Applying grey relational analysis to the improvement of the quality of ISP customer service - an example of ADSL

People rely on the Internet in a higher and higher degree. Life, work, career, socializing, recreation and amusement are all closely bound up with the network. When wide-band networks are created, the demands of users on the networks became more and more versatile. Hence, how to improve the quality of customer service might be an important topic for the Internet service provider (ISP). The main aims of this paper are to observe customers\´ responses to the wide-band service that ISPs offer, and apply grey relational analysis to analyze the factors which influence the satisfaction of customers. Empirical data in the ChiTelcom Company from September of 2003 to August of 2004 are taken as sample. Among these available items, ten service factors are extracted to evaluate the service quality level of an ISP with ADSL in the wide-band network environment. Aside from the factor "ADSL network breakdown", the results show that "expenses arrearage" is the key factor influencing customer satisfaction. Still, suggestion and conclusion are also proposed improving the quality of service and increasing competitiveness in the ISP industry.