Customer Experience: the Case of an Online Power BI Course

Antônio Augusto Clemente Júnior; Natan de Souza Marques

DOI: 10.22167/2675-6528-202602678

Article derived from a Final Course Work (TCC), with content based on the student’s original work and adapted to the editorial format of the E&S Magazine with the support of the ResumeAI tool, an artificial intelligence solution developed by Instituto Pecege for textual synthesis and organization.

Abstract

Customer experience is a crucial factor in evaluating digital services, especially in online courses, where student perception is directly related to the quality of content, methodology, and support. We investigated how customers of online Power BI courses perceived their experience, focusing on post-sales satisfaction, the quality of teaching material, and the applied methodology. A descriptive survey was conducted through an online questionnaire field survey, applied to 138 course participants. The quantitative data collected were processed and analyzed with Power BI software, resulting in the construction of a dashboard. The results revealed a high level of participant satisfaction, with 98.6% declaring themselves satisfied after the training. The instructor’s teaching skills, clarity of communication, and practical application of content were highlighted. A high intention to recommend the course was observed, with 99.3% of students indicating this possibility, and suggestions for content expansion. It was concluded that the course met students’ expectations, providing a positive experience aligned with customer experience management in digital education, with word-of-mouth recommendation being a fundamental factor for dissemination.

Keywords: Online courses; Digital education; Customer experience; Power BI; Satisfaction.

1. Introduction

Customer experience is a key indicator for evaluating satisfaction with acquired products and services, whether physical or digital. With the advancement of technology, some knowledge boundaries have ceased to exist, and consumers have begun to interact with brands and services more autonomously, especially in digital environments, such as online course platforms. Understanding the complete experience is essential for identifying opportunities for improvement, loyalty, and promoting organic service recommendation by users.

The concept of Customer Experience is intrinsically related to the practices adopted by companies to develop and maintain a positive relationship with their customers throughout the entire consumption journey. This approach considers not only the moment of purchase but extends from the first contact to after-sales, seeking to ensure a favorable perception in all interactions. Customer experience management has therefore emerged as a way to structure these interactions and ensure the continuous delivery of value to the consumer (Schmitt, 2004). Consumers evaluate companies not only in relation to the quality of products and services, but the complete customer experience is one of the strategies used to conquer intensely competitive markets (Kotler et al., 2021).

According to Schmitt (2004), throughout the 1990s, there was a shift in companies’ orientation, as they began to adopt a more market- and customer-oriented vision, incorporating customer experience and satisfaction as strategic foundations for the business. For Rez (2016), online consumer satisfaction broadens the brand’s reach, as customers with positive experiences recommend and defend the company. On the other hand, Pine (1999) highlights that experience plays a central role in the customer’s value perception, surpassing the view of products or services alone. Well-constructed experiences, aligned with consumer expectations, build more lasting relationships and a high level of satisfaction over time.

Customer loyalty is influenced by the perceived ease throughout the consumption journey. According to Dixon (2013), customer satisfaction is related to the reduction of effort required to understand, use, or resolve issues related to a service. The simpler and more accessible the experience, the greater the customer’s perceived value. Furthermore, listening to the customer is an essential part of experience management, as discussed by Baer (2016). Complaints and feedback represent opportunities for improvement and contribute to adjustments that directly impact satisfaction and trust in the offered service.

The customer experience results from intentional decisions made throughout the entire journey, not occurring randomly or spontaneously, following the concept of Gilmore (2019). Each touchpoint must be planned coherently, considering the consumer’s time, attention, and engagement. When these interactions are consistent, clear, and purposeful, the experience becomes more relevant to the customer, contributing to a perception of greater value and the continuous development of the business.

