A

PROJECT REPORT

ON

“CUSTOMER SATISFACTION”AT

Icon Paints Industries. HYDERABAD.

Submitted in partial fulfillment for the award of degree of

MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

BYW.ARVIND KUMAR

(55-0-139)

}}{{DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS MANAGEMENT

ST.JOSEPH’S P.G.COLLEGE(Affiliated to Osmania University)

King Koti, Hyderbad-29.

DECLARATION

I, W.ARVIND KUMAR bearing Hall Ticket No 55-04-139, student of St.Joseph’s P.G. College

here by declare that this project entitled “CUSTOMER SATISFACTION” at Icon Paints

Industries.LTD, with reference to Hero Honda Limited, is bonafide work done by me in

partial fulfillment for the award of degree in Master of Business Administration.

I further declare that this project work is a result of my own effort and has not been

submitted to any other university or institution for the award of any degree or diploma.

Place:

Date: W.ARVIND KUMAR

(Reg.No:)

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would like to thank THE Icon Paints Industries.LTD with reference to Hero

Honda Limited, for giving me an opportunity to do a project in the company.

I would like to extend my sincere thanks to Mr.IMAD AKHTER, (Marketing Manager) for

taking time from his busy schedule and guiding me throughout the course of the project.

I am thankful to ATIYA PARVEEN (Internal Guide) & SRI VANI (faculty) for their

valuable guidance throughout my course.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER-1

Introduction

Objectives of the study

Plan of the study

Scope and period of the study

Limitations of the study

CHAPTER-2

Company’s profile

Industry profile

CHAPTER-3

Conceptual and Methodology framework

Post Sales Customer Satisfaction

Research methodology

CHAPTER-4

Data Analysis and Interpretation

CHAPTER-5

Conclusions

Suggestions

ANNEXURE

BIBLIOGRAPHY

INTRODUCTION

Whether the buyer is satisfied after purchase depends on the offer

performance in relation to the buyer’s expectations.

Satisfaction is a person feeling of pleasure or disappointments resulting from

comparing a product perceive performance or outcome in relation to his/her

expectation.

As this definition makes clear, satisfaction is function perceive performance

and expectations. If the performance falls short of expectations the customer is

dissatisfied. If the performance matches the expectation the customer is satisfied.

If the performance exceeds expectation the customer is highly dissatisfied.

Many companies are aiming for high satisfaction because customers who are

just satisfied still find easy to switch when a better offer comes along. Those who

are highly satisfied are much less ready to switch. High satisfaction or delight

creates an emotional bond with the bond, not just a rational preference. The result

is high customer loyalty.

Senior management believes that a very satisfied that a very satisfied or

delighted customer is worth ten times as much to the company as a satisfied

customer. A very satisfied customer is likely to stay in company for many more

years and by more than a satisfied customer will.

Buyers form their expectations from past buying experience, friends and

associates, advice marketers & competitor information and promises. If marketer

raises expectations too high, the buyer is likely to be disappointed.

Some of today’s most successful companies are raising expectations and

delivering performance to match. These companies are aiming for TCS (Total

Customer Satisfaction). Some companies guarantee total customer satisfaction and

will replace at its expense any dissatisfied customer’s equipment within period of

many years after purchase.

For customers centered companies, customer satisfaction is both a goal and a

marketing too. Companies that achieve high customer satisfaction rating make

sure that the target market knows it.

Study shows that although customers are dissatisfied with one out

of every four purchases, less than 5% of dissatisfied customers will complain. Most

customers will by less or switch suppliers. Complaints levels are thus not a good

measure of customer’s satisfaction. Responsiveness companies measure customer

satisfaction directly by conducting periodic surveys. They sent questionnaire or

make telephone calls to random sample of recent customers. They also solicit

buyer’s view on their competitor’s performance.

While collecting customers satisfaction data kit is also useful it ask additional

questions to measure repurchase intention, this will normally by high if the

customers satisfaction is high, it is also useful to measure the likelihood or

willingness to recommend the company and the brand to others. High positive

word-of-mouth score indicates that the company is

Producing high customer’s satisfaction. When customers rate their satisfaction

with the element of company’s performance like delivery. The company needs to

recognize that customer vary in how they define good delivery. It could mean early

delivery on time delivery, order completeness and so on. Yet if the company had to

spell out every element in detail customers would face huge questionnaire the

company must also realize that customers can report being satisfied for different

reasons. One may be easily satisfied most of the time and other might be hard to

please, but was pleased on this occasion.

Company should also note that managers and sales people could

manipulate customer’s satisfactions rating. They can especially nice to customers

just before the survey. They can also try to exclude Un-happy customers from the

survey. Another danger is that if the customer knew that the company would go

out it way to lease customers.

Some express high dissatisfaction (even if satisfied). In order to receive

more concessions. Some companies navigate all these pit falls to reach their

customers value and satisfaction goals. We call these companies high-performance

business.

Customers satisfaction depends on the products perceive performance in

delivery value relative to buyer’s expectations. If the product performance falls

short of customer expectations, the buyer is satisfied. Outstanding marketing

companies go out of their way to keep their customer satisfied.

Satisfied customer may report purchase and they tell us about their good

experience with the product. The key being to match customer’s expectations with

company performance. Smart companies aim to delight customers by promising

only what they can deliver then delivering more than they promise.

Customer’s satisfaction is closely linked to quality in recent years. Many

companies have adopted Total Quality Management (TQM) programs, designs to

constantly improve quality of their products, service & marketing processes.

Quality has an impact on product performance and hence on customer satisfaction.

OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

1. To study the responses on brand’s choice.

2. To identify the consumer’s choice of brand.

3. To know the buyer’s response on dealer’s choice.

4. To identify the consumer’s purchasing time.

5. To identify the importance of money in the purchase decision.

6. To know whether the customers are satisfied with the product performance or not

7. To evaluate the ratings of product.

8. To study the buyer’s response on all the attributes of the product choice

Scope of the Study

The scope of the study is restricted to twin cities of Hyderabad and

Secundrabad only.

In this era it is very imperative to know about the customer satisfaction

about a particular product or services in order to improve the quality of product or

services. So that business can sustain in the market. With their money

consumers elect the retailers, and if they are not satisfied by the service of one

company they will surely go and use the same service provided by the other

company where they are satisfied. So ultimately, Consumers determine which

companies will survive in the market, and which will go out of business.

Significance of the Study

Only customers can determine the fate of the company; that means only

customers determine which organizations will survive and which one will fail.

After knowing the customer satifaction level; the company can know with which

services the customers are most satisfied and which services need

improvement

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM:

With the recent influx of different brands in today’s paint industiries

segment each striving to satisfy customers with the end results of maintaining

loyalty, at present cars as such have become necessity but not a nicety.

With this out look of today’s market it is even a layman’s perceptive that

ICON Products itself reflects a satisfied customer.

Keeping in mind curriculum requirement & organizational requirement

the study has been conducted to find out customer satisfaction towards ICON

Paints. However, due to time constraints an in-depth study could not be

undertaken.

Need for the Study: - .

For the success of every business customers are at the core center. Customers are the one who

consume and use the product. So they decide what to buy and what not to buy. Products or

services which meets the requirement or the needs are preferred. But in any business or industry

there is no monopoly of one company, there are always competitors. These competitors never let

you standby.

External environmental factors, internal factors, influence the scope of the business. So in such a

competitive environment customer satisfaction becomes of prime importance. If customers are

satisfied they will become an asset for the company on whom it can rely. But if the customers are

dissatisfied they will switch over to competitors brand and will be a loss for the company.

Effective marketing focuses on two activities: retaining existing customers and adding new

customers. Customer satisfaction measures are critical to any product or service company

because customer satisfaction is a strong predictor of customer retention, customer loyalty and

product repurchase.

Customer who are satisfied are also loyal. So there is less possibility that they will revoke to the

company. So in such scenario customer satisfaction needs to be analyzed. It will give an insight

into where the company is falling short of the expectations of the customers. So that it can

improve upon it and gain customer satisfaction.

LIMITATIONS OF STUDY:

The study could not be conducted on a large sample size and area

because of time constraint.

The number of sample size is respondents and the study is confined

Only to the Hyderabad confined limits.

The study is time bound & would be applicable to the current

Findings of the study.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Introduction:

“Marketing research means the systematic gathering, recording, analyzing of data about

problems relating to the marketing of goods and services”

Marketing research has proved an essential tool to make all the need of marketing

management. Marketing research therefore is the scientific process of gathering and analyzing of

marketing information to meet the needs of marketing management. But gathering of observation is

must be systematic. The systematic conduct of research requires:

Orderliness, in which the measurements are accurate.

