Using the Kano model in Kansei engineering to evaluate customer preferences for metal-cutting tool sales and services

Emotional preferences play a significant role in customer purchase decisions and satisfaction. Kansei engineering is a promising method for translating psychological emotions into product and service attributes. This research used Kansei engineering to identify the emotional preferences of metal-cutting tool customers and evaluate them in terms of purchase decisions and satisfaction. In addition, the Kano model for service excellence was enhanced to obtain clearer information for decision-making responsive strategy development. 105 respondents chosen by purposive sampling, offered data about emotional preferences by questionnaire. Kansei engineering indicated that salespersons with technical knowledge; prompt responsiveness; clean proper garbs; and active, enthusiastic personalities were likely to attract more positive purchase decisions and satisfaction. Sub-dealer customer groups would highly prioritize training seminars, while end-users would prefer a flexible regrind and recoat facility as well as computer numerical control (CNC)-literate service engineer. The Kano model produced results in the same direction, but in an elevated way. The model helped explain preferences that increased satisfaction as well as those which led to dissatisfaction in their absence. Without discrediting competitors, purchase intention would not significantly increase, but if it occurred, dissatisfaction surges. The integrative Kano model and Kansei engineering were synergetic ways to discover and evaluate emotional preferences even for intangible activities such as sales and services for industrial products.