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The reasons for the existence of gaps in the services

of railway reservation at Lonavala & Khandala

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT We would like to acknowledge and extend our heartfelt gratitude to Professor

Samant Shant Priya who gave us an opportunity to handle such a project which

helped us to get a through practical knowledge from the market and also without

whose support it would have been totally impossible to undertake this project.

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

This project aims at finding the gaps or loopholes in the reservation service

provided by the Indian railway at lonavala and khandala station. Indian railway

offers various services such as passenger service, luggage carrying service

reservation service etc.

We have analysed the reservation process at lonavala and khandala station with

the help of the Servqual Model. We have tried to showcase the gaps between the

perceived service and reservation service offered to the passengers. We have

evaluated the gaps with respect to a comparative analysis of the competitor’s

services.

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INDEX

INDIAN RAILWAYS 5

SERVICES 7

TICKET BOOKING 12

SERVQUAL MODEL 16

SERVICE SECTOR IN INDIA 28

COMPETITORS 32

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 36

SURVEY ANALYSIS 37

CONCLUSION 51

RECOMMENDATIONS 52

QUESTIONAIRE 53

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THE INDIAN RAILWAY Railways were first introduced to India in 1853, and by 1947, the year of India's

independence; it had grown to forty-two rail systems. In 1951 the systems were

nationalized as one unit, to become one of the largest networks in the world.

Indian Railways Rail transport is the most commonly used mode of long distance

transportation in India. Rail operations throughout the country are run by the state-

owned company, Indian Railways. The rail network traverses through the length and

breadth of the country, covering a total length of 63,140 km (39,200 miles). It is one of

the largest and busiest rail networks in the world, transporting over 5 billion passengers

and over 350 million tons of freight annually. Its operations covers twenty-seven states

and three Union territories and also links the neighboring countries of Nepal, Bangladesh

and Pakistan.

RAILWAY ZONES The headquarters of the Indian Railways in New Delhi

Indian Railways is divided into zones, which are further sub-divided into divisions. The number of zones in Indian Railways increased from six to eight in 1951, nine in 1952, and finally 16 in 2003. Each zonal railway is made up of a certain number of divisions, each having a divisional headquarters. There are a total of sixty-seven divisions

The Kolkata metro is owned and operated by Indian Railways, but is not a part of any of the zones. It is administratively considered to have the status of a zonal railway

Each of the sixteen zones, as well as the Kolkata Metro, is headed by a General Manager (GM) who reports directly to the Railway Board. The zones are further divided into divisions under the control of Divisional Railway Managers (DRM). The divisional officers of engineering, mechanical, electrical, signal and telecommunication, accounts, personnel, operating, commercial and safety branches report to the respective Divisional Manager and are in charge of operation and maintenance of assets. Further down the hierarchy tree are the Station Masters who control individual stations and the train movement through the track territory under their stations' administration

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SERVICES

PASSENGER Indian Railways operates about 9,000 passenger trains and transports 18 million passengers daily across twenty-eight states and on union territory.sikkim Arunachal Pradesh, and Meghalaya are the only states not connected by rail. The passenger division is the most preferred form of long distance transport in most of the country. A standard passenger train consists of eighteen coaches, but some popular trains can have up to 24 coaches. Coaches are designed to accommodate anywhere from 18 to 81

passengers, but during the holiday seasons or when on busy routes, more passengers may travel in a coach. Most regular trains have coaches connected through vestibules. However, 'unreserved coaches' are not connected with the rest of the train via any vestibule.

Reservation against cancellation service is a provision for shared berth in case the travel ticket is not confirmed. It is a way of maximizing the number of wait-listed passengers to be accommodated in case of a cancellation.

ACCOMMODATION CLASSES

A CHAIR CAR

Several interstate trains feature two to three classes of travel, such as a First and Second class which have different pricing systems for various amenities. The first class can sometimes refer to a separate cabin, or simply a Further, the second class can have two or three tiers, with higher prices for the former, or seat-only class, which are popular on shorter routes. Many interstate trains are partially or fully air-conditioned, feature padded leather seats or berths, and provide passengers with sheets, pillows, blankets, as

well as meals and refreshments (which must be ordered as a set menu, either vegetarian or non-vegetarian). The amenities depend on the popularity and length of the route. Lavatories are communal and feature both the 'hole in the ground' Indian types as well as the 'Western-style' commode types. The following table lists the classes in operation. Not all classes may be attached to a rake though.

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CLASS DESCRIPTION

1A The First class AC: This is the most expensive class, where the fares are on par with airlines. Bedding is included with the fare in IR. This air conditioned coach is present only on popular routes between metropolitan cities and can carry 18 passengers. The coaches are carpeted, have sleeping accommodation and have privacy features like personal coupes.

2A AC-Two tier: Air conditioned coaches with sleeping berths, ample leg room, curtains and individual reading lamps. Berths are usually arranged in two tiers in bays of six, four across the width of the coach then the gangway then two berths longways, with curtains provided to give some privacy from those walking up and down. Bedding is included with the fare. A broad gauge coach can carry 48 passengers.

FC First class: Same as 1AC, without the air conditioning. This class is not very common.

3A AC three tier: Air conditioned coaches with sleeping berths. Berths are usually arranged as in 2AC but with three tiers across the width and two longways as before giving eight bays of eight. They are slightly less well appointed, usually no reading lights or curtained off gangways. Bedding is included with fare. It carries 64 passengers in broad gauge.

CC AC chair car: An air-conditioned seater coach with a total of five seats in a row used for day travel between cities.

EC Executive class chair car: An air-conditioned seater coach with a total of four seats in a row used for day travel between cities.

SL Sleeper class: The sleeper class is the most common coach, and usually up to ten coaches could be attached. These are regular sleeping coaches with three berths vertically stacked. In broad gauge, it carries 72 passengers per coach. Railways have modified certain Sleeper Coaches on popular trains to accommodate 81 passengers in place of regular 72 passengers. This was done inorder to facilitate benefits like clear the Passenger rush and simultaneously earn more revenue. But this has got lukewarm response with criticism from the travellers and railways has decided to remove them.

2S Seater class: same as AC Chair car, but without the air-conditioning.

G orUR

General or Unreserved: The cheapest accommodation, with seats made of pressed wood and are rarely cushioned. Although entry into the compartment is guaranteed, a sitting seat is not guaranteed. Tickets issued are valid on any train on the same route if boarded within 24 hours of buying the ticket. These coaches are usually very crowded.

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A TYPICAL SLEEPER CLASS COACH

At the rear of the train is a special compartment known as the guard's cabin. It is fitted with a transceiver and is where the guard usually gives the all clear signal before the train departs. A standard passenger rake generally has four general compartments, two at the front and two behind, of which one is exclusively for ladies. The exact number varies according to the demand and the route. A luggage compartment can also exist at the front or the back. In some trains a separate mail compartment is present. In long-distance trains a pantry car is usually included in the centre. A new class; Economy AC three tier is introduced in the Sealdah-New Delhi Duronto train.

NOTABLE TRAINS AND ACHIEVEMENTS

A train on the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway.

There are two UNESCO World Heritage Sites on IR — the Chatrapati Shivaji Terminus and the Mountain railways of India. The latter is not contiguous, but actually consists of three separate railway lines located in different parts of India:[24]

• The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, a narrow gauge railway in West Bengal.

• The Nilgiri Mountain Railway, a metre gauge railway in the Nilgiri Hills in Tamil Nadu.

• The Kalka-Shimla Railway, a narrow gauge railway in the Shivalik mountains in Himachal Pradesh.

The Palace on Wheels is a specially designed train, frequently hauled by a steam locomotive, for promoting tourism in Rajasthan. On the same lines, the Maharashtra government introduced the Deccan Odyssey covering various tourist destinations in Maharashtra and Goa, and was followed by the Government of Karnataka which introduced the Golden Chariot train connecting popular tourist destinations in Karnataka and Goa. However, neither of them has been able to enjoy the popular success of the Palace on Wheels.

The Samjhauta Express is a train that runs between India and Pakistan. However, hostilities between the two nations in 2001 saw the line being closed. It was reopened when the hostilities subsided in 2004. Another train connecting Khokhrapar (Pakistan) and Munabao (India) is the Thar Express that restarted operations on February 18, 2006; it was earlier closed down after the 1965 Indo-Pak war. The Kalka Shimla Railway till recently featured in the Guinness Book of World Records for offering the steepest rise in altitude in the space of 96 kilometres.

