The Effect of Internal Marketing on Increasing Customer's ... - IJETAE

International Journal of Emerging Technology and Advanced Engineering Website: www.ijetae.com (ISSN 2250-2459, ISO 9001:2008 Certified Journal, Volume 3, Issue 11, November 2013)

The Effect of Internal Marketing on Increasing Customer's Satisfaction in Jordanian Tourism Sector: An Empirical Study on the Northern Region from the Viewpoint of Customers Dr. Mahmood Aqell Abu dalbooh1, Dr. Mohamad Shabeeb Khasawneh 2 1

Head of Marketing department & Irbid National University 2 Head of Department of Tourism & Irbid National University

Abstract- The Study aimed to explain the effect of internal marketing on increasing the customer satisfaction. In Jordan tourism sector, there are many factors affecting, we select independent factors (workers, service culture, MIS, avarice, motivations). The study divides to three part, theoretical part, previous study, results and analysis and recommendations. The study aimed to knowing the factors effect for increasing the satisfaction in Jordanian tourism sector. The study explores factors affecting on internal marketing to increasing customer satisfaction There are many recommendations such as activate the service culture, worker perceptions, motivations, MIS. Keywords— Costs, Determinants of tourist attractions, infrastructure, Tourist services in Jordan.

I.

INTRODUCTION

III.

Marketing seeks in general to convince customers and satisfy their commodity and service needs consistent with the orientations and by varying their awareness levels, often marketing focuses on the basis of the marketing process (Product, customer and the broker) with an increased focus on the customers because it leads the marketing process under the dynamic marketing environment variables. Therefore, we find research and marketing studies may be saturated external marketing (Customer and product) analysis .Therefore this research will deal with another aspect of the marketing process which is internal marketing of the Jordanian tourism sector in travel and tourism companies in the (North Region) [1, 2, 4].

II.

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE STUDY

The importance of the study of the tourism sector in Jordan (travel and tourism agencies) comes from the extent of the contribution of the tourism sector of the Jordanian economy and its impact on GDP, Add to that customer satisfaction helps to develop performance for the travel and tourism organizations in the Jordanian tourism sector.

IV. OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY The study aims to:1- Upgrading of workers to the concept of partnership in the organization (Partners in Achievement). 2- Focusing on increasing awareness of workers that means understanding of the strategies, policies and objectives of the organization. 3- Activate the relationship between the organization and employees. 4- Reveal the objectives of internal marketing for workers and activate it.

PROBLEM OF THE STUDY

The tourism sector in Jordan suffers from multiple obstacles:1- Reduced the exploitation of workers properly. 2- Low level of cultural service level among workers. 3- Limited of the marketing information among workers. 4- Low level of understanding and perceptions level of employees to the objectives of the Tourist Organization to work on Marketing of the tourism product. 5- Dumbfound the Efficiency of motivations and rewards system.

V. HYPOTHESES 1- There is a statistically significant impact to internal marketing (Workers) on increase customer's satisfaction. 2- There is a statistically significant impact to internal marketing (the Service culture) on increase customer's satisfaction

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International Journal of Emerging Technology and Advanced Engineering Website: www.ijetae.com (ISSN 2250-2459, ISO 9001:2008 Certified Journal, Volume 3, Issue 11, November 2013) IX.

3- There is a statistically significant impact to internal marketing (Marketing information) on increase customer's satisfaction. 4- There is a statistically significant impact to internal marketing (awareness s of workers) to increase customer's satisfaction. 5- There is a statistically significant impact to internal marketing (motivation system) on increase customer's satisfaction.

VI.

VARIABLES OF THE STUDY

1Independent variable:-The internal marketing for workers in Jordan's tourism sector / Northern Region. 2- The dependent variable:- Increase customer satisfaction in the Jordanian tourism sector. TABLE I MODEL OF THE STUDY

(Independent variable) Internal marketing

Dependent variable )Customer satisfaction)

1. 2.