Impartiality in analysis and interpretation.

All of research can be categorized into basic and applied.

1. BASIC RESEARCH : - Basic Research is that intended to expand the body of knowledge for the use

of others.

2. APPLIED RESEARCH : - Applied Research is one, which is carried out to find the solution for a

particular problem or for guiding a specific decision. It is usually private in nature.

My research on Vodafone is carried on for guiding specific decisions and its results are useful

only to Vodafone for taking particular decision regarding product quality, staff and security. Hence the

nature of my research study is “APPLIED RESEARCH “.

5.4) Process of Marketing Research:

The marketing research is done in systematic process. The Researcher has pursued the below

process of marketing for my study at Vodafone:

Problem Identification

Research Design

Data Collection

Data Analysis & Interpretation

Research Report & Presentation

5.4.2) RESEARCH DESIGN:

Research design indicates the methods and procedure of conducting research study. Research

design can be done in following three types:-

1 Exploratory Research:-

Exploratory research focuses on the discovery of new ideas and is generally based on secondary

data.

2 Descriptive Research:-

Descriptive research is undertaken when the researcher want to know the characteristics of

certain groups.

3 Causal or Experimental Researches:-

An experimental research is undertaken to identify causes and effect relationship between two

variables.

The Research Design is: Descriptive Research Design

5.4.3) Data Collection and Sampling:

A) Sources of Data Collection:-

Basically there are two types of data i.e. secondary and primary:

I) Primary Data Collection:-

Primary data collection contains the following four types of methods: -

1 Observation Method:

It contains Causal observation, Systematic observation, direct observation and contrived

observation.

2 Survey Method:

It contains Personal Interview, Telephone Interview and Mail Interview.

3 Experimental Method.

4 Panel Method.

II) Secondary Data Collection: -

It can be collected from internal as well as external sources

1 Internal Source:

Various internal sources like employee, books, sales activity, stock availability, product cost, etc.

2 External Sources:

Libraries, trade publications, literatures, etc are some important sources of external data.

The Researcher has used primary data for the core purpose of the project and this primary data

has been gathered by survey method. The researcher has also used secondary data

B) Data collection Tools:

To conduct a survey, the Researcher has selected a structured questionnaire as an instruction for

gathering valuable information from the customers. Questionnaire, which is used for the survey, is

consisting of questions and checklist questions to check the customer feedback.

C) Sampling Plan:

The researcher has design a sampling plan that is consist of five decisions.

I) Sampling unit :

Who is to be surveyed?

The Researcher has selected youngsters, businessmen, and housewives, employees to conduct

survey and to measure satisfaction level.

II) Sampling types:

There are two types of sampling i.e. Probability Sampling and Non – probability Sampling.

i) Probability Sampling : -

Probability sampling means each unit of the universe has equal chance of getting selected. The most

frequently used probability sampling methods are as below:

a) Simple Random Sampling.

b) Stratified Random Sampling.

c) Multi-stage Random Sampling.

d) Cluster Sampling.

e) Multi – phase Sampling.

f) Replicated Sampling.

ii) Non – Probability Sampling:-

Non – Probability sampling contains following methods:-

a) Judgment Sampling.

b) Convenience Sampling.

c) Panel Sampling.

d) Quota Sampling

For this purpose the researcher has used non probability convenience sampling.

III) Sample Size:

Sample size means limited numbers of respondents covered under the research study from a

population and the researcher has taken a survey of 100 respondents to know the satisfaction level of

customer.

PAINT INDUSTRY

INTRODUCTION

Industry origin and growth:-

The earliest paint factory in India dates back to 1902, when Shalimar Paints, Colour & Varnish

Company, A Pinchin Johnson unit, was established at Calcutta. Growing industrialization,

expansion of the railways and introduction of electric power a couple of years earlier had all kept

business confidence soaring high. However, this did not provide a ready and expanding market

for the nascent paint industry then. Imports from Britain continued to swarm the market and raw

materials were not easy to come by. The industry still consisting of one lone unit went through a

rather prolonged period of infancy, till the World War II brought in dramatic opportunities. With

the stoppage of imports owing to war conditions, the domestic market at last became almost the

exclusive reserve of the domestic industry. European manufacturers, hitherto exporting to India,

readily saw the advantages of setting up manufacturing facilities here. The period between the

wars thus saw the greatest ever influx of foreign paint companies into India- Goodlass Wall

(1918), Elphant Oil Mills (1917) in Bombay, and British Paints, Jenson & Nicholson and

Macfarlances in Calcutta. Macfarlanes was brought over by the Poddars and became a

completely Indian company, while the other three: Shalimar Paints (Pinchin Johnson), British

Paints and Jenson Nicholson continued as British operated units.

While talking about the post independent development of the Paint industry in India,

mention must be made of Asian Paints, a completely Indian unit which started on a very small

scale, grew so big and so beyond recognition over the years that it is today not only the largest

unit in India but way ahead of the second largest, Kansai (Goodlass) Nerolac Paints Ltd.,

formerly a unit of Goodlass Wall (UK).

Besides Asian Paints, numerous factories, wholly Indian in ownership and with rare exceptions

in technology as well were set up in Calcutta, Kanpur and Bombay. The British units, though a

few in number, were technically strong and financially sound and, with the active support and

patronage of the Government, controlled a vastly higher share of the market. The post

independence period witnessed a steady growth in the paint industry. From a mere Rs.200

million turnover in 1950, the paint industry crossed the Rs.14000 million mark in 1990-91.

But even in this period, paints were considered a luxury item. Only people with high incomes

were expected to decorate their houses with the use of paints. Paints, as a protective element,

were totally unheard of. The industrial segment, which was traditionally a low user of paints, vis-

à-vis its counterparts in the decorative segment, too contributed to this notion. In line with this

misconceived notion, the government drastically increased duties on paints in the early nineties

with an aim to bolster exchequer revenues. The result was obvious. This inevitably brought about

a downturn in the fortunes of the industry. The products, which are highly price elastic, saw a

negative growth rate of 20 % in 1991-92. The next year was also not good, registering a growth

of only 2%, bringing it back to the 1990-91 level, thus corroborating the fact that the industry

needed lower excise levels to grow. The industrial slowdown during that periodalso did not help

matters. In line with the liberalized policies and the realization that paints are not necessarily a

luxury item, duties were progressively reduced from 1993-94.

This squared growth as most companies passed on duty reductions. Further, the entry of world

majors in the automobile and white goods market in India since 1993 helped the market to

expand. Demand for auto paints shot up suddenly. Form a modest 8% growth rate in 1993-94,

paint demand touched 12% in 1995-96.

Rapid industrialization and improvements in the infrastructure such as transport, energy and

communication during the last decade gave a further fillip to the growth of the paint industry.

Aided by Government’s liberal policy of technology import, the automotive and consumer

durable segments expanded phenomenally, with a flurry of foreign collaboration. Increased

demand for decorative, protective and functional coatings was a natural fall out, which brought,

in its stride, a host of indigenous developments as well as the injection of new technology.

History:-

Paint has been used by mankind since its origin. The evidence can be found in the cave paintings.

The Chinese are considered to be the pioneers of manufacturing paints thousands of years ago. In

modern times paint is made artificially and is used in many different ways. There are three basic things

required to make paint. You need a · Pigment to get the exact color you want· Binder to hold the

paint together · Thinner so that it can be applied easily.

Types of PaintsThere are different types of paints available today. Till the 19th century the word paint

was used to describe oil-bound types only. The paints bound with glue were called distemper. For

farmhouses and cottages an alternative was found and was called lime wash or color wash.

Different things need different paints. The interior of the house is painted by different type of paint than

the exterior of the house. Automobiles use different type of paint. The industrial paint is different than

marine paint. Now colors are made by using different ingredients for specific surfaces.

For example enamel paint, when dries it becomes especially hard and usually has glossy finish. The term

enamel paint today means hard surfaced paint and usually it is used in reference to paint floor coatings

of a gloss finish or spray paints. It can be used for concrete, stairs, porches and patios. Fast dry enamel is

ideal for refrigerators, counters and other industrial finishes. High-temp enamel may be used for

engines, brakes and exhaust. Enamel is also used on wood to make it water resistant.

The Indian Paint IndustryIn India, Indian Paint industry’s total market size is US$1400 million. The

organized sector of the industry is 55%. The 45% unorganized sector has about 2500 units. The big

players and their market share-value of the organized sector are· Asian Paints 37% · Goodlass

Nerolac 15.9% · Berger Paints 13.8% · ICI 11% · Jenson & Nicholson 5.7% · Shalimar 4% ·

Others 12%The market segment is divided into two sectors.· Architectural 70%· Industrial 30%The

total volume of the market is 600,000 MT.