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A Beyer Garratt 6594 Engine seen at the National Rail Museum

The Lifeline Express is a special train popularly known as the "Hospital-on-Wheels" which provides healthcare to the rural areas. This train has a carriage that serves as an operating room, a second one which serves as a storeroom and an additional two that serve as a patient ward. The train travels around the country, staying at a location for about two months before moving elsewhere.

Among the famous locomotives, the Fairy Queen is the oldest operating locomotive in the world today, though it is operated only for specials between Delhi and Alwar. John Bull, a locomotive older than Fairy Queen, operated in 1981 commemorating its 150th anniversary. Kharagpur railway station also has the distinction of being the world's longest railway platform at 1072 m (3,517 ft). The Ghum station along the Darjeeling Toy Train route is the second highest railway station in the world to be reached by a steam locomotive.[26] The Mumbai–Pune Deccan Queen has the oldest running dining car in IR.

The Himsagar Express, between Kanyakumari and Jammu Tawi, has the longest run in terms of distance and time on Indian Railways network. It covers 3,745 km (2,327 miles) in about 74 hours and 55 minutes. The Bhopal Shatabdi Express is the fastest train in India today having a maximum speed of 150 km/h (93.7 mph) on the Faridabad–Agra section. The fastest speed attained by any train is 184 km/h (114 mph) in 2000 during test runs.

The Rajdhani Express and Shatabdi Express are the superfast, fully air-conditioned trains that give the unique opportunity of experiencing Indian Railways at its best. In July 2009, a new non-stop train service called Duronto Express was announced by the railway minister Mamata Banerjee.

FARES AND TICKETING

Fares on the Indian Railways across categories are among the cheapest in the world. In the past few years, despite a recessionary environment, the Indian Railways have not raised fares on any class of service. On the contrary, there has been a minor dip in fares in some categories.

Ticketing services are available at all major and minor railway stations across India. In 2003, Indian Railways launched online ticketing services through the IRCTC website.[28] Apart from E-tickets, passengers can also book I-tickets that are basically regular printed tickets, except that they are booked online and delivered by post.

TOURISM

IRCTC takes care of the tourism operations of the Indian Railways. The Indian Railways operates several luxury trains such as Palace on Wheels, Golden Chariot, Royal Orient Express and Deccan Odyssey; that cater mostly to foreign tourists. For domestic tourists too, there are several packages available that cover various important tourist and pilgrimage destinations across India.

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FREIGHT

A SINGLE LINE RAIL BRIDGE

IR carries a huge variety of goods ranging from mineral ores, fertilizers and petrochemicals, agricultural produce, iron & steel, multimodal traffic and others. Ports and major urban areas have their own dedicated freight lines and yards. Many important freight stops have dedicated platforms and independent lines.

Indian Railways makes 70% of its revenues and most of its profits from the freight sector, and uses these profits to cross-subsidise the loss-making passenger sector. However, competition from trucks which offer cheaper rates has seen a decrease in freight traffic in recent years. Since the 1990s, Indian Railways has switched from small consignments to larger container movement which has helped speed up its operations. Most of its freight earnings come from such rakes carrying bulk goods such as coal, cement, food grains and iron ore.

Indian Railways also transports vehicles over long distances. Trucks that carry goods to a particular location are hauled back by trains saving the trucking company on unnecessary fuel expenses. Refrigerated vans are also available in many areas. The "Green Van" is a special type used to transport fresh food and vegetables. Recently Indian Railways introduced the special 'Container Rajdhani' or CONRAJ, for high priority freight. The highest speed notched up for a freight train is 100 kilometres per hour (62 mph) for a 4,700 metric tonne load.

Recent changes have sought to boost the earnings from freight. A privatization scheme was introduced recently to improve the performance of freight trains. Companies are being allowed to run their own container trains. The first length of an 11,000-kilometre (6,800 mi) freight corridor linking India's biggest cities has recently been approved. The railways has increased load limits for the system's 225,000 freight wagons by 11%, legalizing something that was already happening. Due to increase in manufacturing transport in India that was augmented by the increase in fuel cost, transportation by rail became advantageous financially. New measures such as speeding up the turnaround times have added some 24% to freight revenues.

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TICKET BOOKING

TRAIN TICKET BOOKING IN INDIA, ONLINE-OFFLINE SERVI CES

Booking from abroad is a little difficult, if you are totally new to how India, and India railway systems in particular, work. Online seat availability checks and online train ticket booking though the Indian Railways website (http://www.irctc.co.in/) for most of the trains is available. You have two options when you book India Railway tickets over the internet:

INDIAN RAILWAYS I-TICKET RESERVATIONS

You make an I-Ticket India Railway booking on the internet, but you have it delivered to an address in India. Lists of cities and towns where this courier service is available to are published on the site. Unfortunately, the India railway booking office does not courier tickets to overseas locations. You will have to provide a local address to send these tickets. Possible suggestions for destinations are a friend currently located in India or the hotel you might be staying at in India. You should allow for about two to three days’ delivery time.

INDIAN RAILWAYS E-TICKET RESERVATIONS

You make your E-Ticket Indian Railway booking over the internet, but you print the ticket yourself on your home computer. This is a good idea if you have access to a printer and you don’t want to have them couriered somewhere.

You have to register online on the India railway website in order for the site to process your purchase. An extra service charge of 1.8% is levied on the total cost of the tickets for internet bookings. The site takes Visa and MasterCard. A refund is made on the card if you cancel the ticket later. Make sure you note down the 10 digit PNR and the Transaction ID... you will need this if you want to cancel.

You can make a maximum of four online bookings a month, and each ticket can be for a maximum of six passengers. One option for India travelers who anticipate traveling on the India railway system a lot is the Indiarail pass, which is available to foreign tourists from abroad. However, if you are not planning on traveling a lot by train, this is not worth the expense.

BOOKING INDIA RAILWAY TICKETS IN PERSON

Passengers on Indian trains can reserve tickets in person at the India railway reservation counters in India - there are hundreds of them all over the country. Most cities have ticket counters located at multiple locations for the passengers’ convenience. There are special quotas for foreign tourists. Enquire about this at the reservation enquiry counter on your route. India railway ticket counters are open8.00 a.m. till 8.00 p.m. on weekdays, and 8.00 a.m. to 2.00 p.m. on Sundays.

You can use credit cards for booking tickets at the reservation counters - look for the special Credit Card counters at the reservation office. You need to pay an additional Rs. 30 as a service charge. But the credit card queues are generally shorter than the cash queues. Use your discretion.

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Most large hotels in India offer travel services to their guests, and can arrange to get India railway tickets for you. For approximately Rs 30.00 per seat, they will get someone to stand in the queue for you and book the ticket. This is an easy way out for India travelers who choose not to experience the reservation counter experience personally.

CHECKING SEAT AVAILABILITY ON THE INDIA RAILWAY SYS TEM

When searching for seat availability you will come across notations like "AVAILABLE- 0068", meaning that 68 seats are available for the day you have indicated. When searching for seat availability on particular Indian trains, you may also encounter notations like "WL 40/WL 10". This may look a bit confusing for a new user, but there’s a perfectly logical explanation and, once you understand it, this is a useful bit of information.

Basically, there are two types of reservations on Indian trains:

• Seats with berth are reserved on a first-come-first-served basis. • Once

the seats with berths are allocated, all other requests are under the "Reservation against Cancellations" category, popularly known as RAC.

RAC is not a waiting list in the conventional sense. You can still board the train with a RAC ticket, and you do have a confirmed seat. However, a sleeping berth will be allotted based on availability due to cancellations.

Only after the "seat only " seats are also filled does the realconcept of a "waiting list" come into the picture, and this is where the "WL 40/WL10" notation comes into play. This notation on your India railway ticket means that you were the 40th person on the waiting list, but due to cancellations you are currently 10th on the waiting list.

Now why, you may ask, would you need to know how many seats got cancelled? Good question. An experienced India railway traveler will know how many seats generally get cancelled on a particular train route, and can plan his trip accordingly. It’s definitely chancy, but to give you an idea, over 200 seats generally get cancelled for a Second Class Sleeper on an Indian train.

Make sure you check the status of your ticket just before boarding an Indian train, to see if you have an RAC or WL ticket. You can do this through the internet, at the reservation enquiry counter, or over the phone. The telephone number for the Interactive Voice Response System is on the reverse of the ticket. You will need the 10 digit PNR printed on the upper left hand corner of the ticket to check your ticket type.

