The Effect of Customer Complaints Resolution Strategies on Customer Satisfaction Eldoret Based Banks, Kenya (Published)
The study explores the effects of customer complaint resolution strategies on customer satisfaction with particular emphasis on the specific objectives namely; a distributive complaint resolution strategy, interactive complaint resolution strategies and procedural complaint resolution strategies. The banking industry is one of the world’s biggest and oldest industries in the world. Its stability and growth is therefore paramount to economic performance of individual countries including Kenya. However, with the increasing competition banks have had to refocus on various strategies aimed at maintaining a stable and profitable customer base. Maintaining a loyal customer base has seen banks invest in various marketing strategies among them complaint resolution strategies so as to have an ever satisfied clientele. The study used an explanatory survey that targeted all the 20 banks based in Eldoret operating and licensed by Central Bank of Kenya as at June 2018. Additionally, 2300 customers were targeted for the study. A sample size of 372 customers was selected using systematic sampling techniques but out of this, 341 customer questionnaires were filled and returned. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect primary data. With the aid of Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS),reliability tests was carried out using Cronbach alpha coefficient (a). Exploratory factor analysis was used to validate and test the indicators of the preconceived complaints resolution variables. Pearson correlation analysis was performed to test the relationship between the study variables. The study utilized multiple regression analysis to test the hypothesis, the study indicated that distributive complaint resolution strategies were significant (p<0.05) and accounted for 17.7% of customer satisfaction, procedural justice factors were significant (p<0.05) and accounted for 43.5% of customer satisfaction. Further interactive complaint resolution strategies were also found to be significant (p<0.05) and explained 36.35 % of customer satisfaction. The study established a significant (p<0.05) thus supported distributive complaint resolution strategies, interactive complaint resolution strategies and procedural justice factors to be significant associated to customer satisfaction. The study concluded that customer complaints resolution strategies are important mechanism in establishing customer satisfaction levels and therefore banks are advised to invest in customer complaints resolution strategies. Finally studies should be carried out to establish the relevance of accessibility related strategies on customer satisfaction in other industries and study areas.
Keywords: Customer Satisfaction, customer complaints resolution strategies, distributive strategies, interactive strategies, procedural strategies
An Investigation of Factors Affecting Customers’ Satisfaction in the Supermarket Sector In Ho Chi Minh City (Hcmc) – Vietnam (Published)
This empirical study was conducted to find out the relationship among four factors such as brand image, service quality, product quality, and price toward customer’s satisfaction in supermarket in HCMC. The qualitative approach was applied to point out the measurement of the scales of factors and the quantitative approach was to test whether these observed variables contributing to these factors or not. After that, the author conducted a survey to customers who go shopping in Co.op Mart and Vinmart. After checking and selecting the suitable samples, the author collected 221 samples to analyze for this study. There was the test for the reliable theoretical framework that was conducted to test whether the hypothesis was supported or not. As a result, based on multiple regression analysis, the theoretical framework was significant and all the hypotheses were accepted. The factor affecting most to customer’s satisfaction was Price, the second one was Service Quality, the third one was Product Quality, and finally one was Brand Image. In general, this research model was conducted properly and valued to study. Supermarkets in HCMC can apply this empirical study to set up their business strategies and improve their customers’ satisfaction in order to enhance competitive competence as well as attract more new customers in the new era.
Keywords: Brand Image, Customer Satisfaction, Service Quality, Vietnam, product .quality
Effectiveness of Service Innovation, Where Service Failure is an Imperative Issue for a Small Food-Service Brand: Case Study Approach (Published)
This article confers regarding effectiveness of service innovation in a small restaurant environment; where, the subject of repeated incidences of service failure is a common issue. Moreover, inadequately designed recovery actions putted the final nail in the coffin. For in-depth understanding of the exacting instance surround by real-life situation a single case study approach was adopted. A restaurant namely ‘Chittagong Express’ was considered for the in- depth study. This conscientious study is qualitative in nature; required data were collected in through of in-depth interviews, from the duo sides; management in the one side and customers on the other. The major findings from study confirmed that the food service brand is facing additional challenges to shield its brand image. Furthermore, post failure negative consequences, i.e. less repurchasing intention of the customers, less trust and customer loyalty towards the brand, negative post recovery emotions and discomfort were found in this case. Primarily, the efforts vis-à-vis the service innovation was incredibly appreciated by the customers, nonetheless, myopic visualization with reference to the appropriate customer satisfaction can be marked as the main reason of the predicament.