INDUSTRY ANALYSIS

The Indian Paint industry has a size of about US $2 billion. Surprisingly, the industry has no public sector

manufacturing unit and complete ownership is vested in the hands of the private sector. This may be

indicative of the fact that in the past, the government perceived paints to be a luxury product as

mentioned before and taxed the industry heavily, thereby relegating this industry to a non-core status.

The classification of the paints industry can be made either product-wise or sector-wise. In the sector-

wise segmentation, this industry can be classified into the organized and unorganized sectors. The

sectoral share is shown in the following pie chart:

FIGURE 3.1

Sectoral Size of Paint Industry (in $billion)

0.6, 30%

1.4, 70%

Organizedsector

Unorganizedsector

The Organized sector is dominated by six large players and in the unorganized sector there are about

2500 units manufacturing various categories of paints. The total volume of the market is about 717,000

MT and the industry is growing at 14% approximately. It can be seen from the graph that though the

organized sector controls 70% of the market, the unorganized sector with 30% of the market share is

still a force to reckon with.

The organized sector can itself be divided into two distinct segments (Product wise): Industrial segment

which is growing at 15% approximately and the Decorative segment which is growing at 8%

approximately. As shown in the graph on the next page, most of the sales are accounted for primarily by

the decorative segment

FIGURE 3.2

Distribution of Sale

30%

70%

Industrialsegmannt

Decorativesegment

In contrast to global trends, wherein industrial paints with a share of nearly 60 per cent take prime

importance, the domestic industry is dominated by decorative paints with an imposing share of nearly

70 per cent of the paints market. A major portion of demand for decorative paints is from fresh coats on

existing wall finishes. Thus, the fortune of this segment is closely linked to the construction activity in

the country.

DECORATIVE SEGMENT

The Decorative paints cater to the housing sector. Premium decorative paints are acrylic emulsions used

mostly in the metros. The medium range consists of enamels, popular in smaller cities and towns.

Distempers are economy products demanded in the sub-urban and rural markets. The distribution

network is the key for the success of this segment. Brand image and the range of products is the other

basis for competition. These features also act as entry barriers in the decorative segment.

As sophisticated technology is not a prime requisite for manufacturing decorative paints, the industry is

flooded with a number of small players catering to the lower-end of the market by supplying low value

unbranded products in small quantities. In this segment both the organized and the unorganized sectors

have a share of nearly 50 per cent each.

Within the Decorative segment the composition of the paints can be seen in the graph on the next page

FIGURE 3.3

50%

19%

17%

12%2%

Enamels

Distemper

Emulsions

Exterior Coatings

Wood Finishes

This graph shows that nearly three fourths all decorative paints sold in India are either Enamels or

Distemper. Among paint majors, Asian Paints produces all types of paints excepting cement paints.

Berger Paints, ICI and Jenson & Nicholson (J&N) manufacture synthetic enamels and emulsions while

Goodlass Nerolac (currently known as Kansai Nerolac) makes synthetic enamels. In the organized sector,

Snowcem (India) specializes in cement paints. One of the notable features of this industry is that each

major player has a specialty product in its portfolio of decorative paints.

Currently, Enamels are showing a steady growth but there is a gradual shift from Enamels and

Distempers to Emulsions. So Emulsions is also a high growth area. There is a high growth in low priced

low quality Distempers also as consumers are upgrading from limewash. Moreover, Exterior Emulsion is

the fastest growing segment in the Indian paint market.

INDUSTRIAL SEGMEENT

In terms of volume, though the industrial paints segment has made significant gains, it still trails behind

decorative paints. As against the Decorative segment, the share of the unorganized sector in industrial

paints is limited to roughly 35 per cent. This is because technology is the overriding factor in this

segment and industrial paints require constant upgradation and servicing. In contrast to the decorative

paint business, tapping the industrial paint segment is not by brand-building or establishing a

distribution network but through getting the right foreign partner (for technology) and captive

customers. While decorative paint manufacturers need to offer variety and have a wide reach to stay

ahead of competition, industrial paint producers need to be competitive in terms of technology and

service.

Industrial paints comprise automotive paints, high performance coating, marine paints, powder coatings

and coil coatings. Goodlass Nerolac is the market leader in this segment. The user industries are

automobiles, engineering and consumer durables. The industrial coating segment in India has grown by

15% over the year and companies like Asian Paints have registered a growth of 48% for the same period.

Automotive paints constitute a large share of industrial paints market which requires high quality

standards, supplier reliability and ability to offer complete coating systems. They are used for

giving high quality finish to automobiles. High performance coatings are applied in plants for

fertilizers, petrochemicals and offshore oil and atomic energy installations where anticorrosion is

very important. Powder coatings (water-based) are free of solvent and are used in consumer

goods like washing machines, refrigerators etc. Marine paints are used for painting ships and

vessels to make them water resistant and corrosion free.

Within the industrial segment, the composition of the major paints is shown in the following graph

FIGURE 3.4

50%

30%

10%

5% 5% Automotive Paints

High PerformnaceCoating

Pow der Coating

Coil Coating

Marine Paints

Half of the Industrial paints produced in the country are Automotive paints and close to one third is the

high Performance Coating. Automotive sector is a high growth sector with a number of new entrants like

Mercedes Benz, Mitsubishi, Daewoo, Hyundai, Honda, and Fiat. However, recently there is some

slackness in Auto demand. Two wheeler markets are booming due to demand from large India middle

class. In the Powder Coatings sector, there is high growth due to increase in sales of white goods and

auto ancillaries. Similarly, in the High Performance Coating sector, there is a steady growth due to higher

investments in Refinery Segment and power sector, especially Thermal and Nuclear.

Industry present & future trends:-

The Indian paint and coatings industry is riding high on the growth in the Indian automobile industry,

new construction in the housing segment and improving infrastructure throughout the country. Thirty

percent of the paint business is comprised of new construction projects. GDP growth projections of six

to 6.5% in the current year mean a growth of nine to ten percent in Indian paint business. The growth

will be 12-13% in the industrial segment and eight to nine percent for decorative paint. The Indian

automobile industry has been performing remarkably well and will benefit the market leader in the

segment, Goodlass Nerolac.

As for the future, the industry has predicted a CAGR of eight to nine percent for the next five years

compared to last year’s growth levels of 27.4% for cars and 8.9% for two wheelers. The Indian housing

industry is likely to do well in the current year as well, recording a growth rate of 35% last year. As a

result of the overall health of India’s economy, it is safe to predict a nine to ten percent growth rate for

the Indian paint industry in the next five years.

Consumers can look forward to new product launches, some for application in special areas. Companies

will be increasing the value added services available to customers by offering a variety of finishes

through specialized and trained applicators. There will be more options like ranges of colors/finishes for

wood applications through the tinting machines. Additionally, the trend towards water-based coatings is

likely to set in both for industrial and decorative applications. While India has not yet embraced the DIY

concept as cheap labor is still available, exclusive retail chain stores sponsored and run by Indian paint

companies will become a reality.

The Indian paint industry has progressed well and moving ahead is likely to be influenced by several

factos including new technologies, new innovative products, new associations, consolidation of industry

and poor performers getting out of the market. Ultimately, in the years ahead there will be only four or

five key players operating in the Indian paint market.

Major firms in an industry :-

The Indian Paint Industry

In India, Indian Paint industry’s total market size is US$1400 million. The organized sector of the

industry is 55%. The 45% unorganized sector has about 2500 units. The big players and their market

share-value of the organized sector are

Asian Paints 37%

Goodlass Nerolac 15.9%

Berger Paints 13.8%

ICI 11%

Jenson & Nicholson 5.7%

Shalimar 4%

Others 12%

The market segment is divided into two sectors.

Architectural 70%

Industrial 30%

The total volume of the market is 600,000 MT.

Company Profile

ICON PAINTS manufacturers offers painting services for all your interiors and exteriors for your

office and home. We come to you with the colour psychology that suits your mood. We offer

professional services from selecting ranges of shades and be with you assisting through the

painting. We give one year of warranty assuring the service quality. Please give details at our

email address, our sales associate contact you by prior appointment for an enduring radiance

Our Customers

We manufacture, distribute and market decorative and protective surface coatings to 'Do it

Yourself' customers and professional painters, as well as stockists, hardware chains and

retailers

Where we are Heading

At Icon Paints our vision is summarised in a broad statement of what we want to achieve as a

business. It helps to guide what we do and helps us work together with a common purpose.