You will not have a seat assigned to you if the status is WL. Contact the TTE to determine your chances of getting a berth. However you can still travel with this ticket in the General Compartment.

CANCELLATIONS AND LOST TICKETS

Passengers on the Indian Railway System can cancel a reserved ticket and get a refund through the reservation counter. Generally the cancellation charges vary from a little less than $0.25 USD to slightly more than $1.00 USD, depending on the class. If you cancel a reservation at least a day in advance of your journey, excluding the actual day of travel, this range of cancellation fee will apply. If you cancel between one day and 4 hours before train departure, 25% of ticket cost plus the above mentioned cancellation fee is charged as a

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fee. You can still cancel the reservation, though, actually even after the train has departed. But the refund amount will vary, although typically you will lose about 50% of the total ticket cost. For a wait-listed ticket, there is no cancellation fee if cancelled in advance. A chart of cancellation fees for the India railway system is displayed at all the reservation counters. It shows the refund % based on class, time of cancellation, distance, etc. Tickets reserved at one station can be cancelled at another station. If you have booked over the internet, or using a credit card, the refund will be credited directly to your card.

If you are not in a position to go to the reservation counters you cancel your ticket through the mail also. But I’m not sure if they send money abroad. The best way is to get it refunded directly over the counter. In case you are not in a position to cancel in person, you can deposit the tickets at the nearest major India railway station and obtain a Ticket Deposit Receipt (TDR). This can be done upto 30 days after the travel date. Then, an application for the refund needs to be sent to the Chief Commercial Manager-Refunds of the respective railway zone (southern, south-central, eastern, etc) where you have deposited the ticket. You need to attach the passenger’s foil of TDR as well. This can be done within 90 days of your scheduled journey. The format for this refund request and the address to which it has to be sent can be obtained from the station where you have deposited the ticket. You have the options of a Money Order or Crossed Cheque or Station Pay Order (encashable at railway stations).

You can even claim the refund for the unused part of the tickets. Let’s say you met a nice friend on the train and decided to leave the train with her before your final destination. Before getting carried away with your newfound excitement, make sure you go to the TTE/stationmaster and let him know that you are terminating your journey. He’ll scribble something on the ticket, even God doesn’t know what it is, and add his signature. This is the proof that you have terminated your journey midway. At the exit, don’t hand your ticket to the collector. Let her that you terminated journey midway, and that you need the ticket for a refund claim. She’ll verify the ticket and give it you back.For the rest follow the instructions given above.

You’ll receive a cheque long after you have forgotten about this. But I feel happy when I get a cheque when I’m least expecting one!! I’m not sure about tickets booked with a credit card. But in any case, ticket cancellation refunds are refunded to the card account. Generally this takes a little longer time than the conventional system.

If you are not planing to travel it is always better to cancel the ticket before the journey date and collect cash directly. This will save you a lot of money, time and hassle.

Lost ticket will not be refunded. You can get a duplicate for a lost or torn ticket, if you know the the 10 digit PNR and other details. A charge from 10% to 25% is collected based on the distance for the duplicate ticket. However, if you manage to find the original ticket, you can get a refund for the additional money you paid for the duplicate minus a 5% charge! Produce both the tickets at the reservation counter to process this refund.

For cancellation and reservation of tickets the same form can be used.

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TATKAL SCHEME

The Tatkal scheme is an emergency reservation scheme introduced on most train routes on the India railway system. Indian trains of this type used to be indicated with a T at the end of their train number, but no longer. Tatkal tickets can now be booked up to 5 days in advance not including date of journey, so 6 days’ advance really. These are in all other respects the same express trains with 2 or 3 such special reservation coaches attached to it. Tatkal tickets are only issued for the full length of the train’s journey, though you are still allowed to board the train at an intermediate station, and of course, there are exceptions to the rule.

All the Tatkal (meaning "immediate") tickets come with a premium of approximately Rs. 50.00 to Rs. 200.00 extra, depending on the class, although they can be as high as Rs. 300. You need to produce a photo identity card (passport, drivers license, credit card, etc) at the reservation counter. The same will be asked for inside the train by the TTE. The ID number is noted on the ticket. This is basically to prevent the black-market sale of high demand Indian train tickets. If you are booking the Tatkal for a group of people (max 6 per ticket) any one member’s ID is sufficient. These tickets cannot be cancelled for a refund. The Tatkal system is a boon for emergency passengers.

SERVQUAL MODEL

What is SERVQUAL? Description

The SERVQUAL method from Valarie A. Zeithaml, A. Parasuraman, and Leonard L. Berry is a technique that can be used for performing a gap analysis of an organization's service quality performance against customer service quality needs.

SERVQUAL is an empirically derived method that may be used by a services organization to improve service quality. The method involves the development of an understanding of the perceived service needs of target customers. These measured perceptions of service quality for the organization in question, are then compared against an organization that is "excellent". The resulting gap analysis may then be used as a driver for service quality improvement. SERVQUAL takes into account the perceptions of customers of the relative importance of service attributes. This allows an organization to prioritize. And to use its resources to improve the most critical service attributes. The data are collected via surveys of a sample of customers. In these surveys, these customers respond to a series of questions based around a number of key service dimensions. The methodology was originally ba

1. Tangibles. Appearance of physical facilities, equipment, personnel, and communication materials.

2. Reliability. Ability to perform the promised service dependably and accurately.3. Responsiveness. Willingness to help customers and4. Assurance. Knowledge and courtesy of employees and their ability to convey

trust and confidence. 5. Empathy. The firm provides care and individualized attention to its customers.

SERVQUAL MODEL

What is SERVQUAL?

The SERVQUAL method from Valarie A. Zeithaml, A. Parasuraman, and Leonard L.

can be used for performing a gap analysis of an organization's service quality performance against customer service quality

SERVQUAL is an empirically derived method that may be used by a services organization to improve service quality. The

d involves the development of an understanding of the perceived service needs of target customers. These measured perceptions of service quality for the organization in question, are then compared against an organization that is

gap analysis may then be used as a driver for service quality

SERVQUAL takes into account the perceptions of customers of the relative importance of service attributes. This allows an organization to prioritize. And to use its resources to

prove the most critical service attributes.

The data are collected via surveys of a sample of customers. In these surveys, these customers respond to a series of questions based around a number of key service

The methodology was originally based around 5 key dimensions:

. Appearance of physical facilities, equipment, personnel, and communication materials.

. Ability to perform the promised service dependably and accurately.. Willingness to help customers and provide prompt service.

. Knowledge and courtesy of employees and their ability to convey

. The firm provides care and individualized attention to its customers.

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the organization in question, are then compared against an organization that is gap analysis may then be used as a driver for service quality

SERVQUAL takes into account the perceptions of customers of the relative importance of service attributes. This allows an organization to prioritize. And to use its resources to

prove the most critical service attributes.

The data are collected via surveys of a sample of customers. In these surveys, these customers respond to a series of questions based around a number of key service

. Appearance of physical facilities, equipment, personnel, and

. Ability to perform the promised service dependably and accurately. provide prompt service.

. Knowledge and courtesy of employees and their ability to convey

. The firm provides care and individualized attention to its customers.

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This has been adapted later by some to cover:

1. Tangibles. Appearance of physical facilities, equipment, personnel, and communication materials.

2. Reliability. Ability to perform the promised service dependably and accurately. 3. Responsiveness. Willingness to help customers and provide prompt service. 4. Competence. Possession of required skill and knowledge to perform service. 5. Courtesy. Politeness, respect, consideration and friendliness of contact

personnel. 6. Credibility. Trustworthiness, believability, honesty of the service provider. 7. Feel secure. Freedom from danger, risk, or doubt. 8. Access. Approachable and easy of contact. 9. Communication. Listens to its customers and acknowledges their comments.

Keeps customers informed. In a language which they can understand. 10. Understanding the customer. Making the effort to know customers and their

needs.

Origin of SERVQUAL. History

The authors conducted a qualitative study, from which they concluded that customers ranked the importance of two SERVQUAL dimensions consistently. Regardless of service industry. Reliability is the most important contributing factor to service quality and tangibles is the least important.

Usage of SERVQUAL. Applications

• SERVQUAL is widely used within service industries to understand the perceptions of target customers regarding their service needs. And to provide a measurement of the service quality of the organization.

• SERVQUAL may also be applied internally to understand employees' perceptions of service quality. With the objective of achieving service improvement.

