As awareness of the importance of service quality in service industry expands nowadays, trials of developing competitiveness against environmental changes are happening. Recently, major airlines over the world are in a situation that fierce competition is unavoidable due to open sky, M&A between airlines, super-enlargement of airplanes according to technology innovation, increase of seat supply by the appearance of low-cost airlines, and strengthening of marketing activity. So, relations between airlines and travel agencies (B2B) are necessary for consecutive relation formation which can generate profits mutually. Namely, airlines provide diverse services to travel agencies. Through quality control of provided services, effort to be helpful for relation performance will be needed.
In this study, the concept and role of sales reps of airlines between airline companies and travel agencies (B2B) are examined. By dividing service quality of sales reps which was grasped via advanced researches, influence relation between relation satisfaction and relation performance is to be analyzed.
For empirical investigation of the study, the top 20 travel companies in the sales which joined BSP (Bank Settlement Plan) of IATA were selected. From choosing employees in charge of sales (sales department, ticket counter, operator, etc.) in positions of deputy section chief and over who have direct task relations with airline companies as study investigation objects, a survey was conducted. For the study, by separating service quality of sales reps into human quality, informative quality, economic quality and convenient quality, a study model about the influence on relation satisfaction and relation performance with travel agencies was set up. To verify a hypothesis which was set up through the study model, after verifying reliability and validity about the measurement questions, the suggested hypothesis was verified.
In conclusions extracted through this study, first, it was represented that human quality, economic quality, and convenient quality of the service quality of sales reps of airlines significantly affected relation satisfaction in relations between airlines and travel companies (B2B). Second, among factors of service quality, only human quality and economic quality significantly influenced financial performance among relation performances. In non-financial performance, it could be known that human quality, economic quality, and convenient quality had significant effect on the performance. Third, it was checked that relation satisfaction had significant influence on all of financial performance and non-financial performance.
Through the conclusion, in order to strengthen construction relation of reliability more between airlines and travel companies, from heightening and differentiating service quality of sales reps of airlines, it is intended to be used in mutual profit structure and effective marketing strategies.