Increase customer satisfaction in thee Jordanian tourism sector/ Northern Region

METHODOLOGY OF THE STUDY

It has been using descriptive analytical method in the study of the Jordanian tourism sector through a descriptive study of the study population (travel and tourism agencies) in the Northern Region From the customer's point of view. The researchers depended on two major sources in the collection of data:1- Primary data: - they adopted a Survey method through a questionnaire that designed for this purpose. 2- Secondary data: - They Adopted references and periodicals, books, research, and electronic references.

3. 4. 5.

Workers the Service culture Marketing information awareness s of workers motivation system

X.

COLLECTING DATA AND STATISTICAL PROCESSING

The researcher used the analytical description method in questionnaire design and arbitration of a number of professional's professors, and has been used statistical packages (SPSS) for data processor.

VII. THE STUDY SOCIETY AND SAMPLE The study society includes employees and customers in the Jordanian tourism sector to the travel and tourism agencies, the study was conducted on the Northern Region and the number of agencies reached into "11" agencies.

XI. VIII.

→

STATISTICAL TREATMENT

The questionnaire is designed to obtain the necessary data to measure variable and testing hypotheses, After collecting the data it has been entered on the statistical program SPSS For arithmetic averages and percentages and frequency distributions, ANOVA, Simple regression and multiple regression.

THE STUDY SAMPLE

The study sample was (20) Customers selected from Travel Agency in the Northern Region. From Irbid (3) and from each of the Mafraq, Jerash and Ajloun[1] . In order to study and understand their point of view, and know the results of the application for Internal Marketing on Workers in the tourism sector with regard to increasing customer satisfaction as in the Sum of 6*20=120 customers. And it has been returned (103) questionnaire, and (3) was Canceled for The lack of validity. The study and analysis was done on (100) questionnaire.

XII.

PREVIOUS STUDIES

The first study:- Ismail study in 2011 Entitled "internal marketing as a concept for the human resources management and its impact on the quality of the educational service" [3]. They Study the workers in the faculties of

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Economics and Administrative Sciences of the private universities in Jordan. The study aimed to:- Recognize the importance of internal marketing as a concept for the management of human resources, and also the Importance of the competitive teams to face the competition after The evolution of performance on educational outcomes, Reputation and Increase market share, Profit growth and Increasing demand for the product and learning outcomes, University graduates. The study showed the image of increased demand for the development of performance standards to increase market share and profit growth [3].

The Fourth study:- Swedan (7) made study in 2006 entitled "the impact of the application of internal marketing in achieving customer satisfaction" The study aimed to spotlight on the effects of internal marketing in achieving customer satisfaction at Jordanian insurance companies in its seven dimensions clarity of the role of work for employees, Training and Wage and motivations system, Internal Communications and Internal relations between workers, Motivation and Interaction between the workers and beneficiaries). the study found that there is little positive effect for the application of the seven dimensions of internal marketing on customer satisfaction, the most acceptable dimensions in terms of its impact are both the wage and incentives system and Internal relations between workers.

The second study:- Alshawabkeh made the study in 2010 Entitled " the impact of internal marketing to achieve a multi-dimensional organizational commitment of workers in the Greater Amman Municipality"[6]. The study aimed to demonstrate the effect of internal marketing dimensions ( Training and Empowerment, Hypotheses work, Marketing information and Administrative support) as a separate variable in achieving the commitment of employees in the Greater Amman Municipality, , And through the types of organizational commitment (continuation, Standard and Emotional) as a Static variable, One of the most important Results of the study to the presence of impact of internal marketing dimensions of the commitment of the workers in the Greater Amman Municipality, As well as the need to pay attention to the comprehensive training in the various administrative levels and which related to technological development in a periodically and continuously way.

The Fifth study:- Karameh's (5) study in (2006) entitled " the impact of internal marketing and quality of service in customer satisfaction (Yemeni banks). * The study aimed to find out:- The challenges of competition in the Yemeni market. - Changes in the financial and credit needs. - Changes in customers. * The study showed the following results:- The Importance of understanding the needs of customers. - The importance of workers in Yemeni banks. - The importance of training for workers to increase competitiveness. The Sixth study:- San Howng and Jan chi made a study in 2005 entitled "Relational among internal marketing, employee job satisfaction and hotel performance".[12] The study came out a set of recommendations, including: - The need for internal marketing because of its strong positive effects on job satisfaction among employees, and the study confirmed that there is a link between internal marketing and job satisfaction and organizational performance and this link helps in completing work tasks and level of flexibility.