Steps in SERVQUAL. Process

The method essentially involves conducting a sample survey of customers so that their perceived service needs are understood. And for measuring their perceptions of service quality for the organization in question. Customers are asked to answer numerous questions within each dimension that determines:

• The relative importance of each attribute. • A measurement of performance expectations that would relate to an "excellent"

company. • A measurement of performance for the company in question.

This provides an assessment of the gap between desired and actual performance, together with a ranking of the importance of service criteria. This allows an organization to focus its resources. To maximize service quality whilst costs are controlled.

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Strengths of SERVQUAL. Benefits

Most users would agree that a comprehensive and thorough examination of service needs and service quality provides an invaluable approach to improving service quality. SERVQUAL provides detailed information about:

• Customer perceptions of service (a benchmark established by your own customers)

• Performance levels as perceived by customers • Customer comments and suggestions • Impressions from employees with respect to customers expectations and

satisfaction

Limitations of SERVQUAL. Disadvantages

There have been a number of studies that doubt the validity of the 5 dimensions. And of the uniform applicability of the method for all service sectors. According to an analysis by Thomas P. Van Dyke, Victor R. Prybutok, and Leon A. Kappelman, it appears that the use of difference scores in calculating SERVQUAL contributes to problems with the reliability, discriminant validity, convergent validity, and predictive validity of the measurement. These findings suggest that caution should be exercised in the use of SERVQUAL scores and that further work is needed in the development of measures for assessing the quality of information services.

Assumptions of SERVQUAL. Conditions

• The results of market surveys are accurate. The validity of the model is based around the results of empirical studies. A number of academics have since performed further empirical studies that appear to contradict some of the original findings.

• Customer needs can be documented and captured, and they remain stable during the whole process.

Gap analysis generally refers to the activity of studying the differences between standards and the delivery of those standards. For example, it would be useful for a firm to document differences between customer expectation and actual customer experiences in the delivery of medical care. The differences could be used to explain satisfaction and to document areas in need of improvement.

However, in the process of identifying the gap, a before-and-after analysis must occur. This can take several forms. For example, in lean management we perform a Value Stream Map of the current process. Then we create a Value Stream Map of the desired state. The differences between the two define the "gap". Once the gap is defined, a game plan can be developed that will move the organization from its current state toward its desired future state.

Another tool for identifying the gap is a step chart. With the step chart, various "classes" of performance are identified—including world-class status. Then, current state and desired future state are noted on the chart. Once again, the difference between the two defines the "gap".

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The issue of service quality can be used as an example to illustrate gaps. For this example, there are several gaps that are important to measure. From a service quality perspective, these include: (1) service quality gap; (2) management understanding gap; (3) service design gap; (4) service delivery gap; and (5) communication gap.

Service Quality Gap.

Indicates the difference between the service expected by customers and the service

they actually receive. For example, customers may expect to wait only 20 minutes

to see their doctor but, in fact, have to wait more than thirty minutes.

Management Understanding Gap.

Represents the difference between the quality level expected by customers and the

perception of those expectations by management. For example, in a fast food

environment, the customers may place a greater emphasis on order accuracy than

promptness of service, but management may perceive promptness to be more

important.

Service Design Gap.

This is the gap between management's perception of customer expectations and the

development of this perception into delivery standards. For example, management

might perceive that customers expect someone to answer their telephone calls in a

timely fashion. To customers, "timely fashion" may mean within thirty seconds.

However, if management designs delivery such that telephone calls are answered

within sixty seconds, a service design gap is created.

Service Delivery Gap.

Represents the gap between the established delivery standards and actual service

delivered. Given the above example, management may establish a standard such

that telephone calls should be answered within thirty seconds. However, if it takes

more than thirty seconds for calls to be answered, regardless of the cause, there is a

delivery gap.

Communication Gap.

This is the gap between what is communicated to consumers and what is actually

delivered. Advertising, for instance, may indicate to consumers that they can have

their cars's oil changed within twenty minutes when, in reality, it takes more than

thirty minutes.

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IMPLEMENTING GAP ANALYSIS

Gap analysis involves internal and external analysis. Externally, the firm must communicate with customers. Internally, it must determine service delivery and service design. Continuing with the service quality example, the steps involved in the implementation of gap analysis are:

• Identification of customer expectations • Identification of customer experiences • Identification of management perceptions • Evaluation of service standards • Evaluation of customer communications

The identification of customer expectations and experiences might begin with focus-group interviews. Groups of customers, typically numbering seven to twelve per group, are invited to discuss their satisfaction with services or products. During this process, expectations and experiences are recorded. This process is usually successful in identifying those service and product attributes that are most important to customer satisfaction.

After focus-group interviews are completed, expectations and experiences are measured with more formal, quantitative methods. Expectations could be measured with a one to ten scale where one represents "Not At All Important" and ten represents "Extremely Important." Experience or perceptions about each of these attributes would be measured in a similar manner.

Gaps can be simply calculated as the arithmetic difference between the two measurements for each of the attributes. Management perceptions are measured much in the same manner. Groups of managers are asked to discuss their perceptions of customer expectations and experiences. A team can then be assigned the duty of evaluating manager perceptions, service standards, and communications to pinpoint discrepancies. After gaps are identified, management must take appropriate steps to fill or narrow the gaps.

THE IMPORTANCE OF SERVICE QUALITY GAP ANALYSIS

The main reason gap analysis is important to firms is the fact that gaps between customer expectations and customer experiences lead to customer dissatisfaction. Consequently, measuring gaps is the first step in enhancing customer satisfaction. Additionally, competitive advantages can be achieved by exceeding customer expectations. Gap analysis is the technique utilized to determine where firms exceed or fall below customer expectations.

Customer satisfaction leads to repeat purchases and repeat purchases lead to loyal customers. In turn, customer loyalty leads to enhanced brand equity and higher profits. Consequently, understanding customer perceptions is important to a firm's performance. As such, gap analysis is used as a tool to narrow the gap between perceptions and reality, thus enhancing customer satisfaction.

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PRODUCT APPLICATIONS

It should be noted that gap analysis is applicable to any aspect of industry where performance improvements are desired, not just in customer service. For example, the product quality gap could be measured by (and is defined as) the difference between the quality level of products expected by customers and the actual quality level. The measurement of the product quality gap is attained in the same manner as above. However, while service delivery can be changed through employee training, changes in product design are not as easily implemented and are more time consuming.

Gap analysis can be used to address internal gaps. For example, it is also applicable to human resource management. There may be a gap between what employees expect of their employer and what they actually experience. The larger the gap, the greater the job dissatisfaction. In turn, job dissatisfaction can decrease productivity and have a negative effect on a company's culture.

Ford Motor Co., for example, utilized gap analysis while developing an employee benefit program. While management may believe it has a handle on employee perceptions, this is not always true. With this in mind, Ford's management set out to understand employee desires regarding flexible benefits. Their cross-functional team approach utilized focus groups, paper and pencil tests, and story boards to understand employee wants and needs. Their team, consisting of finance, human resources, line managers, benefits staff, and consultants, identified gaps in benefit understanding, coverage, and communications. As a result of gap analysis, Ford implemented a communications program that gained employee acceptance.

This model offers an integrated view of the consumer-company relationship. It is based on substantial research amongst a number of service providers.

In this Gap model service is a function of word of mouth communication, personal need and past experience, and perceived service is a product of service delivery and external communications to consumers.

There is Different level in this model:-

Level 1:- Word of Mouth communications, Personal Needs, Past Experience

Level 2:- Expected Service

Level 3:- Perceived Service

Level4:- Service Delivery, External Communications to Customers.

Level5:- Service Standards

Level 6:- Management Perceptions of Consumer exceptions

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SERVICE MARKETING GAP ANALYSIS

The unique requirements of the additional 3P’s—people, physical evidence, and process are driven by the particular characteristics of service—intangibility, inseparability, variability, and perish ability. These characteristics also pose more marketing complexities which require different management activities. All services are experiences—some are long in duration and some are short; some are complex and others are simple; some are mundane, whereas others are exciting and unique. (Wilson, Zeithaml, and Bitner, 2008) The delivery process of the service has been entitled the Servuction System by Langeard and Eiglier. They argued that a bundle of benefits are delivered through both visible and invisible parts which create an experience for the consumer. The experience can be affected by the visible inanimate environment of the organization which is part of the physical evidence, the invisible process for delivering the service, and the people involved in, both the contact......

In business and economics, gap analysis is a tool that helps a company to compare its actual performance with its potential performance. At its core are two questions: "Where are we?" and "Where do we want to be?". If a company or organization is not making the best use of its current resources or is forgoing investment in capital or technology, then it may be producing or performing at a level below its potential. This concept is similar to the base case of being below one's production possibilities frontier.