Our Strategic Intent (or Vision)

"Making a good business great"

Great businesses;

Never injure anyone ever

delight their customers

deliver their promises

have the best people

are good corporate citizens

are professional in everything they do

Our Mission Statement

Orica consumer products will be the preferred partner in the supply of branded coating

systems, services and hardware products for use in construction and home improvement,

through innovation and a profound understanding of our customers and consumers.

Our Values

Ensure all our activities ultimately add value to shareholder returns:

Achieve outstanding levels of customer satisfaction

Be a world competitive & innovative company

Develop our technology to secure and expand our market position

Appoint leaders who create an environment which encourages our people to perform to

their potential

Operate to the highest standards of ethical behaviour and honesty and with full regard

to the safety and health of employees, customers and the environment

Ensure cooperation and teamwork across the company for the benefit of the

corporation as a whole

Build a relationship of mutual cooperation and teamwork with our customers and

suppliers, for mutual benefit

Health & Safety Practices

"No injuries to anyone, ever" is our safety vision statement, We are committed to providing

safe workplaces and knowledgeable employees. From the time you enter reception at any Icon

site you are aware of the company concern with safety.

Many areas may not be entered without safety glasses, safety shoes, protective clothing and/or

hard hats. Other visible signs of safety concern are first aid and emergency equipment

strategically located around the site. These include fire extinguishers, fire alarm buttons, first

aid boxes, eyewash bottles and emergency eyewash stations and safety showers ( for

emergency use only), to wash major spillage's of chemicals resins and solvents off the body.

Acrylic Paints

Icon Paints development of environmental-friendly water-based paints as a replacement for

many solvent-based paints . Icon Paints is now the largest manufacturer of water-based paints.

The benefit to the environment is obvious. When solvent-based paint dries, a large quantity of

solvent evaporates into the atmosphere, contributing to air pollution levels. On the other hand,

water-based paint emits mainly harmless water vapour into the air.

Icon Paints will continue to introduce the latest developments in environmental friendly paint.

Waste Management

Correct waste disposal is an essential and important part of safe working practice. Every

endeavour is made to minimise the quality of waste generation and hence reduce the

associated problem of waste disposal.

A thorough and environmental friendly strategy for dealing with chemical waste has been in

operation for a number of years. In general the following options are available:-

1. Recycle within company operations, e.g. reclaiming solvent through Waste Plant or

Brighton still

2. Attempt to rework or convert to a safer material for disposal

3. Off-site disposal by Approved Licensed waste contractors for incineration on land or

approved land fill areas

Transportation With Safety

The safe transportation of Icon products from plants to wholesale and retail outlets and then by

consumers has long been one of the company's high priorities.

In recent years, Government Dangerous Goods regulations have meant even safer

transportation of domestic and industrial paints and other liquids, especially those which are

flammable. For instance, the possibility of spillage and its environmental impact has been

decreased by improving the design of paint drums so they can survive a 1.5 metre fall from the

back of a truck without spilling.

When leaving our factories, Icon products are usually packed in shrink-wrapped palletised

cartons and delivered on enclosed vehicles, further minimising the potential for spills.

Range of Products:

The new advanced formula for Icon Wash and Wear 101 Advanced contains AquaSmart™

technology, that repels stains before they sink in. This makes 101 Advanced 'more washable'

and 'more stain resistant', so walls are easier than ever before to clean.

Icon Paints offers an extensive range of products to meet your needs. Select from the following

categories to find out more:

     

 

 

 

 

 

All paints are available through most leading paint and hardware retailers, and

independents.

MyColour

Icon Paints is continuing to lead the way in colour visualisation software with the release of Icon

MyColour

the software to include a “Maskless” colour visualiser, meaning the program instantly

recognises the difference between a wall and a picture on that wall and paints around it.

There is also a masking function on the program that allows sections of the same area to be

painted in different colours if desired.

This easy-to-use decorating tool allows consumers to upload an image of an existing room, and

see how different colours will look with the click of the mouse.

MyColour also takes into account light and shade that naturally occurs in any room by shading

the painted area according to how the light falls. The result is a more ‘true to life’

representation of how a colour will look in situ.

This colour visualiser also gives users the opportunity to see how a change in colour can work

with existing furnishings.

With updated Icon Colours and the inclusion of the new Exterior Colour and Texture range,

consumers can now see how their outdoor spaces can be transformed.

MyColour has a brand new contemporary look and feel, with an easy to use functionality, that

will help position Icon as colour leaders.

Available on CD rom or live over the Internet, MyColour makes choosing colour both easy and

fun, all in the comfort of your own home.

Products:

RICH - Super Acrylic Emulsion Paint

ICON RICH is an acrylic emulsion paint specially formulated for interior and exterior walls. It is

extremely durable against harsh weather and adheres well to all types of wall surfaces. Now

ICON RICH breakthrough formula provides even tougher resistance against dirt, fungus, flaking

and alkali.

ZAAP- Emulsion Paint

ICON ZAAP is an acrylic emulsion paint specially formulated for interior and exterior walls. It is

extremely durable against harsh weather and adheres well to all types of wall surfaces. Now

ION ZAAP breakthrough formula provides even tougher resistance against dirt, fungus, flaking

and alkali.

Rain Guard with DUROXANE

Rain Guard as a cost effective but efficient water repellant for Masonry structures. It is used as

a top coating surface treatment in all buildings to impart water repellency and reduce water

absorption .

Rain Guard can be applied over all paints including cement paints, distemper, acrylic paints etc.,

It can be used on all Masonary substrates, Bricks, Sandstone and Limestone ect.,

Acrylic Wall Putty

Icon Paints Wall Putty is a hign quality Acrylic based putty with Enzyme action suitable for

interior and exterior uses. It is a premium quality putty, particular used in constructions and

projects where smoothness and fine finish are required. Icon Paints Wall Putty is recommended

to be used for new and old surfaces , suitable for fillinf cracks , Joints, Leveling up uneven rough

surfaces such as on concrete, cement walls, ceiling, asbestors boards, brick structures , GYP

boards, wooden furniture and doors.

THORETICAL FRAME WORK

Paint is a term used to describe a number of substances that consist of a

pigment suspended in a liquid or paste vehicle such as oil or water. With a

brush, a roller, or a spray gun, paint is applied in a thin coat to various

surfaces such as wood, metal, or stone. Although its primary purpose is to

protect the surface to which it is applied, paint also provides decoration.

Samples of the first known paintings, made between 20,000 and 25,000

years ago, survive in caves in France and Spain. Primitive paintings tended

to depict humans and animals, and diagrams have also been found. Early

artists relied on easily available natural substances to make paint, such as

natural earth pigments, charcoal, berry juice, lard, blood, and milkweed

sap. Later, the ancient Chinese, Egyptians, Hebrews, Greeks, and Romans

used more sophisticated materials to produce paints for limited decoration,

such as painting walls. Oils were used as varnishes, and pigments such as

yellow and red ochres, chalk, arsenic sulfide yellow, and malachite green

were mixed with binders such as gum arabic, lime, egg albumen, and

beeswax.

Paint was first used as a protective coating by the Egyptians and Hebrews,

who applied pitches and balsams to the exposed wood of their ships. During

the Middle Ages, some inland wood also received protective coatings of

paint, but due to the scarcity of paint, this practice was generally limited to

store fronts and signs. Around the same time, artists began to boil resin

with oil to obtain highly miscible (mixable) paints, and artists of the

fifteenth century were the first to add drying oils to paint, thereby hastening

evaporation. They also adopted a new solvent, linseed oil, which remained

the most commonly used solvent until synthetics replaced it during the

twentieth century.

In Boston around 1700, Thomas Child built the earliest American paint mill,

a granite trough within which a 1.6 foot (.5 meter) granite ball rolled,

grinding the pigment. The first paint patent was issued for a product that

improved whitewash, a water-slaked lime often used during the early days

of the United States. In 1865 D. P. Flinn obtained a patent for a water-based

paint that also contained zinc oxide, potassium hydroxide, resin, milk, and

lin-seed oil. The first commercial paint mills replaced Child's granite ball

with a buhrstone wheel, but these mills continued the practice of grinding

only pigment (individual customers would then blend it with a vehicle at

home). It wasn't until 1867 that manufacturers began mixing the vehicle

and the pigment for consumers.

The twentieth century has seen the most changes in paint composition and

manufacture. Today, synthetic pigments and stabilizers are commonly used

to mass produce uniform batches of paint. New synthetic vehicles

developed from polymers such as polyurethane and styrene-butadene

emerged during the 1940s. Alkyd resins were synthesized, and they have

dominated production since. Before 1930, pigment was ground with stone

mills, and these were later replaced by steel balls. Today, sand mills and

high-speed dispersion mixers are used to grind easily dispersible pigments.

