENTAGE

AK Plywood’s Pvt.Ltd 15 15 %
Greenply Pvt. Ltd. 25 25 %
Century ply 30 30 %
Other 30 30%

Sales

15%

30%
Spacewood Industries Pvt. Ltd.
Greenply Pvt. Ltd
Century Ply
Others
25%

30%

Interpretation:
From the above given figures it is seen that
15% respondent prefers AK Plywood’s Pvt. Ltd.25% respondent prefers Greenply
Pvt. Ltd.30% respondents prefer Century Ply30% respondents prefer other brands
4) What are the reasons behind your ranking?
a) Brand Name
b) Good service
c) Good Quality
d) Any other reason

OPTION NO. OF RESPONDENTS PERCENTAGE

Brand Name 18 18%
Good Service 30 30%
Good Quality 34 34%
Any other reason 18 18%

Sales

Any other Reason

18%

Good Quality

34%
Good Service

30%
Brand Name
18%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%

Interpretation:
From the above data we can observed that18% respondent prefer brand, 30%
respondent prefer good service, 34% respondents prefer good quality whereas remaining 18%
consider other factors during ranking the plywood industry.
5) Are you aware of AK Plywood’s Pvt. Ltd.?
a) Yes
b) No

OPTION NO. OF RESPONDENTS PERCENTAGE

Yes 57 57 %
No 43 43%

Sales

Yes
43% No

57%

Interpretation:
From the above figure we can see 57% respondents are aware about AK Plywood’s
Pvt. Ltd. whereas other 43% respondents are not aware AK Plywood’s Pvt. Ltd.
6) Have you ever used plywood of AK Plywood’s Pvt. Ltd.?
a) Yes
b) No

OPTION NO. OF RESPONDENTS PERCENTAGE

Yes 32 56.14 %
No 25 43.85 %

Sales

yes
44% No

56%

Interpretation:
As we know that only 57% of total respondents are aware of AK Plywood’s Pvt.
Ltd.Out of these, 56% respondents had consumed AK Plywood’s Pvt. Ltd. whereas
remaining 44% respondents have not experienced the plywood of AK Plywood’s.
7) How satisfied are you with the variety in products offered by AK Plywood’s ?
a) Highly Satisfied
b) Satisfied
c) Neutral
d) Dissatisfied
e) Highly Dissatisfied

OPTION NO. OF RESPONDENTS PERCENTAGE

Highly Satisfied 18 31.57 %
Satisfied 25 43.85 %
Neutral 8 14.03 %
Dissatisfied 6 10.52 %
Highly Dissatisfied 0 0%

Sales
11%

32%
14% Highly Satisfied
Satisfied
Neutral
Dissatisfied
Highly Dissatisfied

44%

Interpretation:
As we know that only 57% of total respondents are aware of AK Plywood’s Pvt. Ltd.
Out of these, 32% respondents are highly satisfied, 44% are satisfied, 14% are neutral, and
remaining 11% are dissatisfied.
8) How satisfied are you with the pricing of AK Plywood Products?
a) Satisfied
b) Neutral
c) Dissatisfied

OPTION NO. OF RESPONDENTS PERCENTAGE

Satisfied 30 52.63 %
Neutral 20 35.08 %
Dissatisfied 7 12.28 %

Sales

12%

Satisfied
Neutral
Dissatisfied
53%
35%

Interpretation:
As we know that only 57% of total respondents are aware of AK Plywood’s Pvt.
Ltd.Out of these, 53% respondents are satisfied, 35% are neutral and remaining 12%
respondents are dissatisfied with the price.
9) How much money do you usually spend in Furniture?
a) Less than 1,00,000
b) 1,00,000 to 3,00,000
c) 3,00,000 to 5,00,000
d) Above 5,00,000

OPTION NO. OF RESPONDENTS PERCENTAGE

Less than 1,00,000 43 43%
1,00,000 to 3,00,000 27 27%
3,00,000 to 5,00,000 20 20%
Above 5,00,000 10 10%

Sales
10%

Less than 1,00,000

20% 1,00,000 to 3,00,000
43%
3,00,000 to 5,00,000
Above 5,00,000

27%

Interpretation:
From the above figure we can see
43% respondents spend less than Rs. 1, 00,000. 27% respondents spend between range of Rs.
1,00,000 to 3,00,000.20% respondents spend between range of Rs. 3,00,000 to 5,00,000.10%
respondents spend above Rs. 5, 00,000.
10) What is the single most important factor for you to choose Furniture’s?
a) Ambience/Experience
b) Value of money
c) For Comfort

OPTION NO. OF RESPONDENTS PERCENTAGE

Ambience/Experience 48 48%
Value of Money 32 32%
For Comfort 20 20%

Sales

20%

Ambience/Experience
Value of money
48% For Comfort

32%

Interpretation:
From the above figure we can see that 48% respondents consider experience as the
main factor, 32% respondents prefer value for money whereas remaining 20% respondents
consider comfort as major factors for furniture.
11) How is your experience with AK Plywood’s?
a) Excellent
b) Good
c) Satisfactory
d) Poor