Given this scenario, customers’ perception of the experience in online Power BI courses becomes a relevant object of study. The quality of the content, the methodology applied, and the support offered are crucial factors that shape student satisfaction and the likelihood of recommendation, making it essential to understand the complete experience to identify opportunities for improvement, loyalty, and to promote organic service recommendation by users. Thus, this study is justified by the need to investigate how customers who purchased online Power BI courses perceive their experience, focusing on post-sale satisfaction, the quality of the teaching material, and the methodology applied.

2. Material and Methods

To meet the objective of investigating how customers of online Power BI courses perceive their experience, focusing on post-sale satisfaction, the quality of teaching material, and the applied methodology, a descriptive study was adopted. This type of methodological approach was selected for its ability to interpret customer perceptions regarding their online course experience, without the intention of modifying the observed reality.

Descriptive research, as outlined by Gil (2008), aims to describe characteristics of a given population and establish relationships between variables. In the context of this study, this approach allowed for the collection of participants’ perceptions and opinions, providing a broad understanding of how the phenomenon of customer experience manifests in their natural environment.

The nature of the data collected was predominantly quantitative, aiming to measure variables such as the degree of satisfaction, the perception of value, and the probability of course recommendation. According to Gil (2002), in quantitative research, the data obtained are organized in tables, which allows for the analysis and testing of hypotheses related to the customer experience.

The research design was characterized as a field survey (Survey), according to Gil’s (2008) classification. This procedure is appropriate for collecting data directly from a specific group of respondents through a structured instrument, ensuring the standardization of the information obtained.

The study’s unit of analysis was composed of participants from online Power BI courses, taught by the author of this work. These courses were held live, on Saturday mornings, over a period of two years, between 2020 and 2022, and had the participation of approximately 370 people.

The research sample consisted of 138 students who answered the questionnaire, representing about 37% of the total participants in the courses. The participant selection criteria included the acquisition and completion of one of the online Power BI courses offered by the author.

The data collection instrument used was an online questionnaire, developed on the Google Forms platform, as detailed in Appendix 1. This questionnaire was designed to capture customer perceptions on various aspects of the course experience.

Before the formal application, the questionnaire underwent a validation process. Five friends of the author, who participated in the first cohort of the course free of charge, were invited to provide feedback on the questions and the effectiveness of the proposal. This test served as a basis for adjustments to the questionnaire, aiming to ensure the clarity of the questions and their adequacy to the study objectives.

The final questionnaire consisted of 11 objective multiple-choice questions, presented on satisfaction rating scales. The questions were formulated to analyze specific points of the customer experience, such as the clarity of information, the quality of the teaching material, the methodology applied, and the possibility of recommending the course.

Data collection was carried out digitally, by sending the questionnaire via email to participants after the end of the live classes. This procedure ensured that the responses were obtained at a relevant moment in the customer journey, immediately after the completion of the training.

For the analysis of the responses, a report in .xlsx format was exported from Google Forms. This file served as the database for the creation of an interactive dashboard in Power BI software, using Business Intelligence concepts.

The application of Business Intelligence concepts, as described by Barbieri (2011), allowed the use of various information sources for the construction of a strategic analysis. Power BI was employed as a tool for managing, analyzing, and exploring the collected data, facilitating the visualization and interpretation of information.

The collected data underwent a treatment and cleaning process before the elaboration of the graphs for analysis. The main actions included the removal of duplicate responses and the substitution of words in some open responses, with the aim of creating larger groups and optimizing the analysis.

All the questions in the questionnaire had as their main function to map the clients’ experience in the course, aligning with the concept of Customer Experience (CX) by Madruga (2018). The analysis sought to understand how the business strategy of directing intelligence, people, technology, processes, communication, and investments impacted the clients’ journey.

3. Results and Discussion

The analysis of the collected data revealed a highly positive panorama of the clients’ experience with the online Power BI course, evidencing a high degree of general satisfaction. Of the 138 participants who responded to the questionnaire, 98.6% declared themselves satisfied after completing the training. This initial finding establishes a solid foundation for understanding the perceived value and effectiveness of the digital educational service, aligning with the premise that customer experience is a determining factor in the evaluation of digital services, as discussed in the relevant literature.