The goal of gap analysis is to identify the gap between the optimized allocation and integration of the inputs, and the current level of allocation. This helps provide the company with insight into areas which could be improved. The gap analysis process involves determining, documenting and approving the variance between business requirements and current capabilities. Gap analysis naturally flows from benchmarking and other assessments. Once the general expectation of performance in the industry is understood, it is possible to compare that expectation with the company's current level of performance. This comparison becomes the gap analysis. Such analysis can be performed at the strategic or operational level of an organization.

Gap analysis is a formal study of what a business is doing currently and where it wants to go in the future. It can be conducted, in different perspectives, as follows:

1. Organization (e.g., human resources) 2. Business direction 3. Business processes 4. Information technology

Gap analysis provides a foundation for measuring investment of time, money and human resources required to achieve a particular outcome (e.g. to turn the salary payment process from paper-based to paperless with the use of a system). Note that 'GAP analysis' has also been used as a means for classification of how well a product or solution meets a targeted need or set of requirements. In this case, 'GAP' can be used as a ranking of 'Good', 'Average' or 'Poor'.

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GAP ANALYSIS AND NEW PRODUCTS

The need for new products or additions to existing lines may have emerged from portfolio analyses, in particular from the use of the Boston Consulting Group Growth-share matrix, or the need will have emerged from the regular process of following trends in the requirements of consumers. At some point a gap will have emerged between what the existing products offer the consumer and what the consumer demands. That gap has to be filled if the organization is to survive and grow.

To identify a gap in the market, the technique of gap analysis can be used. Thus an examination of what profits are forecasted for the organization as a whole compared with where the organization (in particular its shareholders) 'wants' those profits to be represents what is called the 'planning gap': this shows what is needed of new activities in general and of new products in particular.

The planning gap may be divided into three main elements:

Usage gap

This is the gap between the total potential for the market and the actual current usage by all the consumers in the market. Clearly two figures are needed for this calculation:

• market potential • existing usage

Market potential

The most difficult estimate to make is that of the total potential available to the whole market, including all segments covered by all competitive brands. It is often achieved by determining the "maximum potential individual usage", and extrapolating this by the maximum number of potential consumers. This is inevitably a judgment rather than a scientific extrapolation, but some of the macro-forecasting techniques may assist in making this estimate more soundly based.

The maximum number of consumers available will usually be determined by market research, but it may sometimes be calculated from demographic data or government statistics. Ultimately there will, of course, be limitations on the number of consumers. For guidance one can look to the numbers using similar products. Alternatively, one can look to what has happened in other countries. It is often suggested that Europe follows patterns set in the USA, but after a time-lag of a decade or so.[citation needed] The increased affluence of all the major Western economies means that such a lag can now be much shorter.

The maximum potential individual usage, or at least the maximum attainable average usage (there will always be a spread of usage across a range of customers), will usually be determined from market research figures. It is important, however, to consider what lies behind such usage.

Existing usage

The existing usage by consumers makes up the total current market, from which market shares, for example, are calculated. It is usually derived from marketing research, most accurately from panel research such as that undertaken by the Nielsen Company but also from 'ad hoc' work. Sometimes it may be available from figures collected by

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government departments or industry bodies; however, these are often based on categories which may make sense in bureaucratic terms but are less helpful in marketing terms.

The 'usage gap' is thus:

usage gap = market potential – existing usage

This is an important calculation to make. Many, if not most marketers, accept the 'existing' market size, suitably projected over the timescales of their forecasts, as the boundary for their expansion plans. Although this is often the most realistic assumption, it may sometimes impose an unnecessary limitation on their horizons. The original market for video-recorders was limited to the professional users who could afford the high prices involved. It was only after some time that the technology was extended to the mass market.

In the public sector, where the service providers usually enjoy a `monopoly', the usage gap will probably be the most important factor in the development of the activities. But persuading more `consumers' to take up family benefits, for example, will probably be more important to the relevant government department than opening more local offices.

The usage gap is most important for the brand leaders. If any of these has a significant share of the whole market, say in excess of 30 per cent, it may become worthwhile for the firm to invest in expanding the total market. The same option is not generally open to the minor players, although they may still be able to target profitably specific offerings as market extensions.

All other `gaps' relate to the difference between the organization's existing sales (its market share) and the total sales of the market as a whole. This difference is the share held by competitors. These `gaps' will, therefore, relate to competitive activity.

Product Gap

The product gap, which could also be described as the segment or positioning gap, represents that part of the market from which the individual organization is excluded because of product or service characteristics. This may have come about because the market has been segmented and the organization does not have offerings in some segments, or it may be because the positioning of its offering effectively excludes it from certain groups of potential consumers, because there are competitive offerings much better placed in relation to these groups.

This segmentation may well be the result of deliberate policy. Segmentation and positioning are very powerful marketing techniques; but the trade-off, to be set against the improved focus, is that some parts of the market may effectively be put beyond reach. On the other hand, it may frequently be by default; the organization has not thought about its positioning, and has simply let its offerings drift to where they now are.

The product gap is probably the main element of the planning gap in which the organization can have a productive input; hence the emphasis on the importance of correct positioning.

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Competitive gap

What is left represents the gap resulting from the competitive performance. This competitive gap is the share of business achieved among similar products, sold in the same market segment, and with similar distribution patterns - or at least, in any comparison, after such effects have been discounted. Needless to say, it is not a factor in the case of the monopoly provision of services by the public sector.

The competitive gap represents the effects of factors such as price and promotion, both the absolute level and the effectiveness of its messages. It is what marketing is popularly supposed to be about.

• Capability (systems engineering) • Gap analysis (conservation)

Market gap analysis

In the type of analysis described above, gaps in the product range are looked for. Another perspective (essentially taking the `product gap' to its logical conclusion) is to look for gaps in the 'market' (in a variation on `product positioning', and using the multidimensional `mapping'), which the company could profitably address, regardless of where the current products stand.

Many marketers would, question the worth of the theoretical gap analysis described earlier. Instead, they would immediately start proactively to pursue a search for a competitive advantage.

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THE CUSTOMER SERVICE GAP MODEL

Today’s consumer has become increasingly demanding. They not only want high quality products but they also expect high quality customer service. Even manufactured products such as cars, mobile phones and computers cannot gain a strategic competitive advantage through the physical products alone. From a consumer’s point of view, customer service is considered very much part of the product.

Delivering superior value to the customer is an ongoing concern of Product Managers. This not only includes the actual physical product but customer service as well. Products that do not offer good quality customer service that meets the expectations of consumers are difficult to sustain in a competitive market.

SERVQUAL (service quality gap model) is a gap method in service quality measurement, a tool that can be used by Product Manager across all industries. The aim of this model is to:

• Identify the gaps between customer expectation and the actual services provided at different stages of service delivery

• Close the gap and improve the customer service

This model developed by Parasuraman, Zeithalm and Berry in 1985 identifies five different gaps:

The Customer Gap: The Gap between Customer Expectations and Customer Perceptions

The customer gap is the difference between customer expectations and customer perceptions. Customer expectation is what the customer expects according to available resources and is influenced by cultural background, family lifestyle, personality, demographics, advertising, experience with similar products and information available online. Customer perception is totally subjective and is based on the customer’s interaction with the product or service. Perception is derived from the customer’s satisfaction of the specific product or service and the quality of service delivery. The customer gap is the most important gap and in an ideal world the customer’s expectation would be almost identical to the customer’s perception.

In a customer orientated strategy, delivering a quality service for a specific product should be based on a clear understanding of the target market. Understanding customer needs and knowing customer expectations could be the best way to close the gap.

THE KNOWLEDGE GAP: THE GAP BETWEEN CONSUMER EXPECTA TION AND MANAGEMENT PERCEPTION

The knowledge gap is the difference between the customer’s expectations of the service provided and the company’s provision of the service. In this case, managers are not aware or have not correctly interpreted the customer’s expectation in relation to the company’s services or products. If a knowledge gap exists, it may mean companies are trying to meet wrong or non-existing consumer needs. In a customer-orientated business, it is important to have a clear understanding of the consumer’s need for service. To close the gap between the consumer’s expectations for service and management’s perception of service delivery will require comprehensive market research.