Keywords: Customer Satisfaction, Service Failure, Service Innovation, Service Recovery, ‘Chittagong Express’
Service Quality, Customer Satisfaction Towards Customer Loyalty ( A Case Of Ila Vietnam) (Published)
The quality of service has become an aspect of customer satisfaction and has been proved that it comes from the combination of the excellent learning process and public satisfaction on the service delivered. The main purpose of this study is to examine what factors that play an important role in satisfying customers, and which one has the biggest impact on that mission, particularly at ILA Vietnam. A mixture of qualitative and quantitative research are used to collect data from customers of ILA Vietnam in 17 centers to get their satisfaction levels and meaning of service quality which were substituted in the SERVQUAL model. The findings suggest providing quality service in order to satisfy customers, organizations in this kind of service sectors need to improve on the dimensions of service quality. This study contributes to existing theories by confirming or adding value to the relationships that are involved in customer satisfaction and service quality. Besides, the provided results could be useful for managers at ILA in strategic planning.
Keywords: Customer Satisfaction, SERVQUAL, Service Quality, service sectors.
Understanding The Relationships between Service Quality, Customer Satisfaction and Loyalty: An Investigation of Ghana’s Retail Banking Sector (Published)
This study set out to examine the interrelationships between service quality, customer satisfaction, and customer loyalty for the Ghana banking industry. The paper also evaluates the effects of the individual dimensions of service quality on overall service quality. Primary research data were collected using questionnaires administered face-to-face, via systematic random sampling approach. Confirmatory Factor Analyses (CFA) was then used to test the hypotheses and address the research objectives as well. The results showed that the three variables were positively interrelated, albeit with different p-values for significance. The five dimensions of service quality, tangibility, reliability, responsiveness, assurance and empathy, each affects overall service quality positively and significantly). The effects of service quality on customer satisfaction was direct, positive but insignificant. In the same manner, customer satisfaction positively but insignificantly impacts customer loyalty. Service quality was seen to positively and significantly affect customer loyalty in this study. The findings therefore serve as a good guide for banks to work at improving service quality, which will in turn positively influence satisfaction and loyalty.
Keywords: Customer Satisfaction, Customer loyalty, Retail Banking, Service Quality
Diagnostics of Customer Satisfaction in the Hospitality Industry: Evidence from Nigeria (Published)
Nigeria in the last few decades has experienced a tremendous growth in the number of public and private hotels. The biggest challenge in today’s competitive business environment is how to retain customers and ensure customer loyalty. Also, Guest relationships in the hotel industry are strategic assets of the organization and customer satisfaction becomes the starting points to defining business objectives. The study therefore analyzed the indices of customer satisfaction in the hospitality industry in Nigeria. The research analyzed the significance of key factors that determine customer satisfaction. A structured questionnaire on staff performance, cost, hotel facilities, environment and porn accessibility was developed and used to collect information from the study sample. The structured questionnaire was administered to 400 respondents purposively. Descriptive statistics and regression analysis were used to analyze the data. The result showed that cost, hotel environment, hotel facilities and income respectively were seen to have a strong impact on customer satisfaction at 5% level of significance, while staff performance seems significant at 10%. There was a relationship between service quality and customer satisfaction. The study makes a significant contribution to the service quality management literature because few empirical studies are available dealing with this aspect of the hotel management in Nigeria. It would also help service providers in the hotel industry to understand aspects of service variables that need urgent improvement.
Keywords: Customer Satisfaction, Hospitality, Regression Model, Service Quality, hotel management.
Service Quality and Customer Satisfaction in Nigerian Mobile Telephony (Published)
The Telecommunication industry in Nigeria has developed to be very competitive, as different Telecom companies jostle for the attention of subscribers. However, one of the key challenges confronting these companies is how they manage their service quality, which holds a grea deal to customer satisfaction. It is against this backdrop that this research seeks to empirically measure how service qualiy/delivery impact on customer satisfaction of Mobile Telecommunication providers in Nigeria. The data used for this study were obtained using a structured survey questionnaire. The questions were close ended and used a 5 point Likert-scale. The sample consists of 532 mobile subscribers in Nigeria, using a simple random sampling technique spread across all the six geo-political zones in the country while a proportionate sampling approach was adopted by the researcher to give a fair representation to the service providers using the proportionality formula. The data obtained from the survey were analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS), Version 20. The survey was restricted to subscribers using the four major GSM mobile phone operators. The research determined that a relationship exist between service quality/delivery and customer satisfaction, also between SERVQUAL reliability dimension and customer satisfaction and between customer satisfaction and switching intention among mobile phone users in Nigeria. The results have indicated that the two constructs ( SQ and CS ) are undeniably independent but are closely related and without a doubt, potential partners, implying that an increase in one is likely to cause a change in another. It is therefore recommended that with the ever-increasing influence of the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC),and the continous complying with is one major strategy that the companies must adopt to remain cost-effective.
