An Analysis of Ordinary Mail Service Quality Attributes using Kano Model and Decision Tree Model

Abstract

Purpose: The demand for ordinary mail services supplied by 'Korea POST' is decreasing due to the opening of mail service market and the growth of alternative communication media such as e-mail and SNS. To overcome this situation it is urgent to introduce new services that can be able to appeal customers and to improve existing services. Methods: A field survey is conducted to corporate customers who send ordinary mails and individual customers who receive these mails, respectively. Quality attributes of ordinary mail services are classified by two-dimensional perspectives in terms of Kano model. Decision tree model is utilized for classifying the quality attributes. Comparative analyses are done whether there are perceived differences on each quality attributes between corporate customers and individual customers. Results: Quality attributes such as 'discount postal charges', 'sending small packages by simply dropping it into a mail box', 'sending a mail of any appearance', 'delivering a mail anywhere', and 'receiving a mail at a preferred time where a customer is located ' are classified differently according to some market segments, while most of the quality attributes are classified as attractive or one-dimensional. Conclusion: Decision tree model has been found to be most effective to classify quality attributes for each market segment especially when trying to classify quality attributes belonging to 'gray areas'. Based on the perceived differences on quality attributes among customers, strategic implications are suggested to obtain potential customers and to have competitive advantages.