Perhaps the greatest paint-related advancement has been its proliferation.

While some wooden houses, stores, bridges, and signs

The first step in making paint involves mixing the pigment with resin, solvents, and

additives to form a paste. If the paint is to be for industrial use, it usually is then

routed into a sand mill, a large cylinder that agitates tiny particles of sand or silica

to grind the pigment particles, making them smaller and dispersing them

throughout the mixture. In contrast, most commercial-use point is processed in a

high-speed dispersion tank, in which a circular, toothed blade attached to a

rotating shaft agitates the mixture and blends the pigment into the solvent.

were painted as early as the eighteenth century, it wasn't until recently that mass

production rendered a wide variety of paints universally indispensable. Today,

paints are used for interior and exterior housepainting, boats, automobiles,

planes, appliances, furniture, and many other places where protection and appeal

are desired.

Raw Materials

A paint is composed of pigments, solvents, resins, and various additives. The

pigments give the paint color; solvents make it easier to apply; resins help it

dry; and additives serve as everything from fillers to antifungicidal agents.

Hundreds of different pigments, both natural and synthetic, exist. The basic

white pigment is titanium dioxide, selected for its excellent concealing

properties, and black pigment is commonly made from carbon black. Other

pigments used to make paint include iron oxide and cadmium sulfide for

reds, metallic salts for yellows and oranges, and iron blue and chrome

yellows for blues and greens.

Solvents are various low viscosity, volatile liquids. They include petroleum

mineral spirits and aromatic solvents such as benzol, alcohols, esters,

ketones, and acetone. The natural resins most commonly used are lin-seed,

coconut, and soybean oil, while alkyds, acrylics, epoxies, and polyurethanes

number among the most popular synthetic resins. Additives serve many

purposes. Some, like calcium carbonate and aluminum silicate, are simply

fillers that give the paint body and substance without changing its

properties. Other additives produce certain desired characteristics

Paint canning is a completely automated process. For the standard 8 pint paint can

available to consumers, empty cans are first rolled horizontally onto labels, then

set upright so that the point can be pumped into them. One machine places lids

onto the filled cans while a second machine presses on the lids to seal the cons.

From wire that is fed into it from coils, a bailometer cuts and shapes the handles

before hooking them into holes precut in the cans.

in paint, such as the thixotropic agents that give paint its smooth texture, driers,

anti-settling agents, anti-skinning agents, defoamers, and a host of others that

enable paint to cover well and last long.

Design

Paint is generally custom-made to fit the needs of industrial customers. For

example, one might be especially interested in a fast-drying paint, while

another might desire a paint that supplies good coverage over a long

lifetime. Paint intended for the consumer can also be custom-made. Paint

manufacturers provide such a wide range of colors that it is impossible to

keep large quantities of each on hand. To meet a request for "aquamarine,"

"canary yellow," or "maroon," the manufacturer will select a base that is

appropriate for the deepness of color required. (Pastel paint bases will have

high amounts of titanium dioxide, the white pigment, while darker tones will

have less.) Then, according to a predetermined formula, the manufacturer

can introduce various pigments from calibrated cylinders to obtain the

proper color.

The Manufacturing

Process

Making the paste

1 Pigment manufacturers send bags of fine grain pigments to paint plants.

There, the pigment is premixed with resin (a wetting agent that assists in

moistening the pigment), one or more solvents, and additives to form a

paste.

Dispersing the pigment

2 The paste mixture for most industrial and some consumer paints is now

routed into a sand mill, a large cylinder that agitates tiny particles of sand or

silica to grind the pigment particles, making them smaller and dispersing

them throughout the mixture. The mixture is then filtered to remove the

sand particles.

3 Instead of being processed in sand mills, up to 90 percent of the water-

based latex paints designed for use by individual homeowners are instead

processed in a high-speed dispersion tank. There, the premixed paste is

subjected to high-speed agitation by a circular, toothed blade attached to a

rotating shaft. This process blends the pigment into the solvent.

Thinning the paste

4 Whether created by a sand mill or a dispersion tank, the paste must now

be thinned to produce the final product. Transferred to large kettles, it is

agitated with the proper amount of solvent for the type of paint desired.

Canning the paint

5 The finished paint product is then pumped into the canning room. For the

standard 8 pint (3.78 liter) paint can available to consumers, empty cans are

first rolled horizontally onto labels, then set upright so that the paint can be

pumped into them. A machine places lids onto the filled cans, and a second

machine presses on the lids to seal them. From wire that is fed into it from

coils, a bailometer cuts and shapes the handles before hooking them into

holes precut in the cans. A certain number of cans (usually four) are then

boxed and stacked before being sent to the warehouse.

Quality Control

Paint manufacturers utilize an extensive array of quality control measures.

The ingredients and the manufacturing process undergo stringent tests, and

the finished product is checked to insure that it is of high quality. A finished

paint is inspected for its density, fineness of grind, dispersion, and viscosity.

Paint is then applied to a surface and studied for bleed resistance, rate of

drying, and texture.

In terms of the paint's aesthetic components, color is checked by an

experienced observer and by spectral analysis to see if it matches a

standard desired color. Resistance of the color to fading caused by the

elements is determined by exposing a portion of a painted surface to an arc

light and comparing the amount of fading to a painted surface that was not

so exposed. The paint's hiding power is measured by painting it over a black

surface and a white surface. The ratio of coverage on the black surface to

coverage on the white surface is then determined, with .98 being high-

quality paint. Gloss is measured by determining the amount of reflected

light given off a painted surface.

Tests to measure the paint's more functional qualities include one for mar

resistance, which entails scratching or abrading a dried coat of paint.

Adhesion is tested by making a crosshatch, calibrated to .07 inch (2

millimeters), on a dried paint surface. A piece of tape is applied to the

crosshatch, then pulled off; good paint will remain on the surface.

Scrubbability is tested by a machine that rubs a soapy brush over the

paint's surface. A system also exists to rate settling. An excellent paint can

sit for six months with no settling and rate a ten. Poor paint, however, will

settle into an immiscible lump of pigment on the bottom of the can and rate

a zero. Weathering is tested by exposing the paint to outdoor conditions.

Artificial weathering exposes a painted surface to sun, water, extreme

temperature, humidity, or sulfuric gases. Fire retardancy is checked by

burning the paint and determining its weight loss. If the amount lost is more

than 10 percent, the paint is not considered fire-resistant.

Byproducts/Waste

A recent regulation (California Rule 66) concerning the emission of volatile

organic compounds (VOCs) affects the paint industry, especially

manufacturers of industrial oil-based paints. It is estimated that all

coatings, including stains and varnishes, are responsible for 1.8 percent of

the 2.3 million metric tons of VOCs released per year. The new regulation

permits each liter of paint to contain no more than 250 grams (8.75 ounces)

of solvent. Paint manufacturers can replace the solvents with pigment,

fillers, or other solids inherent to the basic paint formula. This method

produces thicker paints that are harder to apply, and it is not yet known if

such paints are long lasting. Other solutions include using paint powder

coatings that use no solvents, applying paint in closed systems from which

VOCs can be retrieved, using water as a solvent, or using acrylics that dry

under ultraviolet light or heat. A consumer with some unused paint on hand

can return it to the point of purchase for proper treatment.

A large paint manufacturer will have an in-house wastewater treatment

facility that treats all liquids generated on-site, even storm water run-off.

The facility is monitored 24 hours a day, and the Environmental Protection

Agency (EPA) does a periodic records and systems check of all paint

facilities. The liquid portion of the waste is treated on-site to the standards

of the local publicly owned wastewater treatment facility; it can be used to

make low-quality paint. Latex sludge can be retrieved and used as fillers in

other industrial products. Waste solvents can be recovered and used as

fuels for other industries. A clean paint container can be reused or sent to

the local landfill.

Oil Paint

Preparing the binder Adding wax to the oil

The following is the way Linseed oil was prepared for grinding colors during the

Renaissance and since. Beeswax needs to be added in precise proportions depending

on the pigment. Those pigments that make stringy paint (Ultramarine is the worst) may

benefit from up to 4% wax, although about 2 % is sufficient for most purposes. The

following method makes an oil with 2% wax. adjust quantities and proportions to suit

your exact needs. This same method applies which ever type of oil being used.

