Strategies adopted by Kenya Commercial Bank Limited to improve customer service

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the customer service improvement strategies employed by KCB bank to respond to the current competitive banking environment. The true implementation of Customer Service Strategy principles offers the solution to customer service problems in banking sector. This fashionable approach focuses on customer satisfaction, accurate measurement of all significant factors of business and continuous improvement. The objectives of this study were: to find out customer service strategies that are employed by KCB Bank in the its desire to improve customer satisfaction; to establish whether KCB’s customer service strategies have contributed to the bank’s good results in recent years and; to determine the challenges encountered by KCB in implementing customer service strategies. The research design adopted was a case study design. The case study design was considered appropriate since it excels at bringing us to an understanding of a complex issue or object and can extend experience or add strength to what is already known through previous research. The target population in this study was the top employees in three selected branches who deal in strategy and customer service. The study applied convenience sampling where the heads of strategy and customer service in each of the three largest KCB branches in Nairobi were the subjects of the interview. The study used both primary and secondary data. Primary data was collected using a structured interview with the heads of strategy and customer service in the three selected branches. Secondary data was in form of literature review and other secondary information contained in books, journals and other relevant articles and secondary sources on customer service available from the bank or other sources. The quantitative data and information obtained through the interviews was analyzed through descriptive statistics such as means, percentages and standard deviations. Qualitative Information from the open questions was analyzed through narrative summary analyses. Findings indicate that KCB has been in the frontline of reforming how it deals with its customers which started in earnest in 2003. These reforms have been linked to customer confidence which have improved numbers and profitability of the bank.