The third study:- Amal and Aldmour made a study in 2008 entitled "the impact of the internal marketing application in job satisfaction for the sales staff in Jordan Telecom Group" [1]. The study aimed to identify the extent of the impact of internal marketing in the level of job satisfaction from the standpoint of sales staff in Jordan Telecom Group, One of the most important recommendations that emerged from the study is that The need to adopt the concept of internal marketing and clear by the management especially in the Jordan Telecom Group, and all service institutions in general [1].

The seventh study:- Sincic vorkic made a study in 2007 entitled "Integrating internal communications, human resource management marketing concept, into the new internal marketing philosophy"[11].

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Where The study aimed to analyze the concepts of internal marketing human resource management and internal communication and study areas that employ these concepts and the differences between them, and It is also aimed to reach a new philosophy of internal marketing, this study came up with a set of recommendations, including the need to adopt a new philosophy in the internal marketing under the name of internal relations in marketing It also found that this relationship should not be linked to a particular department non-other, but must be adopted by all of the organization departments.

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-

The Eighth study:- Altai made a study in 2000 entitled "Measuring assessments and internal marketing procedures in the Jordanian hotel industry from the standpoint of workers" ( a case study of Amman). (2) Where this study spot light on the Evaluation of workers procedures for internal marketing in the hotels industry and came out in a set of recommendations, including:- That successful internal marketing program calls for teamwork (team Work(.That falls to the hotel management to establish a spiritual philosophy of teamwork and keep away from focusing on the work of individual employees. Later The study found the need to adopt the concept of internal marketing, focus on the quality of education output and job descriptions design, planning and implementation of training programs, the development of the motivations system.

1-

23-

A-

-

-

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XIII.

PROCEDURAL DEFINITIONS

Workers: Individuals who responsible of labor management within the organization. B-

Service culture: - Concept which adopted by employees about customers service as a fundamental duty and function of important works to be bound by them.

C-

Marketing Information: - Means the Marketing information necessary for employees that should be provided for them by the administration and that as a service to achieve the organization objectives.

D-

E-

Motivations system: - It is mean the actions and rewards that employees in

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the organization deserve while carrying out their work according to the aspirations of the organization, including its objectives and provides performance development. Awareness of workers: - the extent of the workers understanding of the organization's goals and methods to achieve these goals. Marketing: - That meaningful convincing activity that meets the needs and desires of customers consistent with the achievement of the objectives of the organization. Internal Marketing :- Is that the internal activity associated with the employees and management of the organization, which is part of the philosophy of the organization to clarify its policies and strategies to achieve goals ( Altai 2004) this activity based on the following steps:System of motivations and rewards and recognition of the efforts of workers. Exploitation and Human Resources Management (workers) at the best. Publishing and clarification of marketing information for the employee. Develop the concept of the service culture among employees and implanting it which means (Understand customers and take care of them and provide them with the necessary services that include the internal marketing procedures. Settled the concept of the service culture among employees that serve the customers point of view and often the program reflects the marketing program as a culture of service. Let the workers aware of the marketing information thus contributing to the development of performance and serve customers. Activate and develop the motivations system. The exploitation of human qualification and capacity distribution according to skills and experience that consistent with the objectives of the organization. Increase the marketing awareness among workers.

International Journal of Emerging Technology and Advanced Engineering Website: www.ijetae.com (ISSN 2250-2459, ISO 9001:2008 Certified Journal, Volume 3, Issue 11, November 2013) XIV. THE IMPORTANCE, THE OBJECTIVES AND CHARACTERISTICS OF INTERNAL MARKETING

suitable employment, rewards and incentives working hours and appropriate location to work and providing convenient transportation [4]. The organization can develop the performance of employees According to the targeted training programs and the adoption of the expensive courses for knowledge management and staff attitudes toward preference work. Seeking for motivate employees and increase their efficiency and the development of attitudes towards work [1].