Heat 250 ml (7 fluid ounces) oil in a double boiler. Heat very gently as over heating

causes weakening and darkening of the oil paint film. Add 30 g (1 oz) of white refined

Beeswax and stir in until it is completely mixed. You cannot afford to have imperfectly

mixed oil. Once mixed thoroughly, take off the heat to cool. When cool make up to 1 liter

(1 quart) by adding approximately 730 ml (24 fl oz) room temperature oil while stirring.

Allow to stand for a day before use.

The oil should be stored in a well stoppered glass jar ideally with air excluded. This is

achieved by adding glass marbles to the jar to raise the level to the top. To use the oil

pour the required quantity for that days grinding into another jar carefully as this

prevents any problems of marbles accidentally landing in your pigment and causing

dust in the air. As you use the oil add more marbles to keep the level high as any oil that

starts to skin has to be discarded. It is possible to make up 2 oil mixtures, one at 2%

and one more at 3 - 4%. Some pigments will not need any wax, but most benefit. Be

very careful with proportions as too much wax can prevent the oil from forming a hard

film (think of oil sticks, they are able to be used like a pastel at least partially due to the

high proportion of wax in their formulation)

Grinding on the slab Also called dispersal or milling or mulling

If you have predispersed the pigment place the paste at one corner of the slab, Put a

small amount of the paste in the center with the spatula. If you have not done so yet, it

is wise to read the notes on predispersing pigments for oil paint here. If you have not

predispersed place the dry pigment in the center. Make a 'well' in the center of the

pigment and pour a small quantity of oil into the well. Proceed to mix with a spatula. add

oil only a little at a time. The mixture could easily have a crumbly look and be stiff and

difficult to mix. Don't be tempted to add too much oil as you need to have as little oil as

possible in the paint. Some pigments absorb more oil than others so judge how the

grind is proceeding by observing the mixture on the slab. As a general guide some

pigments will make paints with as much as 80% pigment while others might be only

60%. As oil both has a color of its own and tends to yellow over time the pigments that

absorb less oil will tend to retain their color better. Now you know why those oil

absorbency figures on tech sheets are important. Note that the pigment needs to be fed

with just a little extra oil than the oil absorbency figures suggest, thus a pigment that has

a figure of only 10 to 15% would actually take 20%, 35% would take 40% ond so on.

That is just the gap between theory and reality showing. Your goal is to make that

amount as small as possible without weakening the paint by under oiling.

Start to grind with the muller. Hold it as in the photograph, and grind in a circular motion

gradually spreading the grind across the entire surface of the slab or at least until it is in

a thin layer. There is no need to use a lot of pressure as the pigment particles are

already finely pulverized, and the action of mulling is in order to coat every particle as

thoroughly as possible but while using the least possible amount of oil. You will need to

periodically lift the muller and scrape off the excess that gathers at the edge of the

muller. This is not a fault, the muller shape is designed as a rounded wedge as this

most easily helps the grind, but does require scraping from time to time.

Scrape the mulled paint into the center and inspect. Is it forming a stiff mass that will

hold  shape and does not flow and collapse in a very liquid manner. Do a drawdown if

you are at all uncertain about the grind (How to do a drawdown). In any case repeat the

grind, spreading the paint in a circular mulling action across the slab and adding

pigment as necessary. With experience you are likely to notice a subtle difference in

paint character between when the pigment is insufficiently dispersed and when the

dispersal is complete, as a well dispersed paint handles differently to one where the

particles are clumped or otherwise imperfectly dispersed. It will also get a difference in

surface sheen as it reaches the sweet spot. These differences occur because as you

initially mull the oil coats groups of pigment particles. It is what would happen if the

pigment was merely mixed into the oil rather than mulled. As mulling proceeds the

clumps of pigment particle break up into smaller and smaller clumps until finally it is just

single particles being coated. It is this transition to single particle coating that visually

looks different and can only discovered by doing. After the second grind do a drawdown

which will reveal any problems that may require further grinding, although most

pigments should be well done by this stage.

Filling tubes and jars Storing paint

Having made your paint the storage method needs to be decided on. It suits many

artists to store paints of all sorts in small jars. That may be necessary for paint that is

used immediately and replenished like Tempera. For Tempera the jar is a convenient

option that can be painted directly from, can be sealed with a lid for breaks in painting,

or over night and so on. Encaustic is most conveniently left in its small pans where it

solidifies, and then can be melted anew the next painting session. All other paints are

most conveniently stored in tubes.

Empty tubes are obtainable where you buy your paint. Small ones as well as large ones

are needed to meet every situation. The tubes are made of Aluminum. Make certain that

they are coated on the inside so the paint cannot come into contact with the metal. They

will have a plastic cap screwed on, and the base will be open through which you will put

the paint with a palette knife. Hold the tube vertically in the fist with the open end up.

Periodically force the paint to the cap end of the tube and at the same time cause air

bubbles to rise out of the liquid by sharply tapping your fist against the table top several

times. Do not overfill the tube. There needs to be a gap in the base for closing the tube.

This is accomplished with the large tubes by bending the end over with canvas pliers,

and carpenters pliers for the small tubes. Fold it over several times being careful not to

make a hole in the metal as you do so. Look at the crimped base on a commercial tube

of paint if you are not certain what to do. It is important to label the tube with media,

pigment contents, and date of manufacture with a permanent marker at this point.

Watercolor makers who want to make semi-moist pans will find new empty pans

available for sale in some places. If there are pans that will not be used for an extended

period these need to be wrapped in Gladwrap.

Congratulations! You have just made paint in a tradition that dates back to the

beginnings of art. Now it is time to conduct any further tests that you might want to

conduct - And then time to get the brushes out and subject the paint to the most

important test of all - using it creatively to make some artwork. Enjo

flour paint

Do you remember making paper mache at home or in school? What about

homemade piñatas? The process of making flour paint isn’t much different, so grab

a bag of flour from the kitchen cupboard and get ready!

You will need:

Natural pigment, like clay pigment

Fine sand, silica, quartz or marble dust

A friend

Paint brushes and buckets, and if you’re feeling especially creative, trowels,

squeegees and any other improvised tool you think would leave a nice pattern on

your walls.

First:

In a large bowl, mix 2 cups flour with 4 cups water, whisking out any lumps.

Then:

In a large saucepan, boil 3 cups water.

Slowly stir in the mixture from the first step.

Reduce heat and stir until the “sauce” thickens.

Finally:

Remove from heat and slowly stir in 2 or 3 more cups of water.

In a separate bowl, stir together dry fillers/pigments and add to the main flour

paste. Add more water if needed, to make a paint-like consistency.

You can loosely mix 2 colors if you want to get a faux effect, but test an area first

with a sample batch, to practice. You can also add mica, limestone, marble or chalk

for different colors and effects. Make sure the colors you use will work together.

Consult a color wheel or designer, or find something you like in a magazine!

The important thing is to have the right consistency of the paint. It should flow

smoothly off the brush, but not sag or drip. I often use it while it’s still warm, but it

will keep for a week or two if you seal the container tightly.

Flour paint is often too thick for use with a roller, but you can use a roller to

spread it over the wall, then even it out with the trowel or brush. There are also

special texture rollers that are stiff enough to use with flour paint.

After the first coat, the brush marks may be obvious, but you can smooth these out

after it’s started to dry by using a clean, damp brush. Personally, I like the texture.

After the second coat, troweling the surface when the paint has half-dried can

reveal marble, mica or other colors underneath. You can also spot-sand when fully

dry. Again, try a sample area first, and don’t worry; sometimes the best results

come from happy accidents! Besides you can always add additional coats, which

creates more texture, depth and opportunity to reveal underlying colors. If you’re

feeling uncertain, just roll it out smooth and leave it solid. Happy painting!

REVIEW OF LITERATURE

Customer satisfaction:

Customer satisfaction, commonly abbreviated CS, is a business term

which is used to capture the idea of measuring how satisfied an enterprise's

customers are with the organization's efforts in a marketplace. It is seen as

a key business performance indicator and is part of the four perspectives of

a Balanced Scorecard.

Every organization has customers of some kind. The organization

provides products (goods and/or services) of some kind to its customers

through the mechanism of a marketplace. The products the organization

provides are subject to competition whether by similar products or by

substitution products.

Reasons to Monitor Customer Satisfaction

The reason an organization is interested in the satisfaction of its

customers is because customers purchase the organization's products. The

organization is interested in retaining its existing customers and increasing

the number of its customers.

Measuring Customer Satisfaction

Customer satisfaction is an ambiguous and abstract concept and the actual

manifestation of the state of satisfaction will vary from person to person and

product/service to product/service. The state of satisfaction depends on a

number of both psychological and physical variables which correlate with

satisfaction behaviors such as return and recommend rate. The level of

satisfaction can also vary depending on other options the customer may

have and other products against which the customer can compare the

organization's products.