Keywords: Customer Satisfaction, Mobile Telephony, Nigeria, Service Quality, Telecommunication
Predictive Indicators of Customer Loyalty in the Nigerian GSM Market (Published)
This study focuses on the predictive indicators of customer loyalty among GSM users in the South-Eastern Nigeria. Most of the studies on customer loyalty in the Nigerian GSM market are alien to South-Eastern Nigeria. The main objective of this study is to empirically inquire the factors that influence customer loyalty in the Nigerian GSM market. The study adopted survey research design and the population of study is the mobile phone users in Anambra State. Quota sampling method was employed while the sample size was determined using survey systems formula. Questionnaire was employed as the research instrument and the reliability test was achieved using split-half method. Factor analysis was used for data reduction and multiple regressions were employed to test the hypotheses. The findings revealed that trust, customer satisfaction, corporate image, service quality, network coverage have significant effect on customer loyalty with customer satisfaction as the strongest predictor of customer loyalty in the Nigerian GSM market. In addition, prompt customer service was seen to have no significant effect on customer loyalty. It was recommended that GSM service providers should focus more on customer satisfaction, trust, corporate image, service quality, and network coverage in order to build sustainable relationship with their customers as to become very competitive. Also, attention should be paid on providing quality customer care service elements.
Keywords: Corporate Image, Customer Satisfaction, Customer loyalty, Customer trust, Service Quality, Switching Barrier
Customer Satisfaction for Company Growth: The Roles, Responsibilities and Skills Required of the Sales Force in Ghana (Published)
As the competitive environment becomes increasingly fierce, the most important for industry players is nurture and keep loyal customers who will contribute to their long-term growth and profitability. The sales force is involved in the critical business of accomplishing sales objectives and customer satisfaction, which provides the basis for organisational existence and profitability. Given the importance of the salesforce as an organization’s primary revenue generator and the principal point of contact with customers, understanding how managers and salespersons in Ghana appreciate their role in the business/customer interface is likely to produce beneficial outcomes. This study explores the roles and responsibilities of the salesforce in delivering customer value and satisfaction. The sample is drawn from Ghana Breweries Limited, a major player in the beer industry in Ghana. Using questionnaires to measure the perceptions of sales managers and salespersons, we find that overall, managers and salespersons perceive their roles, qualities and responsibilities to be relevant for customer satisfaction. Implications of the findings for sales management are drawn.
Keywords: Customer Satisfaction, Customer value, Qualities, Salespersons Roles
Principal Component Analysis of Customer Satisfaction and Repeat Purchase Behaviour in the Mobile Telephony Market in Ghana (Published)
The purpose of the current study was to establish the relationship mobile telephony customers in Ghana’s repeat purchase behaviour and satisfaction. In order to achieve the aim of the study, principal component analysis was made to establish the principal components factors of customer repeat purchase behaviour, dimensions of customer satisfaction, and the relationship between repeat purchase and satisfaction. A sample of three thousand (3,000) mobile phone users was selected from the three major cities in Ghana of Accra, Kumasi and Takoradi for the survey, using Likert scale questions. The findings revealed that three variables: call rate, service reliability, meeting customer’s expectation were the key underlying dimensions determining customer satisfaction of mobile telephone users in Ghana. Again it was found that change of mobile network is a permanent feature of mobile users in Ghana which might not necessarily reflect dissatisfaction. The results further indicated that customer satisfaction of mobile telephony users in Ghana is reflected by high or very high commitment to repeat purchase. Finally, the study showed that mobile users repeat purchase behaviour is influenced primarily by reference group influence rather than customer satisfaction. Thus no relationship was found between customer repeat purchase and satisfaction of mobile users in Ghana.
Keywords: Customer Satisfaction, Principal Component Analysis, Purchase Intentions, Repeats Purchase