Services Strategies of KFC

An Evaluation using Service Quality Dimensions

Submitted to:
Mohammed Masum Iqbal Assistant Professor and Head of the Department Faculty of Business and Economics Daffodil International University

Submitted By:
Latifa Rahman 092-11-956

Date of Submission: 9th April, 2012

Objectives:
To identify the service strategy of KFC. To identify whether KFC is delivering its services as promised or not. To find out if KFC is being willing to help their customers. To analyze if KFC is inspiring trust and confidence in its customers heart. To evaluate if KFC is treating their customers as individuals or not. To analyze whether KFC is representing the service physically. To identify the problems regarding services strategies of KFC. To make some recommendation to solve the problems.

Methodology:
Types of Research 1. Quantitative Research 2. Qualitative Research This Report based on Quantitative Research. We focused on the Questionnaire or Survey on the Indicating Company. Types of Data/ Source of Data 1. Primary Data 2. Secondary Data It should be a Primary data which is specially mentioned in Target population, Sample size Sampling method, Data Collection method.

Company Brief
KFC, founded and also known as Kentucky Fried Chicken, is a chain of fast food restaurants based in Louisville, Kentucky, United States. KFC has been a brand and operating segment, termed a concept of Yum! Brands since 1997 when that company was spun off from PepsiCo as Trion Global Restaurants Inc. KFC primarily sells chicken pieces, wraps, salads and sandwiches. While its primary focus is fried chicken, KFC also offers a line of grilled and roasted chicken products, side dishes and desserts. Outside the USA, KFC offers beef based products such as hamburgers or kebabs, pouting, pork based products such as ribs and other regional fare. The company was founded as Kentucky Fried Chicken by Colonel Harland Sanders in 1952, though the idea of KFC's fried chicken actually goes back to 1930. Although Sanders died in 1980, he remains an important part of the company's branding and advertisements, and "Colonel Sanders" or "The Colonel" is a metonym for the company itself. The company adopted KFC, an abbreviated form of its name, in 1991. Starting in April 2007, the company began using its original name, Kentucky Fried Chicken, for its signage, packaging and advertisements in the U.S. as part of a new corporate re-branding program; newer and remodeled restaurants will adopt the new logo and name, while older stores will continue to use the 1980s signage. Additionally, Yum! continues to use the abbreviated name freely in its advertising.

Packaging The famous paper bucket that KFC uses for its larger sized orders of chicken and has come to signify the company was originally created by Wendy's restaurants founder Dave Thomas. Thomas was originally a franchisee of the original Kentucky Fried Chicken and operated several outlets in the Columbus, Ohio area. His reasoning behind using the paper packaging was that it helped keep the chicken crisp by wicking away excess moisture. Thomas was also responsible for the creation of the famous rotating bucket sign that came to be used at most KFC locations in the US.

Menu items Chicken KFC's specialty is fried chicken served in various forms. KFC's primary product is pressure-fried pieces of chicken made with the original recipe. The other chicken offering, extra crispy, is made using a garlic marinade and double dipping the chicken in flour before deep frying in a standard industrial kitchen type machine. Kentucky Grilled Chicken This marinated grilled chicken is targeted towards health-conscious customers. It features marinated breasts, thighs, drumsticks, and wings that are coated with seasonings before being grilled. It has less fat, calories, and sodium than the Original Recipe fried

chicken. Introduced in April 2009 and was adapted mid-2011 in the UK as the "Brazer". KFC has two lines of burgers or sandwiches: its "regular" chicken sandwiches/burgers and its Snackers line. The regular sandwiches/burgers are served on either a sesame seed or corn dusted roll and are made from either whole breast fillets (fried or roasted), chopped chicken in a sauce or fried chicken strips. The Snickers lines are cheaper items that consist of chicken strips and various toppings. These are known as "burgers" in most countries and "sandwiches" in the United States. There is the chicken fillet burger (a chicken breast fillet coated in an original-recipe coating with salad garnish and mayonnaise) and a Zinger Burger (as with the former but with a spicier coating and salsa). Both of these are available as "tower" variants in some locations, which include a slice of cheese and a hash brown. KFC considers its Double Down product a sandwich or burger in spite of containing no bread. A variety of finger foods, including chicken strips, wings, nuggets, and popcorn chicken, and potato wedges, are served with various sauces. Several pies have been made available from KFC in some locations. The Pot Pie is a savory pie made with chicken, gravy and vegetables. In the second quarter of 2006, KFC introduced its variation on Shepherd's pie called the Famous Bowl, known simply as the Chicken Bowl outside the US. Served in a plastic bowl, it is layered with mashed potatoes or rice, gravy, corn, popcorn chicken, and cheese, and is served with a biscuit. The bowl had been available at KFC's special test market store in Louisville since the third quarter of 2005. The KFC Twister is a wrap that consists of either chicken strips or roasted chicken, tomato, lettuce and (pepper) mayonnaise wrapped in a tortilla. In Europe, the Twister is sold in two varieties:

1) The Grilled Twister (chicken strips), and 2) The Grilled Mexican twister/Spicy Toasted Twister (UK) (chicken breast supplemented by tortilla chips and salsa, UK: adds only salsa to pepper mayonnaise), KFC Fillers are a 9 in (23 cm) sub, available in four varieties over the summer period in Australia.

Shish kebab in several markets KFC sells kebabs. Kentucky Barbecued Chicken barbecued chicken dipped in the original recipe Wrapstar is a variant of the KFC Twister, consisting of chicken strips with salsa, cheese, salad, pepper mayonnaise and other ingredients, contained in a compressed tortilla. Other products Coleslaw In some locations, KFC may sell hamburgers, pork ribs or fish. In the U.S., KFC began offering the Fish Snacker sandwich during Lent in 2006. The Fish Snacker consists of a rectangular patty of Alaskan Pollock on a small bun, and is the fifth KFC menu item in the Snackercategory. Some locations also may sell KFC 'Mashies' balls of mashed potato cooked in original recipe batter

Analysis After the analysis what we got is that the customers of KFC are satisfied with the Reliability and Assurance quality. In case of Responsiveness their satisfaction is on average level, which means they are neither happy nor sad about Responsiveness. As far as Tangible term is concerned the customers are highly satisfied with the physical appearance of the KFC outlets. They find the environment very relaxing and friendly just what they want. They have no complains about it as they are very happy to see KFC using all the high tech equipments which gives the customers a huge relieve and comfort. But the customers are quite dissatisfied with the Empathy quality of KFC. They are not happy at all about it. They believe that the employees of KFC do not pay any extra attention to them. They think that they do not get the right amount of focus as they deserve. Again customers are really unhappy with the high price of the products. They strongly believe that KFC is charging way too much price compared

to its foods and service. Lastly they are dissatisfied with the service delivery process of KFC. As KFC follows the self service method, some of the customers often find this really annoying. They dont feel comfortable at all to move with their foods along with the crowd in the big outlets of KFC.

Problems

According to the analysis, some critical problems have been identified about the service strategies of KFC. 1. They dont treat their customers individually. 2. They dont deliver the services whenever needed. Their business hour is not convenient. 3. They dont help their customers willingly. 4. The high price charged by KFC. 5. Customers are not sure whether the foods are 100% hygiene or not. 6. The cooking process of the chicken is not trustworthy for a certain amount of customers.

Questionnaire Perceptions Statements in the Reliability Dimension 1. When KFC Company Promises to do something by a certain time, it does so. 2. When you have a problem , KFC company shows a sincere interest in solving it. 3. KFC company performs the service right the first time. 4. KFC company provides the services at the time promises to do so. 5. KFC company insists on error-free records. Statements in the Responsiveness Dimension 1. Employees in KFC Company give you prompt service. 2. Employees in KFC Company are always willing to help you. 3. Employees in KFC company are never, too busy to respond to your request. Statements in the Assurance Dimensions

1. The behavior of employees in KFC Company instills confidence in you. 2. You feel safe I your transactions with KFC company. 3. Employees in KFC Company are consistently courteous with you. 4. Employees in KFC Company have the knowledge to answer your questions.

Statements of Empathy Dimension 1. KFC Company gives you individual attention? 2. KFC Company has employees who give you personal attention. 3. KFC Company has your best interests at heart. 4. Employees of KFC Company understand your specific needs. 5. KFC Company has operating hours that are convenient to all its customers?

Statements in the Tangibles Dimension 1. KFC Company has modern- looking equipment.

2. KFC Companys physical facilities are visually appealing. 3. KFC Companys employees appear neat. 4. Materials associated with the service(such as pamphlets or statements) are visually appealing at KFC Company.