Because satisfaction is basically a psychological state, care

should be taken in the effort of quantitative measurement, although a large

quantity of research in this area has recently been developed. Work done by

Berry, Brodeur between 1990 and 1998 defined ten 'Quality Values' which

influence satisfaction behavior, further expanded by Berry in 2002 and

known as the ten domains of satisfaction. These ten domains of satisfaction

include: Quality, Value, Timeliness, Efficiency, Ease of Access, Environment,

Inter-departmental Teamwork, Front line Service Behaviors, Commitment

to the Customer and Innovation. These factors are emphasized for

continuous improvement and organizational change measurement and are

most often utilized to develop the architecture for satisfaction measurement

as an integrated model. Work done by Parasuraman, Zeithaml and Berry

between 1985 and 1988 provides the basis for the measurement of customer

satisfaction with a service by using the gap between the customer's

expectation of performance and their perceived experience of performance.

This provides the measurer with a satisfaction “gap” which is objective

and quantitative in nature. work done by Cronin and Taylor propose the

"confirmation/disconfirmation" theory of combining the "gap" described by

Parasuraman, Zeithaml and Berry as two different measures (perception

and expectation of performance) into a single measurement of performance

according to expectation. According to Gar brand, customer satisfaction

equals perception of performance divided by expectation of performance.

The usual measures of customer satisfaction involve a survey instrument

with a set of statements using a Likert Technique or scale. The customer is

asked to evaluate each statement and in term of their perception and

expectation of the performance of the organisation being measured.

Today, customer satisfaction is the mission of most

companies. Companies like Dell have made make-to-order products and

direct sales their differential advantage in increasing customer satisfaction.

Operational strategies can now be structured for attaining high levels of

customer satisfaction at relatively low costs. Innovations in online

information access, creative product design, flexibility, outsourcing,

postponement, dynamic pricing, and reactive-capacity have been the major

enablers of managing manufacturing-supply networks.

However, the choice of positioning a firm along the dimensions of

customer satisfaction and total delivered cost, and its implications for

operational strategies, are not yet clear.

Power’s overall point:-

Product quality counts. It is a key determinant of

customer satisfaction. Customer satisfaction leads to improved financial

performance. The author’s make the point that executives know this

correlation but do not always live and breathe this philosophy. Customer

satisfaction builds loyalty. Good customer service often generates good

word of mouth advertising – no matter what the industry. I found it

interesting that one of the nation’s largest house builders, Pulte Homes,

Suggests that 45% of its sales are influenced by the positive

recommendations of another customer. I might have been a little dubious of

that figure had I not learned at a recent conference for mortgage brokers I

attended, that the top performing brokers got up to 40% of their business

from previous customer.

Satisfaction contains numerous product references featuring good

and bad performance by manufacturers and service providers. Not too

surprisingly, JetBlue and Lexus get significant coverage reflecting a very

high level of customer satisfaction. Lexus figures prominently in the book

simply because they are THE best and consistently so. It really is

astonishing that Lexus was able to take brand leadership in the luxury car

market, against Mercedes-Benz, Cadillac and BMW within ten years of

entering this market sector.

According to the findings of the 2004 4-wheeler total customer satisfaction

study released today by leading market information provider, TNS, Maruti and

Toyota models rank highest in six out of the ten vehicle segments. Among the new

models launched since TNS' 2003 study, Ford Endeavour achieves top honors in the

"premium SUV" segment.

Representing the responses of more than seven thousand car

buyers towards the performance of over 40 models in the key areas of sales

satisfaction, product quality, vehicle performance and design, after-sales

service, brand image, and cost-of-ownership, the 2004 4-Wheeler Total

Customer Satisfaction (TCS) study conducted by TNS specialist division,

TNS Automotive, is the largest syndicated automotive study in India. The

TCS index score provides a measure of commitment a given model or brand

enjoys with its customers. Rankings for the TCS study are done at the

vehicle segment-level to provide comparisons among similar groups of

vehicles. The ten models ranking highest in their respective segments for

total customer satisfaction are: Maruti 800 for "entry compact"; Maruti Zen

Petrol for "premium compact"; Tata Indica Diesel for "small car - diesel";

Maruti Esteem Petrol for "entry midsize"; Mitsubishi Lancer Petrol for

"midsize"; Toyota Corolla for "premium midsize"; Mitsubishi Lancer Diesel

for "midsize car - diesel"; Toyota Camry for "entry luxury"; Toyota Qualis for

"SUV"; and Ford Endeavour for "premium SUV’S.

ANALYSIS OF THE DATA & Interpretation

Are you satisfied with the performance of the Icon Paints?

Number of samples 100

Yes 85

No 15

YES85%

NO 15%

INTERPRETATION:-

Most of the customers are satisfied with the cement performance.

CUSTOMER PURCHASING PATTERN

INFERENCE:

From the above table it is found that 85% of the product

purchasers are builders.

It is found that 6% of the customers are contractors. 1.5% of

product purchasers are engineers and 7.5% of product bought by

others.

Occupation Frequency %of

Respondents

Builders 55 85

Contractors 4 6

Engineer 1 1.5

Others 5 7.5

Total 65 100

It is clear from the above data above, that 85% of the customers

are builders because they do painting before handing over the houses

to the respective owner.

APPROXIMATE BUDGET TOWARDS PAINTING

INFERENCE:

From the above table out of 65 respondents it was found that

18% of the respondents are in budget below Rs. 50,000/- which means

they are ready to spend for paints. 6% of the respondents are in

budget between Rs. 50,000/- to Rs.75,000/-. 31% of the respondents

are in budget between Rs.75,000/- to Rs.1,00,000/- and the remaining

45% of the respondents are in budget above Rs.1,00,000/-.

Value of the Budget Frequency %of

Respondents

Below 50,000 12 18

50,000 – 75,000 4 6

75,000 – 1,00,000 20 31

Above 1,00,000 29 45

So it was found that maximum numbers of respondents are ready

to spend upto Rs.1,00,000/- and above for paints.

Exhibit :4

USAGE OF DIFFERENT INTEROIOR PRODUCTS

Interior Products Frequency %of

Respondents

Enamel 14 22

Distemper 34 52

Polish 4 6

Emulsion 13 20

INFERENCE:

From the above table out of 65 respondents, it is found that 22%

of the respondents are in requirements of enamel paint for their

interiors, 52% of the respondents required the interior paint like

distemper, 6% of the respondents are in requirement of Asian Paint

polish, while the other 20% of the respondent are in requirement of

Emulsion.

In interior product usage, there is a greater demand for the

distemper followed by the enamel.

Exhibit :5

USAGE OF DIFFERENT EXTEROIOR PRODUCTS

INFERENCE:

Exterior Products Frequency %of

Respondents

Cement Paint 12 18

Textured 3 5

Emulsion 23 35

Permanent Finish 1 2

SnowCem 26 40

From the above table out of 65 respondents, it is found that 18%

of the respondents are in requirement of cement paint for their

exterior purpose, 5% of the respondents are in requirement of

textured, where as 35% of the respondents required the Exterior

Paint like emulsion and 2% of the respondent are in requirement of

permanent finish product, while the remaining 40% of the respondents

are in requirement of Snowcem.

Snowcem had a greater demand, because most of the middle

class families are using Snowcem, and next to snowcem the familiar

product is emulsion.

Exhibit :6

LIFE EXPECTANCE FOR INTERIOR PAINTS BY CUSTOMERS

INFERENCE:

Period Frequency %of

Respondents

6 months - -

1 Year - -

2 Year 9 14

5 Year 56 86

From the above table, out of 65 respondents, it is found that 14%

of the respondents or customers are expecting the life of interior paint

to be 2 years and the remaining 86% of the customers are expecting

more than 5 years of lie, for their interior products.

In details, if we go, “No customer is expecting life below 2 years”.

And most of the customers are expecting their product life above 5

years.

Exhibit :7

LIFE EXPECTANCE FOR EXTERIOR PAINTS BY CUSTOMERS

INFERENCE:

PeriodFrequency %of

Respondents

6 months - -

1 Year 3 5-

2 Year 22 34

5 Year 40 61

From the above table, out of 65 respondents, we can find that

61% of the customers are expecting more than 5 years of life for the

exterior paints and 34% of customers are expecting more than a life of

2 years, while the remaining 5% of respondents are expecting more

than 1 year of life for their exterior paints.

No one among respondents are expecting the life of interior paint

products for less than 1 year.