Participant satisfaction consistently extended to crucial aspects of the course, such as teaching material and applied methodology. It was observed that 135 participants, corresponding to 97.8% of the total, expressed satisfaction with these elements. This result suggests that the course structure and content were well-developed to meet students’ expectations and needs, which is fundamental for value perception. In this context, experience plays a central role in how the customer perceives the value of the service, going beyond a mere product evaluation, as pointed out by Pine (1999).

The development of the teaching material and methodology was designed to accommodate students’ diverse knowledge levels, with continuous adjustments made during classes based on received feedback. A notable example was the inclusion of a formatting section in the manual, suggested by a student. This practice of actively listening to the customer and incorporating their suggestions is an essential pillar of experience management, as emphasized by Baer (2016), contributing directly to improvements that impact satisfaction and trust in the service offered.

The instructor’s role played a preponderant part in the students’ positive experience. A total of 136 participants, or 98.6%, expressed satisfaction with the instructor. This data highlights the importance of the facilitator as the main point of contact in the learning journey, influencing not only the understanding of the content but also the overall perception of the service’s value. The instructor’s clarity in communication and interaction skills were determining factors for student engagement and satisfaction throughout the course.

The ease of understanding the language and terms used by the instructor was another highlight. It was found that 125 participants, representing 90.5% of respondents, classified the language as “Very easy” or “Moderately easy”. The approach adopted, which avoided complex technical jargon and unnecessary English terms, facilitated understanding and allowed concepts that were not fully understood to be reviewed and explained as many times as necessary, ensuring the learning of the entire class.

The high course recommendation intention was one of the most expressive findings, with 137 students, or 99.3% of participants, indicating that they would have a high chance of recommending the training. This high recommendation rate reinforces Rez’s (2016) approach, which highlights how customers with positive experiences become brand promoters, recommending and defending the company to friends and family. Word-of-mouth recommendation, in this context, becomes a powerful vector of growth and credibility for the service.

The relevance of organic recommendation was further evidenced when analyzing how students learned about the course. The majority of participants, 72 individuals, indicated that the main form of knowledge was “Through friends (word of mouth)”. This data demonstrates that positive experiences generate a continuous cycle of referrals, consolidating “word of mouth” as the main channel for course dissemination and allowing it to reach students in different states of Brazil, even in online classes.

The perception of overall course ease was also widely confirmed. On a scale of 1 to 5, where 1 meant “Very easy” and 5 “Very difficult”, 114 participants, corresponding to 82.6%, framed the course as easy. This perception validates Dixon’s (2013) assertions, which argue that perceived ease throughout the consumption journey directly influences the company’s evaluation and customer satisfaction. The simpler and more accessible the experience, the greater the perceived value and the likelihood of relationship continuity.

The clarity in explaining the training objectives before registration also yielded an extremely positive result, with 137 students, 99.3%, affirming that the objective was duly clarified. This alignment of expectations prior to enrollment is crucial for a consistent experience, preventing frustrations and contributing to the construction of perceived value. Interactions that present clarity and purpose make the experience more relevant for the customer, according to Gilmore (2019).

Regarding practical and theoretical learning, 137 students, 99.3%, stated that the course offered balanced content between practical application and conceptualization. This structure allowed students to replicate the instructor’s actions in real-time, with the possibility of asking questions and interacting live. This proximity and customization of teaching reinforced the perception of value and satisfaction with the learning experience, making it more complete, interactive, and humanized.

The only point that presented a slightly lower approval rating, although still high, was the training duration, with 95.6% satisfaction. The initial 4.5-hour model, divided into two 2-hour classes with a 30-minute break, was adjusted to two 15-minute breaks each, in response to student feedback. This adaptation demonstrates the continuous commitment to customer satisfaction, even in an aspect that was already well-evaluated by the majority, with 132 participants considering the duration adequate.