Internal marketing strategy takes it's significance from the importance of the process of interaction between the employees of organization and customers, especially in the field of services, Where production and consumption processes coincides and the human element controls the process of service, Each organization workers and customers participate in the production of the same service. The internal marketing strategy aims to attract and maintain the best workers and urged them to perform their jobs in the best possible way. And this is through the application of both the philosophy and the external marketing methods on the internal market for workers [9]. The internal marketing strategy aims to develop knowledge of both the internal client and external client and removing the functional obstacles that hinder the organizational effectiveness.

B- Service Culture:In general The concept of culture means the awareness of the individual and whether of this concept is developed in the individual and rise intellectually and develops his performance in various fields to achieve the stage of urbanization and civil culture, In the light of this, the individual worker must improve the degree of consciousness about the concept and develop the practical concept of any administration if this concept achieved he became the public server, servant. However, the Group constantly improves the management and final outcome of the performance of employees according to the perspective of the culture of service is access to a high level of attention to customers and solving their problems and understanding their complaints and even share with all the problems and establish the principle of a service culture in the minds of workers [2].

XV. INTERNAL MARKETING IS CHARACTERIZED BY SEVERAL PROPERTIES, INCLUDING

- Internal marketing is a social process:The internal marketing is applied within the organization to manage the process of exchange and interaction between the organization and its employees. The need of employees doesn’t limited to only the physical needs, but there are social needs they want to satisfy such as security, belonging and Friends, and this is achieved through internal marketing [9]. A-Employees:Employees are conceder the most important pillars of business organization, they are the main and executive tool to manage the work of the Organization and it is an essential element of the success of the organization, so the Modern marketing requires from employees to understand the strategies and policies of the organization to achieve its goals. Thus, the internal marketing for of the organization goals must be a part of the philosophy of the organization, the marketing function is not exclusive to the marketing department, but also is the duty of all administrative levels AdminLevels. It is manager's duties to attract and retain employees. In addition providing the

C- Marketing Information:The principle of the foundations of the success to marketing organizations is disseminate marketing information and clarified it for workers, and information is essential to the nature of work of employees and resolving the problems of customers according to marketing information available to them. The marketing information gives the greatest efficiency management and help in the decision-making process and Contribute to increase the capacity of workers in sales and marketing and promotion of tourism service. This marketing tourist process requires from all levels of management levels to understand the role of workers in addition to that making bulletins help on the internal communication among employees in administration [9]. The administration should also provide employees with the necessary information related to the Tourist Service and the nature of tourist

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marketing campaigns, Developments that relating to the Special procedures for the service in both temporally and spatially, service provision [2]. D- motivation:The tourism marketing process requires the administration to develop a system of motivations , wages and bonuses based on the performance of employees of their Functional duties, and The workers should put objectives of the organization and trade secrets, knowhow, To help them carry out their duties in according to the Service standards and ways of doing it. Modern marketing needs to be an effective motivation system in line with the dynamic business structure and has the ability to deal with its developments. Motivation system Brings for employees comfort and job stability and helps to provide psychological security and safety of employees rights, and If the organization wants the work be as one team Family Team and it has Directed the minds of workers to customer service for an effective system of motivations and rewards [13]. E- perception:The organization also interested in to let customers realize their organizational values achieved to them when buying a tourism product, the organization concerned and continuously to develop perceptions of employees to find and achieve the objectives of the organization and the reflection that on them. It can be said that the level of staff perceptions develop with the development of a participatory process in making the marketing decision in them also the perception of employees for the professional aspect, norms and standards adopted by customers is reflected on their performance and encourage them towards continuous improvement leading to achieve the objectives of the organization [1].

XVI.