Exhibit: 8

TYPE OF FINISH REQUIRED FOR EXTERIOR PAINTS BY CUSTOMERS

INFERENCE:

From the above table, out of 65 respondents, A smooth type of

finish is required by 68.5% of the respondents where as 18% of the

Type of Finish Frequency %of

Respondents

Smooth 44 68.5

Textured 12 18

Permanent 8 12

Others 1 1.5

respondents require a textured type of finish, and 12% of the

customers require permanent type of finish, while the remaining 1.5%

of the customers require other type of finishes.

Exhibit :9

TYPE OF FINISH REQUIRED FOR INTERIOR PAINTS BY

CUSTOMERS

INFERENCE:

From the above table, out of 65 respondents, “Distemper finish”

is required by 77% of the respondents, while the other 23% of the

respondents require emulsion finishing for their interiors.

Type of Finish Frequency %of

Respondents

Distemper 50 77

Emulsion 15 23

Quality of Icon paints

Option

Respondent Percentag

e

Excellent42 69%

Good 14 22%

Average 05 09%

Bad 00 00%

Margin Satisfaction of dealers

Option

Respondent Percentag

e

Satisfied37 61%

Average 19 31%

Not Satisfied 05 08%

Price of Icon Paints

Option

Respondent Percentag

e

Excellent49 80%

Good 09 14%

Average 03 6%

How is the behavior of the sales person at your first visit?

Number of samples 100

Good 30

Ok 60

Irresponsible 10

Graph 4

Good

Ok

Irr

INTERPRETATION:

The graph shows that 60% of the sales persons are ok with their behavior towards

customers, 30% are good , and 10%.are irresponsible

What ever the company has promised to you has been full filled?

Number of samples 100

Yes 70

No 30

Yes

No

INTERPRETATION:

It is inferred that 70% of the customers are satisfied with the company’s fulfillment of

promises only 30% of them are dissatisfied.

The following table shows the customer’s satisfaction level with the staff

greeting and friendly welcome.

Staff greeting Frequency

Highly satisfied 48

Satisfied 32

Moderately satisfied 12

Dissatisfied 8

Highly dissatisfied 0

Total 100

The following table shows the customer’s satisfaction with the time taken by

the staff to complete their requirement.

Time taken to complete the

requirement

Frequency

Highly satisfied 27

Satisfied 37

Moderately satisfied 23

Dissatisfied 13

Highly dissatisfied 0

Total 100

7. How does the company respond to your complaints?

Number of samples 100

Quick 20

Delay 65

Ignore 15

quick

relay

ignore

INTERPRETATION:

The graph shows that at a rate of 20% the customer’s complaints are reached quickly,

65% are delayed and rest ignored.

How many brands have a Dealer / Retailer?

No. of brands No of retailer / dealer

1 14

2 24

3 26

4 14

more than 4 12

42

The above table and graphical representation shows that most of the dealers & retailers deals in three

brands. No. of shops on which three brands are available are 26. There are very few shop which sale 1,

4, more than 4 brands, these are 14, 14 and 12 respectively.

What are your suggestions to improve the sales?

Options Selection (%)

Improve Price Structure 22%

Improve product quality 38%

Improve Advertisement Policy 15%

Improve the distribution chain 25%

In this case we can see that 38% dealers/retailers are says, if you have better quality product, it may

help to improve the products sales and 25% dealers/retailers are says, if you want to improve your sales,

so you can consider the distribution chain. 22% & 15% are says improve the Price structure &

Advertisement policy respectively.

FINDINGS

Most of the customers are satisfied with the cement performance.

1. From the above table it is found that 85% of the product purchasers are builders.It is found that 6% of the customers are contractors. 1.5% of product purchasers are engineers and 7.5% of product bought by others.

2. It is clear from the above data above, that 85% of the customers are builders because they do painting before handing over the houses to the respective owner.From the above table out of 65 respondents it was found that 18% of the respondents are in budget below Rs. 50,000/- which means they are ready to spend for paints. 6% of the respondents are in budget between Rs. 50,000/- to Rs.75,000/-. 31% of the respondents are in budget between Rs.75,000/- to Rs.1,00,000/- and the remaining 45% of the respondents are in budget above Rs.1,00,000/-.So it was found that maximum numbers of respondents are ready to spend upto Rs.1,00,000/- and above for paints.

3. From the above table out of 65 respondents, it is found that 22% of the respondents are in requirements of enamel paint for their interiors, 52% of the respondents required the interior paint like distemper, 6% of the respondents are in requirement of Asian Paint polish, while the other 20% of the respondent are in requirement of Emulsion.In interior product usage, there is a greater demand for the distemper followed by the enamel.

4. From the above table out of 65 respondents, it is found that 18% of the respondents are in requirement of cement paint for their exterior purpose, 5% of the respondents are in requirement of textured, where as 35% of the respondents required the Exterior Paint like emulsion and 2% of the respondent are in requirement of permanent finish product, while the remaining 40% of the respondents are in requirement of Snowcem.Snowcem had a greater demand, because most of the middle class families are using Snowcem, and next to snowcem the familiar product is emulsion.

5. From the above table, out of 65 respondents, it is found that 14% of the respondents or customers are expecting the life of interior paint to be 2 years and the remaining 86% of the customers are expecting more than 5 years of lie, for their interior products.In details, if we go, “No customer is expecting life below 2 years”. And most of the customers are expecting their product life above 5 years.

6. From the above table, out of 65 respondents, we can find that 61% of the customers are expecting more than 5 years of life for the exterior paints and 34% of customers are expecting more than a life of 2 years, while the remaining 5% of respondents are expecting more than 1 year of life for their exterior paints.No one among respondents are expecting the life of interior paint products for less than 1 year.

7. From the above table, out of 65 respondents, A smooth type of finish is required by 68.5% of the respondents where as 18% of the respondents require a textured type of finish, and 12% of the

customers require permanent type of finish, while the remaining 1.5% of the customers require other type of finishes.

SUGGESTIONS

Communicate. Whether it is an email newsletter, monthly flier, a reminder card for a tune up, or

a holiday greeting card, reach out to your steady customers.

Customer Service. Go the extra distance and meet customer needs. Train the staff to do the

same. Customers remember being treated well.

Employee Loyalty. Loyalty works from the top down. If you are loyal to your employees, they

will feel positively about their jobs and pass that loyalty along to your customers.

Employee Training. Train employees in the manner that you want them to interact with

customers. Empower employees to make decisions that benefit the customer.

Customer Incentives. Give customers a reason to return to your business. For instance, because

children outgrow shoes quickly, the owner of a children’s shoe store might offer a card that

makes the tenth pair of shoes half price. Likewise, a dentist may give a free cleaning to anyone

who has seen him regularly for five years.

Product Awareness. Know what your steady patrons purchase and keep these items in stock.

Add other products and/or services that accompany or compliment the products that your

regular customers buy regularly. And make sure that your staff understands everything they can

about your products.

Reliability. If you say a purchase will arrive on Wednesday, deliver it on Wednesday. Be reliable.

If something goes wrong, let customers know immediately and compensate them for their

inconvenience.

Be Flexible. Try to solve customer problems or complaints to the best of your ability. Excuses —

such as "That's our policy" — will lose more customers then setting the store on fire..

People over Technology. The harder it is for a customer to speak to a human being when he or

she has a problem, the less likely it is that you will see that customer again.

Know Their Names. Remember the theme song to the television show Cheers? Get to know the

names of regular customers or at least recognize their faces.

Conclusions

Most of the respondents are happy with Icon Paints and it is most economical.

It is also concluded that there is a status symbol attached to the House.

Many said that the price of Icon Paints is reasonable, while some said that it is costly,

while others say it’s “VALUE FOR MONEY”.

From the survey it can be concluded that Icon Paints is good to those people who

contract a House’s and Industries.

Respondents have rated the Icon Paints as most preferred choice in the terms of

Package.

The study has revealed that customers while choosing a particular brand give utmost

importance to the easy and quick processing and friendly in employee’s nature.

Home delivery includes delivering the cement to the owner at his

doorstep.

The company has been generally able to deliver what is promised

within the stipulated time frame. Also, the popularity of the

Directors of the company has created a goodwill for the

company.

Waiting period for the cement is comparatively low as compared

to other brands.

A customer feedback form along with continuous after sales

check by sales executives forms the part of customers feedback

system.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Principles of Management

Philip Kotler

Marketing Management

Rama Swamy

The Hindu Guide Magazines

Business India

WEBSITE: www.nerolac.com

www.google.co.in

www.valuenotes.com

Marketing Research by Boyd and Jr. Westfall Stasch

Business Times

Economic Times

www.iconpaints.in

www.asianpaints.com