OPTION NO. OF RESPONDENTS PERCENTAGE

Excellent 47 47%
Good 23 23%
Satisfactory 16 16%
Poor 14 14%

Sales

14%

Excellent
Good
16% Satisfactory
47%
Poor

23%

Interpretation:
From the above figure we can see that 47% respondents has an excellent experience
with AK Plywood, 23 % respondents has good experience whereas 23% and 16%
respondents have satisfactory and poor experience respectively.
 FINDINGS AND SUGGESTIONS

FINDINGS

 Customs examination done is very severe.

o During customs examination furniture is broken/tom for inspection. As a result all material
has to be made again. a huge loss is incurred on the companies.
o Some companies give money and get their material cleared from the customs. In this process,
even the poor quality material reaches foreign buyers and the image of the whole industry is
destroyed.

 Problem in basic utilities

o Load –shedding is a major problem.Furthermore; gas rates are on the rise with increase
shortage of supply too.

 Railway Transportation
o Indian railway is only used for movement of bonded goods aandits not available for
commercial exporters. Railway is one of the cheapest means of transportation in country.

 Lack of space is problem

o Because of small area, less pieces of furniture are produced. There’s 40% loss and as a result
all opportunities are lost. If more material is produced, it is wasted because there is no space
for its storage.

 Lack of Practical implications

o It seeking to go international need to learn a lot about external and internal environment
impacting their organizations.

 Lack of skilled labor

o Since the injunction of contemporary furniture, there is a decline in overall hand carvers in
the market.
 SUGGESTIONS

1) Company should go for direct mailing exercise to the specifies and trade.
2) Company should create awareness among the people.
3) Company should make a strong relationship with the specifies mainly
 Interior Architects and Designers
 Contractors & carpenters
 Retailers
4) Company should expand their network through Authorized dealers/ Sub-dealers/ Retailers.
 CONCLUSION

AK Plywood’s. is an integrated interior infrastructure company with leadership in the

plywood & Laminates in India. They give product like Plywood, Particle board, Laminate &
Decorative veneer commanding more share of 25% in the organized Plywood market & 15%
in the organized laminate market. The products are sold under the brand

 1) AK Platinum +
 2) AK Platinum
 3) AK Club
 4) AK Crown
 5) AK Architect
 6) AK Gold
 7) AK Hit Ply
 8) AK Fit Ply

AK Plywood’s Pvt Ltd has more than 10 branches across the country with a strong network
of over 2000 dealers, distributors, sub-dealers & Retailers.
1) Plywood and laminate industry provides direct and indirect employment to over a million
people.
2) Revenue from the Plywood is more than all other products.
3) The producing capacity of Plywood is also more than all other products
4) Consumer also giving a good preference to plywood.
 BIBLIOGRAPHY

 Emotion in Advertising & Promotion, Stuart J. Agres.

 CSIL (Centre for Industrial Studies). 2009. World furniture production and trade data for
2008
 Ak plywood annual report
 Company’s Broacher
 Company’s Magazine
 Internet Site’s
 Wikipedia
 Market Value Links
 QUESTIONNAIRE

Name…………………………………………………………………………………………
E-Mail ID……………………………………… Telephone…………………………………
Occupation……………………………………………………………………………………

1) What is your perception about Plywood prices?

d) Costly
e) Cheap
f) Moderate

2) What are the different types of Plywood you are aware of?
a) Less than 2
b) 2 to 4
c) 4 to 6
d) 6 and above

3) Which company do you prefer for plywood consumption?

e) AK Plywood Pvt. ltd.
f) Greenply Pvt. Ltd.
g) Century ply
h) Other

4) What are the reasons behind your ranking?

e) Brand Name
f) Good service
g) Good Quality
h) Any other reason

5) Are you aware of AK Plywood Pvt. Ltd.?

c) Yes
d) No
 6) Have you ever used plywood of AK Plywood Pvt. Ltd.?
c) Yes
d) No

7) How satisfied are you with the variety in products offered by AK Plywood?
f) Highly Satisfied
g) Satisfied
h) Neutral
i) Dissatisfied
j) Highly Dissatisfied

8) How satisfied are you with the pricing of AK Plywood Products?

d) Satisfied
e) Neutral
f) Dissatisfied

9) How much money do you usually spend in Furniture?

e) Less than 1,00,000
f) 1,00,000 to 3,00,000
g) 3,00,000 to 5,00,000
h) Above 5,00,000

10) What is the single most important factor for you to choose Furniture’s?
d) Ambience/Experience
e) Value of money
f) For Comfort

11) How is your experience with AK Plywood?

e) Excellent
f) Good
g) Satisfactory
h) Poor