The results obtained confirm that the student’s experience was built from an intentional combination of factors: clarity in communication, balance between theory and practice, accessible methodology, and constant interaction during classes. These elements, which appeared consistently in the analyses, reinforce Gilmore’s (2019) idea that experience is not random, but rather the result of planned decisions throughout the customer journey. Customer experience management, even in a digital environment, proved central to the perception of value and the construction of a lasting relationship.

The use of tools such as Google Forms for data collection and Power BI for analysis, following the concepts of Business Intelligence (Barbieri, 2011), demonstrated how data-driven management can contribute to quick and assertive adjustments. This approach aligns with the principles of Digital Business, which emphasize not only the use of technology but also the adaptation of processes and data-based decision-making to focus on the user experience in digital environments.

In terms of practical contribution, the study showed that incremental improvements in experience, such as clarity in communication, ease of understanding, and active listening to feedback, generate a direct and positive impact on satisfaction and the intention to recommend the service. For theory, the findings reinforce concepts already established in the literature, demonstrating the influence of customer experience on the perception of value in digital environments, especially in online education, where the journey needs to be carefully structured even without face-to-face contact.

Despite the robust results, the study presents some limitations, such as being conducted with students from a single course, which may restrict the generalization of the findings. Furthermore, data collection occurred at a single point in time, immediately after the end of classes, not allowing for the evaluation of student perception in the medium and long term. As a suggestion for future research, it is recommended to expand the number of courses analyzed, include different student profiles, and evaluate the experience over time, seeking to understand the evolution of the perception of value after the practical application of the acquired knowledge.

As a suggestion for improvement, it is proposed to structure the course on an online platform, such as Hotmart, aiming for greater scalability and reach to new students. The availability of recorded content, along with organized materials on the platform, would allow students to follow the course at their own pace, increasing flexibility and learning continuity, which would reinforce the customer experience over time and broaden the service’s impact.

In summary, the research results indicated that the online Power BI course provided a highly positive experience for participants, with high levels of satisfaction regarding the teaching material, methodology, and instructor performance. Clarity in communication, ease of understanding, and integration of feedback were crucial elements for this perception of value, culminating in a strong intention to recommend and the consolidation of “word-of-mouth” as the main dissemination vector, confirming the effectiveness of customer experience management in the context of digital education.

4. Conclusion

This study investigated the perception of the experience of customers of online Power BI courses, focusing on post-sale satisfaction, the quality of the teaching material, and the applied methodology. A high level of participant satisfaction was found, with 98.6% declaring themselves satisfied after the training. The findings highlighted the instructor’s teaching style, clarity in communication, and practical application of content as crucial factors for this positive perception. A high intention to recommend the course was observed, with 99.3% of students indicating this possibility, and word-of-mouth recommendation emerged as the main dissemination vector, reaching students in various states. This positive experience, intentionally built through clarity, balance between theory and practice, accessible methodology, and constant interaction, reinforces the importance of customer experience management in digital education. The study’s main practical contribution lies in demonstrating that incremental improvements in experience, such as active listening to feedback and ease of understanding, generate a direct impact on service satisfaction and recommendation intention.

Despite the robust results, the study presents limitations, such as the analysis being restricted to students from a single course and data collection at a single point in time, which prevents the evaluation of perception in the medium and long term. For future research, it is suggested to expand the number of courses analyzed, include different student profiles, and conduct longitudinal studies to understand the evolution of perceived value after the practical application of knowledge. As a proposal for improvement and intervention, structuring the course on an online platform, such as Hotmart, is recommended for greater scalability and reach. The availability of recorded content and organized materials on the platform would allow students to follow the course at their own pace, increasing flexibility and learning continuity, which would reinforce the customer experience over time.

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Article originating from the Final Course Work of Specialization in Digital Business from the MBA USP/Esalq

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