3- Scientific degree holders tend to tourism, which refers to the high rates of income and tourism awareness. 4- That income affects at tourism in Jordan. 5- Motivation system helps to increase understanding and awareness of the tourist organization objectives. 6- Perceptions help to increase staff satisfaction. 7- Whenever a service culture among employees as a core concept, the degree of customer satisfaction increase. 8- The exploitation of workers in the appropriate locations in the tourism sector helps to increase the loyalty of employees toward Tourism Organization, which reflects positively on customer satisfaction. 9- Marketing information in employees helps to increase customer satisfaction in the Jordanian tourism sector. 10- Motivation system for employees helps to increase customer satisfaction in the tourism sector.

XVII.

RECOMMENDATIONS:-

1- The necessity at tourism sector to use the employees in suitable functional sites for achieves the principle of Optimal utilization of human resources. 2- Focusing on the evolution of the service culture concept on employees and Provide service to customers as their functional duties. 3- Providing marketing information system and activation and provide the necessary information to employees about the goals and policies of the Organization of tourist.

RESULTS, ANALYSIS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

From above we can conclude the following matters:1- Male customers turn into tourism bigger than women, indicating a high employment rates in males. 2- That the income often associated with age in Jordan.

4- Focusing on increasing the ability of employees to understand the customers

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and find out tourist organization's goals and work to achieve them. 4-

a sample of the Yemeni banks, University of Damascus / Syria. [6] Alshoabkeh study (2010), influence of

Providing an effective motivation system.

internal marketing in the application of the organizational commitment of employees. [7] Amal and dmour study (2008), The effect

References. [1] Mohamad obedat (2008), Consumer Behavior, strategic Entrance, Amman / Jordan 6floor, wael publishing house.

of applying internal marketing. [8] Swedan study (2006), The impact of the

application of marketing, bonuses and wages.

[2] Hameed

Altaie (2004) Tourism Marketing, strategic Entrance, Amman / Jordan, Alraoag publishing house.

[9] Abu Dalbouh (2009), Evaluation of the

affecting factors on the public institutions in the tourism sector in Jordan, Ph.D. thesis, Amman / Jordan.

[3] Esmael Shaker (2011). Internal marketing

concept for human resources management and its impact on the quality of educational services (An Empirical Study on employees in the faculties of Economics and Administrative Sciences in Jordanian private universities, Al-Quds Open University for Research and Studies magazine, Twenty-Third Issue 2.

[10] Alrahemi, Abu Dalbooh (2013), Principles

of Marketing, Amman / Jordan, Greer Publishing House. [11] furik study ( 2007 internal connection as

Concept of integration. [12] San

Hong study (2005), Internal marketing and its impact on employees' satisfaction in the hotel industry.

[4] Alsaraie,

Magableh, (2000) Modern tourism marketing, Amman / Jordan.

[13] Philip

kotler (2006), Marketing Management, prentice- hall V.S.A 12ED

[5] Karameh, Saleh, (2006), the impact of

internal marketing and service quality in customer satisfaction an applied study on

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Appendix Gender (1) Cumulative Frequency Percent Valid Percent Percent Valid Male 80 80.0 80.0 80.0 Female 20 20.0 20.0 100.0 Total 100 100.0 100.0 The above table (1) shows that customers in the tourism sector of the male equivalent to 4 times higher than females, reflecting the weakness of women's ability to buy the tourist product. Age (2) Cumulative Frequency Percent Valid Percent Percent Valid 30-39 15 15.0 15.0 15.0 40-49 40 40.0 40.0 55.0 Above 50 45 45.0 45.0 100.0 Total 100 100.0 100.0 The above table (2) shows that customers with ages 40 and above are more inclined to buy the tourism product because of the income and their ability to make the purchasing decision of the tourism product. Education (3) Frequency Percent Diploma or below 5 5.0 Bachelor degree 50 50.0 Master degree 30 30.0 PhD 15 15.0 Total 100 100.0 The above table (3) shows that the Tourism awareness campaign bachelor's, master's and doctoral. Income (4)

Valid Percent 5.0 50.0 30.0 15.0 100.0 is linked to a

Cumulative Percent 5.0 55.0 85.0 100.0 large extent Degrees

Valid Cumulative Frequency Percent Percent Percent Less than 500 25 25.0 25.0 25.0 501-1000 45 45.0 45.0 70.0 More than 1001 30 30.0 30.0 100.0 Total 100 100.0 100.0 The above table(4) shows that low-income trends 500 diners or less is low. Reliability of Scales (5) N. Items Alpha (a) 5 0.87 Customer satisfaction 4 0.95 Workers 4 0.62 Culture 5 0.92 Information 4 0.69 Understanding 5 0.75 Incentives

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The above table(5) shows that the degree of reliability of the independent variables (employees, culture, marketing information, management and understanding, and motivations) were between 0.62 – 0.95.