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The Policy Gap: The Gap between Management Perception and Service Quality Specification

According to Kasper et al, this gap reflects management’s incorrect translation of the service policy into rules and guidelines for employees. Some companies experience difficulties translating consumer expectation into specific service quality delivery. This can include poor service design, failure to maintain and continually update their provision of good customer service or simply a lack of standardisation. This gap may see consumers seek a similar product with better service elsewhere.

The Delivery Gap: The Gap between Service Quality Specification and Service Delivery

This gap exposes the weakness in employee performance. Organisations with a Delivery Gap may specify the service required to support consumers but have subsequently failed to train their employees, put good processes and guidelines in action. As a result, employees are ill equipped to manage consumer’s needs. Some of the problems experienced if there is a delivery gap are:

• Employees lack of product knowledge and have difficulty managing customer questions and issues

• Organisations have poor human resource policies • Lack of cohesive teams and the inability to deliver

The Communication Gap: The Gap between Service Delivery and External Communications

In some cases, promises made by companies through advertising media and communication raise customer expectations. When over-promising in advertising does not match the actual service delivery, it creates a communication gap. Consumers are disappointed because the promised service does not match the expected service and consequently may seek alternative product sources.

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Service Sector in India Service Sector in India today accounts for more than half of India's GDP. According to data for the financial year 2006-2007, the share of services, industry, and agriculture in India's GDP is 55.1 per cent, 26.4 per cent, and 18.5 per cent respectively. The fact that the service sector now accounts for more than half the GDP marks a watershed in the evolution of the Indian economy and takes it closer to the fundamentals of a developed economy. Services or the "tertiary sector" of the economy covers a wide gamut of activities like trading, banking & finance, infotainment, real estate, transportation, security, management & technical consultancy among several others. The various sectors that combine together to constitute service industry in India are:

• Trade

• Hotels and Restaurants

• Railways

• Other Transport & Storage

• Communication (Post, Telecom)

• Banking

• Insurance

• Dwellings, Real Estate

• Business Services

• Public Administration; Defence

• Personal Services

• Community Services

• Other Services

There was marked acceleration in services sector growth in the eighties and nineties, especially in the nineties. While the share of services in India's GDP increased by 21 per cent points in the 50 years between 1950 and 2000, nearly 40 per cent of that increase was concentrated in the nineties. While almost all service sectors participated in this boom, growth was fastest in communications, banking, hotels and restaurants, community services, trade and business services. One of the reasons for the sudden growth in the services sector in India in the nineties was the liberalisation in the regulatory framework that gave rise to innovation and higher exports from the services sector. The boom in the services sector has been relatively "jobless". The rise in services share in GDP has not accompanied by proportionate increase in the sector's share of national employment. Some economists have also cautioned that service sector growth must be supported by proportionate growth of the industrial sector, otherwise the service sector grown will not be sustainable. In the current economic scenario it looks that the boom in the services sector is here to stay as India is fast emerging as global services hub.

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FACTORS OF SERVICE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SURVEY

1.Service Reliability is . . .

� Accessibility - Service is available when desired (when the customer wants to use it).

� Continuity - Customer has uninterrupted service over desired duration. � Performance - Meets the customers' expectations.

Other areas that we would like to consider working into the definition had we more time:

� Value - Negotiate a contract with the customer that places a value for a certain level of service requirement.

� Needs customer participation or input from a global perspective. � Billing operational issues need to be considered.

Challenges in service reliability in lonavala station: -

� Lack of sufficient railway’s staff.

� Lack of infrastructurein station.

� Climatic condition of lonavala.

2. Access: - Every individual with special needs is entitled to a supportive community

and the opportunity to lead a rich, fulfilling life. Leads the access of service

in railway’s reservation services.

Challenges in access service in railways reservation in lonavala station

• Lack of skill full staffs in railway station.

• Lack of facilities in station.

3. security :- Security as a service refers to the practice of delivering traditional security

applications as an Internet-based service, on-demand, to consumers and

businesses. It is an example of the everything as a service trend and

shares many of the common characteristics, whereby security applications

are delivered as a service.

Challenges in the service security in the lonavala station:-

• Lack of railways police near reservation counter in station.

• There is no separate reservation counter for male and female.

• Information leak about any individual.

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4.Credibility:- Service credibility is a comprehensive professional development program

for all levels of customer service employees. The central theme of Service

Credibility is learning how to create incredible customer experiences by

applying the Academy for corporate excellence Credibility Model to

customer service interactions.

Challenges in service credibility in lonavala station :-

• Transparency in service . • Flexibility in service . • Creating new loyal image in reservation service

5.Degree of customer understanding:-

Degree of customer understanding depend on customer satisfaction, a degree at customer may satisfied from service.satisfaction comes when perceive performance of product or services match acceptation of customer.

Challenges in degree of customer understanding in lonavala station:-

• Quick ticket distribution in reservation counter. • Good behave with customer by staffs. • Proper notice book any information.

6. Responsibleness :- a form of trustworthiness; the trait of being answerable to someone for something or being responsible for one's conduct or services, in reservation counter . to improve customer service in reservation counter need better service to the customer.

Challenges in service responsibleness in lonavala station:-

• Ego factor among railway’s employee ,Ie(, I am govt employee) • Provide better service. • Provide safety and transparency during service.

7. Competence:- is the quality of being competent. We can say a person is competent when we have proof of them working over a period of time to a required standard. The proof, or evidence, must show that they can bring the many parts of a job together. When the parts merge they take on a new form. Thus, competence is an abstract thing: it's more than a set of 'competencies' stacked on top of one another as same happened in the service. In lonavala station railway has to create competencies for reservation against their rivals.

Challenges in service competencies in lonavala station for reservation.

• Poor infrastructure in railway station. • Use of new technology • Create awareness among customer of better service

8.courtesy:-courtesy is being polite and having good manners .it is gracious way of speaking and acting which gives other of felling of being valued and respected. it is greeting others with respect. Please, “thank you, excuse me, hello, goodbye, you are

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welcome are not just words. they are courteous expression that show people you are respect them and care about them. Lonavala station has to provide courtesy during reservation to the customer.

• Training to the railway’s staffs. • Ego factor among employees • Lack of sufficient railway’s staffs.

9. Tangibles :- These are problems that are requiring some kind of observation. Railways must decide what can be determined from a measurement and what has to be estimated or located in other resources. So railway has to work on tangibles in lonavala station during reservation service.

Challenges of implementation of tangibles in lonavala station during reservation.

• Complex rules of railways. • Lack of initiative. • Change the mentality of top railway’s staff.

10. Communication:- Communication is a ‘two way' process. When you communicate you perceive the other persons responses and react with your own thoughts and feelings. It is only by paying attention to the other person that you have any idea about what to say or do next. You can probably think of many occasions when lack of communication has left you feeling angry or worried. When people are ill, vulnerable or coping with bereavement the effects of poor communication can result in more than minor irritation.

Challenges during service communication :

• Communication barrier between customer and railway’s staffs. • Cultural differences between staffs and customers.

COMPETITORSMaharashtra State Road Transport Corporation

Agency overview

FORMED 1948

JURISDICTION Government of Maharashtra

HEADQUARTERS Mumbai Central

AGENCY EXECUTIVES

Sudhakar Paricharak, ChairmanOmprakash Gupta, ViceChairman & Managing Director

Website:- http://www.msrtc.gov.in

A Red MSRTC Bus manoeuvring in the Sahyadri. It is the cheapest and however, an uncomfortable mode of transport in the state.MSRTC's Green top Asiad bus on Expressway. The board in the driver cabin reads "Swargate to Borivali" in Marathi.

(MSRTC)is a state run bus service based in other towns and cities within the same and adjoiningMSRTC bus service also covers destinations like Surat.

COMPETITORS Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation

Government of Maharashtra

Mumbai Central, Mumbai

Sudhakar Paricharak, Chairman Omprakash Gupta, Vice-Chairman & Managing Director

http://www.msrtc.gov.in

A Red MSRTC Bus manoeuvring in the Sahyadri. It is the cheapest and however, an uncomfortable mode of transport in the state. MSRTC's Green top Asiad bus on Expressway. The board in the driver cabin reads "Swargate to Borivali" in Marathi.

te run bus service based in Maharashtra, India which services routes to other towns and cities within the same and adjoining states. Apart from inter state cities MSRTC bus service also covers destinations like Ahmedabad, Bangalore

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A Red MSRTC Bus manoeuvring in the Sahyadri. It is the cheapest and however, an

MSRTC's Green top Asiad bus on Expressway. The board in the driver cabin reads

which services routes to states. Apart from inter state cities

Bangalore, Goa, Indore and

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HISTORY

Early bus services in Maharashtra (then part of the states of Bombay, Madhya Pradesh and Hyderabad) were started in the early 1920s largely due to efforts of local entrepreneurs. With no regulatory laws governing public transportation services these services run in ad hoc manner. The Motor Vehicle Act of 1939 brought in amongst many other things, regulation of fares, standard routes and rules for governance and monitoring of public tranporation providers. As a result of the act individual operators were asked to form a union on defined routes in a particular area. Bus schedules were set in, pick-up points, conductors, and fixed ticket prices were mandated.

