6A Study on Comparative Analysis of Freight Forwarder's Shipper Selection Factors Using Importance and Satisfaction Analysis(ISA)

Purpose : This study aims to provide implications for enhancing the competitiveness of freight forwarders by deriving factors for selecting forwarders and analyzing the importance and satisfaction and comparing these factors between freight forwarders and shippers. Research design, data, methodology : Data for this study was collected using a questionnaire administered to some 123 organizations. This paper employs T-Test to test statistically the difference between importance and satisfaction by freight forwarder group and shipper group. Results : The most important factors in the shipper's selection of a freight forwarder were cost, general service, additional service, and company characteristics for both groups in the order. In the difference test between importance and satisfaction, most factors showed statistically differences, indicating that the satisfaction of the shipper is lower than the importance. Conclusions : As a result of analysis of shipper's freight forwarder selection factors, it was found that, although cost factors including competitiveness of sea freight rates, possibility of negotiating freight rates, and global network establishment factors are the most important factors, they do not significantly reach customer satisfaction. Therefore, in order to increase the competitiveness of forwarders in selecting shippers, intensive efforts are needed to reduce freight rates.