• Journal of Navigation and Port Research
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• v.32 no.7
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• pp.561-568
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• 2008

Due to the rapid changes in world trade and shipping environment, today's ports face ever-increasing competition, from adjacent competing ports. To this reason, port service quality has been recognized as an important strategy to take competitive advantage for those competition. In general, service quality has effect on customer loyalty, and customer loyalty is the resource to sustain competitive advantage which service providers or service producers. By improving customer loyalty, companies can get more benefits and added value. However, this causality qf port service quality has not been clearly identified. Thus, various empirical studies in relation to port service quality are needed. The aim of this study is to analyze the effect of perceived port service quality on customer satisfaction and loyalty. To achieve this aim, we established 8 hypotheses based on SERVPERF in order to test correlations of 5 dimensions of port service, port service quality, customer satisfaction, and customer loyalty. From the result of the hypothesis testing, we found that customer satisfaction and port service quality do not affect customer loyalty in spite of high effect of port service on customer satisfaction.

• Journal of Korea Port Economic Association
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.203-227
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• 2012

Based on the review of the existing studies, this study built the conceptual framework describing the structural relationships among port service quality dimensions(port internal service quality, external service quality, interaction quality), customer satisfaction, customer trust and customer loyalty. In specific, switching barrier was included as moderator in customer satisfaction and customer loyalty relationships. The subjects are the customers who use the Busan New Port. A survey using 317 customers was conducted, Confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to test the validity of the measurement model, and AMOS analysis approach was used to gain important insights into how customer retention in the port business can be ensured. Results in this paper indicate that customer trust and satisfaction are identified as antecedents of the port service quality dimensions. Customer satisfaction positively influences trust. Customer trust and satisfaction positively influence loyalty. Switching barrier positively moderates the relationship of customer satisfaction and customer loyalty. Finally, this study suggests that the implications of these findings and offers directions for future research.

• Journal of Korea Port Economic Association
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.125-149
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• 2006

The main purpose of this study is to develop new measurement device of the quality of terminal service, applying the existing research output of service marketing to the specific industrial aspect of container terminal. Especially we tried to help marketing managers present the points of effective marketing strategy with each dimension of service quality. To achieve this aim, we defined the service quality demensions of container port as the following three ones; the internal, the external, and the interactive qualities. The applied measuring instruments could be divided into three dimensions by carrying out factor analysis. Additionally, by analyzing the relative effects of the three dimensions of service quality on customer satisfaction, we found that the relative importance are as follows; interaction quality>internal quality> external quality. We confirmed that the three dimensions of service quality could affect customer loyalty and information, through customer satisfaction.

• Journal of Navigation and Port Research
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• v.36 no.9
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• pp.753-761
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• 2012

To achieve a differential advantage over competitors and protect their long-term interest, shipping lines have striven to find ways to maintain an ongoing relationship with shippers which can be achieved by attaining their loyalty. The benefits of loyal shippers are potentially huge in that they generate long-term revenue streams as well as provide cost savings as compared with attracting new shippers. Logistics service provided by shipping lines is identified as one of the effective tools for building customer loyalty. However, in a review of the literature none of the studies examine how logistics service creates customer loyalty, particularly between shipping lines and shippers. Consequently, the overarching purpose of this paper is to extend knowledge on logistics service performance and its relationship with customer loyalty in the unique context of maritime transport by proposing a new conceptual model based on an extensive literature review. The major contribution is to offer a new insight into the complex relationships between those 'soft' concepts in the context of maritime transport.

• Journal of Navigation and Port Research
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• v.44 no.5
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• pp.391-399
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• 2020

Every port is competing for attracting loyal customers from other ports to achieve more profits stably. This paper proposes a data-mining scheme to facilitate this process. For resolving the problem, the OD (Origination-Destination) data are gathered from the AIS (Automatic Identification System) data. The OD data are clustered according to the arrival dates and ports. The FP-growth algorithm is applied to mine the frequent patterns of ships arriving at ports. Maintaining a loyal customer list for port updates and accuracy is critical in establishing its usefulness. These lists are critical as they can be used to provide suggestions for new products and services to loyal customers. Finally, based on the frequent patterns of the ships and the mode of arrival times, a formula proposed in this paper to derive shipping companies' loyalty to ports was applied. The case of Kaohsiung port was shown as an example of our algorithm, and the OD data of ships in 2017-2018 were processed. Using the results of our algorithm, other rival ports, such as Shanghai or Busan, may attract customers no longer loyal to Kaohsiung ports in the last two years and attract them as new loyal customers.