Still passenger woes continued and then in 1948 Bombay State Government, started its own state sponsored road transport service called State Transport of Bombay. The first blue and silver-topped bus took off from Pune to Ahmednagar in 1948. In mean time, in 1950 the central government under the initiative of Morarji Desai the then home minister passed the Road Transport Corporation Act. This act delegated powers to states to form their individual road transport corporations, the central government would contribute up to a third of the establishment of such services. The Bombay State Road Transport Corporation (BSRTC) was formed following this, later on whose name was changed to Maharastra State Road Transport Corporation after the re-organization of the states.

STRUCTURE

The main terminal is located opposite Mumbai Central Railway Station. They are popular modes of transport for locals and tourists alike. Public service to most cities is available at 30 minute intervals, and private bus service is also available at an additional cost, with prior booking. One of their most lucrative routes is the Mumbai to Pune route, via the expressway, on which buses depart on 10-15 minute intervals.

Bus Service

Shivneri bus service operated by MSRTC

MSRTC runs bus services using different brand names including

SHIVNERI : a Dadar-Pune-Dadar Volvo bus

service operating daily. The buses start at 5:30 AM and are scheduled at a intervals of 30 mins with the last bus being at 12:00.The same service is also operating on Pune-Nasik-Pune route. The frequency is low on this route.

MAHABUS : An air conditioned bus service operating between Pune and Mumbai

(Mantralay). Starts at 6:45 am and scheduled for every 30 min till mid night

ASIAD : Asiad bus service which runs from Dadar started in the year 1982. This was the

first venture of MSRTC in providing a semi luxury bus service and has been a highly successful venture.

YATRA (Festivity services): A seasonal service targeted at travellers visiting various festivities of Maharastra.

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CITYBUS : MSRTC's branch of services which provide intercity transportation are

categorised under then CityBus services. This bus service caters to the transportation needs of mid size and smaller towns which do not have their own transportation services.

PARCEL COURIER SERVICE : MSRTC buses also provide the use of their buses for

shipping cargo or courier services.

TOURISM PACKAGES : Along with normal bus services MSRTC provides package tours

whereby you can buy a single ticket to travel a selective group of tourist places in Maharastra. The groups are mostly clubbed together based on the district they belong to.

BUS FLEET

MSRTC is one of the largest fleet owners in India, operating a fleet of approximately 16,000 buses. The buses are mainly made by two companies, TATA and Ashok Leyland. The Asiads in MSRTC mostly are made by TATA Motors, Whereas the red st's are a mix of Tata and Ashok Leyland. Now the MSRTC has all set to comeup with a new looking and all passenger oriented fleet. They have three central workshops where the bodies of their buses are built,approximately 2000 in numbers per year, which are located in Pune, Aurangabad, and Nagpur. The organisation have 9 Tyre Retreading Plants. 32 Divisional Workshops. MSRTC has the best working systems. The engine performance is the best for their vehicles. Periodic maintenance is the basic reason. It is well known for the services it caters to the masses. The service is available in remote areas also.

Coaches

The Volvo 9700 is an exclusive tourist coach based on our new TX product platform. It offers extremely high levels of technical quality, performance and total economy, as well as of comfort and safety. The harmoniously colour-matched interior and low interior noise level create a pleasant atmosphere. Large tinted windows and a gently sloping floor ensure good visibility for all passengers. The Volvo 9700 is available in a choice of three heights, with two or three axles, and with a mid-mounted or rear-mounted

engine. Volvo Buses offers tourist coaches designed for efficient, safe and profitable transport. This, combined with outstanding passenger comfort and attractive exteriors, makes our coaches an excellent purchase and a dependable long term business.

Quality

The Volvo 7700 is designed and built in every detail to meet the very highest quality requirements. From the driveline components to the stainless steel body, which provides superior corrosion resistance, low maintenance costs and a very long service life.

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Features

First-class driver’s environment

The driver’s environment is ergonomically designed and can be adapted to suit individual needs. All so as to create an attractive working environment. In order to adapt the driving position to individual requirements, the steering wheel can be adjusted for both height and angle via a simple control. It is locked in place automatically and released pneumatically. When the steering wheel setting is changed, the instrument panel moves with it to maintain optimum ergonomics.

Quick passenger through-flow

The broad centre aisle, the low, flat floor and the wide door openings create the necessary preconditions for efficient passenger through-flow and short halts at bus stops. Floor height is just 320 mm at the front door openings, 340 mm (320 optional) at the middle door and 340 mm at the rear door openings.With kneeling activated, entry height at the front door can be dropped another 90 mm. The Volvo 7700 is also available in a variant where the entire side can kneel to the same low level. The floor is smooth all the way through, without steps at any of the doors. Generous standing room and the possibility of fitting three double doors contributes to fast passenger movement.

Luxurious Comfort

The Volvo 9900 offers superb roadholding and ride

stability, not least owing to its rigid frame. The high-

torque engine and our new Volvo I-Shift gear-

changing system, which combines the convenience of

an automatic gearbox with the robustness and

reliability of a manual one, offer excellent driveability.

The braking system includes features such as Volvo’s

patented electronically controlled disc brakes, ABS,

ASR, Volvo Engine Brake and Volvo Compact

Retarder. The Volvo 9900 has electronically controlled

air suspension and independent front suspension.

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RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

• Primary Data – Taken survey of 50 respondents

• Secondary Data – Referred to various websites,

magazines and books.

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SURVEY ANALYSIS

A. Daily B. Alternate Days C. Once in a week D. Once in a month

� KNOWLEDGE GAP:

� Difference between what service provider believe customer expect and customer

actual needs and expectation.

� Railways believe passengers would travel by train every day, but due to

knowledge gap analysis survey results it’s concluded 18 % Passengers travel

daily & 18% travel once in a week which signifies a combination of both working

class, students & tourists passengers.

� INTERPRETATION GAP:

� From the above graph we can see that majority of the commuters 31 out of 50

are more satisfied with services that are provided by the lonavala station in

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comparison to khandala that means khandala is lacking behind in satisfying its

customers. We can make a conclusion from the graph that more customers are

satisfied by the services of lonavala and therefore khandala also needs to improve

in its services so that it can attain 100% customer satisfaction.

A. Yes B. No C. Can’t say

� DELIVERY GAP ANALYSIS:

� Difference between specified delivery standards and the service provider’s actual

performance on these standards.

� Railways are having major misconception about having limited reservation

counters would be highly effective process, instead 62% of commuters think it

causes long queues directly causing high inconvenience & time consumption.

� PERCEPTION GAP :

� There is always expectation from the commuters that there should be enough

ticket counters available for them but from the above question we can see that its

not happening as commuters are not satisfied with the number of ticket counters

available in lonavala and khandala, therefore here exist a perception gap in the

what service is delivered(the no of ticket counters available) and what the

commuters perceive(expected no of ticket counters)

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A. Yes B. No C. Can’t say

� STANDARDS GAP ANALYSIS:

� Difference between management’s perceptions of customer expectations and the

quality standards established for service delivery.

� KNOWLEDGE GAP ANALYSIS:

� Difference between what service provider believe customer expect and customer

actual needs and expectations.

� Railways perceive using Elaborative & Cost Effective Train Information time table

would be commuter friendly & self explanatory, but instead 35% Commuters

think it causes chaos & miscommunication at reservation counter which lacks up

to date information standards.

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� PERCEPTION GAP:

� Customers expectations about having the complete knowledge about the trains is

always there, therefore the railway time-tables should be put up near the ticket

counters properly in a reasonable size and in a reasonable numbers and locations

so that the commuters can easily access to the time-table as and when required.

But when we have a look at the above graph we can see that only 13 respondents

are satisfied by the railway time-table put up at lonavala station and majority of

35 respondents are not satisfied by it. Therefore, a service gap is created here as

the customers(the commuter) have a perception from the railway that they

should provide with the accurate information about the timings of the trains but

it’s not happening in the practical scenario. Thus the customers are dissatisfied by

the service of the railways in lonavala in terms of the railway time-table.

