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4th International Science, Social Science, Engineering and Energy Conference
11th-14th December, 2012, Golden Beach Cha-Am Hotel, Petchburi, Thailand
I-SEEC 2012
www.iseec2012.com
A Model to Investigate the Influence of Channel, Perceived
Web Quality, Brand Awareness, Perceived Quality on
After-Sales Service of the All-In-One Office Products
Chaisak Chitcharoena, Penjira Kanthawongsb*,
Kanokorn Wathanasuksiric, Penjuree Kanthawongsd
a
Bachelor of Business Administration (International Program), Kasem Bundit University, Bangkok, 10250, Thailand
b
School of Business Administration, Bangkok University, Bangkok, 10110, Thailand
c
Graduate School, Bangkok University, Bangkok, 10110, Thailand
d
Bachelor of Business Administration (International Program), Kasem Bundit University, Bangkok, 10250, Thailand
Abstract
The authors of this study systematically investigated multiple relationships between brand awareness,
channel, perceived web quality, and perceived quality toward after-sales service of the all-in-one office
products’ company in Bangkok, Thailand. The sales of some single-function products decline after the
opening of a multifunction product. Based on marketing theories, flow theory, and the technology
acceptance model, independent variables such as brand, channel, perceived web quality, and perceived
quality should relate to after-sales service of the company. However, the multiple regression statistic
method revealed only channel, perceived web quality, and perceived quality were positively related to
after-sale service of the company.
Keywords: channel, web quality, perceived quality, after-sales service, multifunction products
1. Introduction
The development of multifunction products has changed the marketplace for several electronics
products. The sales of some single-function products decline after the opening of a multifunction product
(or a fusion product). All-in-one products which can print, copy, scan, and fax become omnipresent in
many offices [4]. To illustrate, referring to Gartner’s Latin America market report, in the first quarter of
2003, the single-function inkjet printer sales declined 5% from the same period of 2002, while the sales of
multi-function inkjet printer increased 176% in the same time, [4] [10]. However, the combined printer,
copier, and multifunction product (MFP) market in India were estimated to be 715,202 units in the second
quarter of 2012, which was accounted for a 6.8 percent increase from the second quarter of 2011. The
total end user spending was at USD $208.1 million, which increased about 35 percent from the same
period last year [11].
When target buyers learn about a product, they store knowledge structures of the product in their
memory [14, 16, 19]. Brand awareness refers to whether consumers can recall, recognize, or know about
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the brand [15]. Huang and Sarigöllü concluded that brand awareness increases brand market performance
[12]. For example, “Double A has a systematic method to built its brand to worldwide and also
expanding it business and its brand by using Double a Copy Center” [8]. Moreover, Fuji Xerox Company
Limited was ranked highest in the document equipment service provider segment of the 2012 Japan IT
Solution Provider Customer Satisfaction Index StudySM [9]. Ricoh brand is recognized as a leader in the
office products and image communications industry [22]. In consumer marketing, several researches
show that channel performance contributes to building brand [7, 26]. In addition, distributing through
good-image stores communicates that a brand has good quality. To illustrate, Canon Thailand’s website
qualified as “The Department of Business Development” (DBD) verified plaque by Ministry of
Commerce of Thailand. The “DBD Verified” seal is awarded to registered businesses that meet strict
criteria and established quality standards (Best Practice) in e-commerce, allowing customers to safely and
securely shop online channels with confidence and trust [3]. Then, DBD Verified is a trust mark which
assures that Canon Thailand’s website has been registered as e-Commerce business and met all relevant
criteria through a comprehensive evaluation that meets international standards or being Best Practice.
Customers can be certain that buying Canon products through online channels is convenient and secure at
Canon eStore [3]. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the impact of channel, perceived Web quality,
brand awareness, and perceived quality toward after-sales service of the all-in-one office products.
2. Brand Awareness, Perceived Quality, Channel, and Perceived Web Quality
The knowledge structures about a brand increase the value buyers obtain from the product by
influencing their thinking, feeling and doing with respect to the product [16]. Thus, brand awareness
defines as “whether consumers can recall or recognize a brand, or simply whether or not consumers know
about a brand” [15]. Brand awareness emphasizes a kind of learning advantage for the brand. Brand
awareness increases brand market performance [15]. Support service is one of the primary factors for
building brand. After-sales service is found to be a more important product-selection criterion than price
in high-tech markets [1]. There are limited research examining the effects of after-sales service on brand
awareness and perceived quality. However, “Acme Brick is remembered as offering excellent support
services such as a 100-year limited guarantee” [17]. In consumer marketing, research shows that channel
performance contributes to building brand awareness [7, 27]. Good store-image attracts more attention,
interests, and contacts from potential consumers, as well as increases consumer satisfaction and positive
word of mouth. Thus, distributing through good-image stores signals that a brand has good quality.