• Journal of Korea Port Economic Association
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.223-248
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• 2009

The purpose of this empirical study is to examine and explore the relationships between three variables; shipping companies' service quality, customer satisfaction and customer loyalty. Special features of this study could be summarized as following. First, this is empirical study based on market research according to the definition of 'customer' as freight forwarders and actual exporter/importer together contrary to previous studies. Second, to evaluate shipping companies' service quality, 5 components of SERVPERF model was used. Third, to test correlations between 3 variables; service quality, customer satisfactions and customer loyalty, statistical analysis was used with tools of SPSSWIN ver 15.0 and AMOS ver 7.0. For effective study, many thesis have been obtained through literature survey. However, major results were compiled from directly structured questionnaire, which were collected from Korean import/ export companies and freight forwarders.

• Journal of Korea Port Economic Association
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.91-106
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• 2015

This study aims to analyze the effects of service quality offered by automotive Ro-Ro terminal operators on customer satisfaction and loyalty. The results of the research can be used to understand how to enhance the service level in order to manage competitiveness of the terminal operators, finally resulting in global competitiveness of the automobile industry of Korea in both exports and imports. We carried out a survey on two groups: shippers (customers) and providers (related terminal operators and stakeholders). To identify and classify the factors into groups, we conducted Exploratory Factors Analysis (EFA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), which showed construct validity and convergent validity. We also calculated Cronbach's alpha for reliability. Five factor groups were identified: tangibles, reliability, responsiveness, assurance, and empathy. We found that empathy is the most influential factor group among the five groups, and that the other groups too exhibited similar effects. Based on the results of the survey and analyses, we can conclude that empathy is most important in automotive Ro-Ro terminals. In particular, specialties, training, experiences, and loyalty of employees are crucial factors because automotive Ro-Ro terminals significantly rely on work forces, differently from other bulk terminals and container terminals. Flexible working hours and fringe benefits for work forces can increase empathy, finally resulting in productivity and efficiency. Next, well-designed work schedules are followed, based on visibility through logistics and SCM activities in automobile export and import processes with information and communication networks.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Navigation and Port Research Conference
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• 2002.11a
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• pp.45-51
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• 2002

As the circumstances surrounding world ports have changed rapidly, Port competition to attract more cargoes is increasing fiercely. Especially, fierce competition to attract the increasing container cargoes has cause main container ports on only to invest enormous fund to modernize its port facilities but also to improve efficiency in port operation and management. But, it is hard to build differentiation strategy with general port operation according to investing continuously enormous fund into main ports. In this situation, port marketing like 4P mix is of the immediate necessity and in this point, this paper estimated Brand Equity that have risen the core ability of marketing strategy, to transshipment port using Conjoint Analysis. In this analysis result, this paper shows that the brand equity of port significantly devoted to selection of transshipment port. This means that brand of port can attract considerable transshipment cargo. Then it have to induce customer loyalty for this brand extension.

• Journal of Korea Port Economic Association
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.15-39
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• 2015

This paper investigates the determinants of port service quality from a resources-based approach. The research model is derived from the relevant literature in port management, service quality, and resource-based theory. It is hypothesized that tangible and intangible resources contribute to port service quality, which in turn leads to the enhancement of reputation and loyalty to ports. To test this, a questionnaire survey is undertaken on three major ports in Korea: Busan, Incheon, and Gwangyang; the collected data are then analyzed using partial least squares. It is suggested that both tangible resources and intangible resources have a positive influence on general service quality and that general service quality has a positive influence on customer satisfaction, thus improving port reputation and loyalty. The contribution to the literature is that resource-based theory is applied to a port service quality model and the model is verified. In addition, an augmented model is adopted to examine the effect of individual resources on service quality. It is also possible for port managers to use the constructs to monitor their resources and develop more specific strategies to gain reputation and loyalty from customers.

• Journal of Korean Port Research
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.199-214
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• 1999

Recently leading edge companies use the Supply Chain Management as a competitive weapon to secure and maintain customer loyalty. As a consequency they are concentrating resources on the company’s core business and employing strategic alliances with third-party providers to ensure the company provides its customers’desired logistics service levels at acceptable costs. Under this circumstances this paper surveys the third party logistics as a leading edge logistics industry coping with the progress of the supply chain management. The status and the type of the TPL including the Forwarder are analyzed in the view point of global logistics. Also the development strategy of third party logistics in the future is suggested.