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A. Yes B. No

� DELIVERY GAP ANALYSIS:

� Difference between specified delivery standards and the service provider’s actual

performance on these standards.

� Reservation counters have to be supported with simple and self explanatory train

time table with train names, arrival & departure timings, ticket fare (Class Wise)

for passengers comfort & understanding while booking tickets but unfortunately

as per 82% of commuters the time table at khandala station is outdated and in

bad condition.

� INTERPRETATION GAP:

� It’s must that there should be railway time-table on the platforms and the ticket

counters, that’s the expectation from each and every customers. But the graph

we can say that 82% respondents have never seen any railway time-table on the

khandala station which means that the railways are not providing the services as

per the promises given by them therefore this leads to a gap in the service

provider’s communication efforts promise and what a customer thinks was

promised by these communications.

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A. Yes B. No

� KNOWLEDGE GAP ANALYSIS:

� Difference between what service provider believe customer expect and customer

actual needs and expectation.

� DELIVERY GAP ANALYSIS:

� Difference between specified delivery standards and the service provider’s actual

performance on these standards.

� As per survey done 33% of commuters are dissatisfied with the staff at the

reservation desk response to queries when required, staff not been updated with

introduction of new train & their timings, railway subsidies & concessions causes

high tension b/w commuters.

� INTERNAL COMMUNICATION GAP:

� It’s the responsibility of the railway staff to respond to the queries of the

commuters as and when required but from the above graph we can see 33 out of

50 respondents said that their queries were not answered as per their

requirements, that means again the customers are dissatisfied by the services of

the railways.

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A. Yes B. No

� STANDARDS GAP ANALYSIS:

� Difference between management’s perceptions of customer expectations and the

quality standards established for service delivery.

� 60% of commuters agree that The customer service quotient “Where customer is

the KING” is a rare phenomenon with the reservation staff at lonavala &

khandala.

� INTERNAL COMMUNICATION GAP:

� Talking about the Railway staff their behavior and their attitude, commuters are

not satisfied with their behavior which can be seen from the survey from question

no – 8 that only 40% of people said that they are satisfied with the behavior of

the railway staff but 60% say that their behavior is inappropriate with them,

therefore a gap exists here also.

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A. Yes B. No

� DELIVERY GAP ANALYSIS:

� Difference between specified delivery standards and the service provider’s actual

performance on these standards.

� As per 66% passengers getting an exact change is a major problem for the

tickets, and sometimes voluntarily the ticket counter staff does not offer exact

tender with unethical practices. This process also causes lots of inconvenience to

students majorly as they are impatient to wait for the exact change.

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A. Yes B. No

� DELIVERY GAP ANALYSIS:

� Difference between specified delivery standards and the service provider’s actual

performance on these standards.

� Punctuality is the key to fast clearing of queues and higher number of commuters

travelling with tickets and high customer satisfaction &convenience but

irregularities in late opening of reservation counters causes havoc, promotes

ticketless travelling & customer opting for competitor mode of transport instead

of railways.

� INTERNAL COMMUNICATION GAP:

� Even regarding the punctuality of the ticket counters there exists a service gap as

from the above graph we can see 33 out of 50 respondents feels that the staff is

not punctual enough at the ticket counter in terms of opening of the ticket

window in the morning after the lunch breaks and tea breaks. Here exists a gap

in the service delivered and the service promised.

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A. Yes B. No C. Can’t say

� KNOWLEDGE GAP ANALYSIS:

� Difference between what service provider believe customer expect and customer

actual needs and expectation.

� 52% commuters can’t say whether New Train arrival dates & timings, post

railway budget concessional schemes & procedures, revised fare rates, origin and

destination for various trains, fastest train to reach particular destination, timely

announcements are known to the staff.

� INTERNAL COMMUNICATION GAP:

� Here in the Railway Department, the Indian Railway feels that they are fully

competent enough to deliver the knowledge to the commuters but as per the

responses from the survey in the above graph we can see that 53% of

respondents feel that the railway staff is not fully competent in delivering the

information that they are supposed to.

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A. Yes B. No

� STANDARDS GAP ANALYSIS:

� Difference between management’s perceptions of customer expectations and the

quality standards established for service delivery.

� Hygiene plays a pivotal role on the commuters mind space majorly because it’s a

public place where many diseases & infections can be caused and henceforth

proper sanitation & cleanliness should be, maintained around reservation

counters and platforms 38% Commuter feel Lonavala & Khandala booking

counters are not hygienic.

� PERCEPTION GAP:

� Wherever we go be it a restaurant, a cinema hall, or a railway station it’s a

customer’s expectation that it should be hygienic enough and it’s the top most

priority of the customers. As the customers are shelling off money from their

pockets therefore they should be provided with what they want. In case of the

railway reservation counters customers expects that it should be hygienic

enough. But from the above graph we can see that 38 out of 50 said that the

reservation counters are not hygienic. This means that the gap again exists

between the expectation of the customers and the railway department.

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A. Advance booking B. Ticket vending machine C. Enquiry counters at important locations D. Punching machines E. Others

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A. Volvo B. Train C. Cool Cab D. Private Vehicals E. Govt Buses

� KNOWLEDGE GAP ANALYSIS:

� Difference between what service provider believe customer expect and customer

actual needs and expectation.

� As per survey 40% of commuters prefer trains as means of transport but railway

has got stiff competition from Volvo Buses 24% which offers excellent before &

after sales service to its customer & its been observed that its total hit among

students cause it offers convenience & air conditioning at a premium.

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A. Lonavala

B. Khandala

� DELIVERY GAP ANALYSIS:

� Difference between specified delivery standards and the service provider’s actual

performance on these standards.

� According to 31% of commuters their preferred station for its better service in

terms of booking tickets and other facilities would be lonavala majorly because its

well connected and got centralized ticketing system installed with its easy

accessibility & connectivity from both Mumbai and pune gives it strategic

advantage over khandala as both express & local trains halt at lonavala.

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CONCLUSION

After a thorough analysis of the reservation process we have arrived at the latent need

of the passenger. Its true statement that passenger is the king and has to get the value

for his money where cost v/s benefit analysis play a pivotal role in the “passengers mind

space”

The four C’s

� Customer solution

� Customer convenience

� Customer cost

� Customer communication

Are the key vitamins to customer satisfaction leading to customer satisfaction

leading to customer delight and turning your potential customer into your “brand

ambassador ” & walking talking billboard.

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RECOMMENDATION

Here are some of the recommendations which can help the railway in reducing the

service gap:

More number of inquiry counters and reservation counters should be there which will

help the railway employees in reducing the service gap (lag time, long queues, as well as

their work load will also reduce.)

Proper time table charts should be there about the trains, also the person sitting at the

counters should be well informed about the various changes in trains.

Khandala and lonavala stations should be properly constructed with more number of

platforms.

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QUESTIONNAIRE

*1) Name

*2) What is your frequency of travelling by train?

Daily Alternate Days

Once in a Week Once in a month

*3) What places do you travel to often?

*4) Are you satisfied with the ticket counters available in Lonavala and Khandala?

Yes No Can't say

*5) Are you satisfied with the railway time table being put up at lonavala station?

Yes No Can't say

*6) Is the train timetable put up at Khandala station?

Yes No

*7) Does the staff at the reservation desk respond to your queries as and when required?

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Yes No

*8) Is the attitude and behavior of the railway staff proper enough?

Yes No

*9) Is the change tendered properly at the counters?

Yes No

*10) Is the opening of the ticket counters punctual enough?

Yes No

*11) Is the staff updated about the changes in the railway systems?

Yes No Can't say

*12) Are the booking counters hygenic enough?

Yes No

*13) Additional services expected --

Advanced booking Ticket vending machines

Enquiry counters at important locations Punching machines

Other (Please Specify):

1) If given an option which mode of travelling would you prefer the most?

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Volvo Train Cool Cab

Private Vehicles Govt Buses Other (Please Specify):

*2) In terms of customer convenience which station provides you better service ?

Lonavala Khandala

Finish Survey

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THANK YOU

PROJECT SUBMITTED BY –

Priyanka C Arya - 8145

Romit D Bhalla - 8156

Sarang V Ohol - 8160

Shailesh Kumar - 8162

Shailesh Shukla - 8163

Sonam Saxena - 8167

Sudeshna Mukherjee - 8168

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