Distribution intensity also has a positive impact on dimensions of brand awareness because high
distribution intensity increases the probability of buying a brand wherever and whenever consumers want
[26]. Specifically, since the increase in distribution intensity reduces consumer efforts for finding and
acquiring a brand, consumers are likely to perceive it as more valuable, which in turn increases consumer
satisfaction and brand awareness [16]. In industrial marketing, the activities of order processing,
coverage, and delivery are found to be critical for building brand awareness [20]. Several researchers
found that these activities positively affected perceived quality and brand awareness [16, 24]. Hence, we
hypothesize the following:
Aladwani and Palvia [2] proposed user-perceived Web quality measures based on the scale
development study. They suggested perceived Web quality as the users' evaluation of a website's features
meeting users' needs, reflecting overall excellence of the website. Based on the exploratory factor
analysis, they provided four dimensions of perceived Web quality: technical adequacy, content quality,
specific (service) content, and perceived quality. The researchers define the perceived Web quality with
service contents as the user's perception on the customer service and privacy based on the website
interface and functions [13]. The authors further argued that the perceived Web quality with service
contents (e.g., customer service and privacy contents) of self-service technologies, such as an e-commerce
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website, could positively influence a consumer's perception of enjoyment of the system and shopping
behavior [5]. Swan and Rosenbaum [23] found that there are features of a website's interface that play a
role in the social construction of trust as people explore a website. In applying flow theory and the
technology acceptance model [6, 25], Koufaris [18] found that website factors influence the consumer's
emotional responses, such as shopping enjoyment. Considering all this, we may formulate the following
hypothesis: brand awareness, perceived quality, channel, and perceived web quality are positively related
to after-sales service.
3. Methodology and Results
The sample size of 289 had been estimated using G*Power 3.1.2 software, given effect size of 0.0377,
alpha of 0.05, beta of 0.95. The target population was the customers for after-sales services of
multifunction office products’ company in Bangkok, Thailand. The data collection was accomplished
through technical staff for the all-in-one office products of the company in September of 2012. A survey
questionnaire assessing the constructs in the current study was developed from published scales of
previous research as stated in the literature review. All of the scales were measured on a 5-point Likert
scale, ranging from 1 = strongly disagree to 5 = strongly agree. A total of 500 self-administrated
questionnaires were distributed to all students in the two classes and 289 usable surveys were returned
giving an overall response rate of 73%. The sample was females (61.6%) more than male (38.4%); the
majority of the respondents was 30-39 years old (38.1%); most of them have bachelor’s degree (80.6%)
with office staff position (81%). In this study, the psychometric properties of the instrument were utilized
for checking reliability and construct validity. The alpha coefficients of the reliability analysis ranged
form 0.722 - 0.860 indicating that all of the scales were acceptable [21]. Construct validity was assessed
by principal component analysis. The analysis produced 5 components. All results and multiple
regression analysis are reported in the table below.
Table 1. All results and multiple regression analysis
Dependent Variable: After-Sales Service: Mean = 3.57, S.D. = 0.572,C.A.= 0.830
r = 0.652, r2 = 0.425, **p <.05; n = 289
Independent
Cronbach’s
Mean
S.D.
t

variables
Alpha (C.A.)
Brand Awareness
3.30
.71
.860
.086
1.567
Channel
3.36
.54
.851
.314
5.814
Perceived Web
3.51
.60
.722
.284
5.301
Quality
Perceived Quality
3.52
.56
.822
.153
2.555
Sig.
VIF
.118
.000**
1.491
1.439
.000**
1.420
.011**
1.761
Only channel, perceived web quality, and perceived quality were found to be significant determinants
of after-sales service of the multifunction office products of the company, explaining 65.2% of the total
variance. The beta-coefficient of channel is 0.314, that of perceived web quality is 0.284, and that of
perceived quality is 0.153 respectively. Therefore, channel was the most significant predictor, following
by perceived web quality and perceived quality, while brand awareness was not a significant predictor.
There was no multicollinearity problem when no VIF value was not equal or higher than four [21].
Overall, the results indicated a statistically significant linear relationship between the constructs with a pvalue less than 0.05. There were positive associations between channel and after-sales service, perceived
web quality and after-sales service, and perceived quality and after-sales service. Hence, some parts of
hypothesis were supported. The multiple regression analysis for identifying the relationships between
independent and dependent variables are illustrated in figure below.
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Brand Awareness
 = .086
 = .314**
Channel
 = .284**
After-Sales
Service
Perceived Web Quality
Perceived Quality
H2:  =.153**
Fig.1. Conceptual model of the multifunction office products’ company
Note: Significant paths (p<.05) between constructs were reported with standardized beta weights
4. Discussion and Conclusions
This research sought to systematically identify multiple relationships between brand awareness,
channel, perceived web quality, and perceived quality toward after-sales service of the all-in-one office
products’ company in Bangkok, Thailand. The sales of some single-function products decline after the
opening of a multifunction product (or a fusion product). Brand awareness refers to whether consumers
can recall, recognize, or know about the brand. Based on brand, channel, flow theory, and the technology
acceptance model, independent variables like brand, channel, perceived web quality, and perceived
quality should relate to after-sales service of the company. However, the multiple regression statistic
method revealed only channel, perceived web quality, and perceived quality were positively related to
after-sale service of the company. Thus, the company’s manager should pay close attention to channel,
perceived web quality, and perceived quality respectively when implementing service strategies for the
products. The company’s executives are suggested to invest more times and money concentrating on
improve channel, provide better web quality, and maintain good quality of the products. Although our
study provides insights into what determines after-sales service, it has several limitations. The fact that
the participants come from one company limits the generalizability of the results. This research sets a
timely stage for future research in understanding the determinants of customer satisfaction. Finally,
additional determinants of after-sales service should be further investigated.
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