Descriptive Statistics

Workers Satisfaction Culture Information Understanding Incentive Valid N (listwise)

(6) Minimum 1 1 1 1 1 1

N 100 100 100 100 100 100 100

Maximum 5 5 4 5 4 4

Mean 2.98 2.88 2.95 2.78 3.00 2.94

Std. Deviation .889 .789 .861 .828 .807 .876

Correlations (7)

Satisfa ction

Worke rs

Cultur e

Inform ation

Percep tions (aware ness) Incenti ve (motiv ation)

Pearson Correlation Sig. (2-tailed) N Pearson Correlation Sig. (2-tailed) N Pearson Correlation Sig. (2-tailed) N Pearson Correlation Sig. (2-tailed) N Pearson Correlation Sig. (2-tailed) N Pearson Correlation Sig. (2-tailed) N

Satisfaction

Workers

Culture

Informati Perceptions on (awareness)

Incentive

1

.933(**)

.783(**)

.460(*)

.437(*)

.732(**)

100

.000 100

.000 100

.041 100

.050 100

.000 100

.933(**)

1

.741(**)

.542(*)

.459(*)

.661(**)

.000 100

100

.000 100

.014 100

.042 100

.002 100

.783(**)

.741(**)

1

.662(**)

.696(**)

.984(**)

.000 100

.000 100

100

.001 100

.001 100

.000 100

.460(*)

.542(*)

.662(**)

1

.730(**)

.656(**)

.041 100

.014 100

.001 100

100

.000 100

.002 100

.437(*)

.459(*)

.696(**)

.730(**)

1

.722(**)

.050 100

.042 100

.001 100

.000 100

100

.000 100

.732(**)

.661(**)

.984(**)

.656(**)

.722(**)

1

.000 .002 .000 .002 .000 100 100 100 100 100 100 ** Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed). * Correlation is significant at the 0.05 level (2-tailed). The above table(7) shows that the options for employees, culture and marketing information and perceptions of employees to organizational goals and motivations for the organization to achieve its objectives, and employees has been in the appropriate location in the organization the greatest impact (933.), It is significantly increased on a customer satisfaction guides, followed by service culture (.783).

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Collinearity Statistics Model Customer satisfaction Workers Culture Information Understanding Incentives

(8) Collinearity Statistics Tolerance .632 .735 .675 .634 .705 .644

VIF 1.582 1.360 1.482 1.578 1.418 1.552

Model Summary (9) Adjusted R Std. Error of R R Square Square the Estimate .962(a) .925 .898 .368 a Predictors: (Constant), Incentive, Information, Workers, Understanding, Culture ANOVA(b) (10) Model 1

Sum of Squares Df Mean Square F Regression 23.463 5 4.693 34.594 Residual 1.899 14 .136 Total 25.362 19 a Predictors: (Constant), Incentive, Information, Workers, Understanding, Culture b Dependent Variable: Satisfaction The table(10) shows that (F) 34.59 000 moral function highly .000. Coefficients(a) (11) Unstandardized Standardized Coefficients Coefficients t Model 1

Model 1

B (Constant) .158 Workers .907 Culture .911 Information .168 Understanding .139 Incentive 1.254 a Dependent Variable: Satisfaction

Std. Error .347 .131 .760 .129 .178 .688

Beta .934 .678 .149 .097 .951

B .455 6.942 1.198 1.300 .782 1.823

Sig. .000(a)

Sig. Std. Error .656 .000 .051 .015 .047 .090

The above table(11) shows that (Beta) was above the variable motivation system (.951) And the standard error of less than (1) while the (Beta) variable understanding of employees (.097).

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