Influence of the perception of service quality on customer satisfaction: the case of mobile network service providers in Kenya

Abstract

This report is an outcome of a research to establish the influence of the perception of service quality on customer satisfaction in relation to network service providers in Kenya. It was meant to demonstrate how specific service quality attributes influence customer’s perceptions on mobile phone services as well as establishing whether the mentioned attributes can be improved without attracting new service charges and eventually how such improvements on quality can be used to increase customer’s satisfaction. Literature review was conducted on related past studies that touched on Service Quality; Customer Satisfaction and the relation between service quality and customer satisfaction. Customer satisfaction has been found to be the most important aspect of marketing. It is the company’s Key Performance Indicator (KIP). Service Quality on the other hand, consists of technical and functional quality. Technical quality is what consumers get as a result of interacting with the service provider, while functional quality has to do with how the service is delivered. The relationship between service quality and customer satisfaction was also extensively reviewed. Eventually, conceptual framework on how service quality attributes results in customer’s satisfaction was analyzed in the review as indicated in figure 2.1. Chapter three highlights the methodology used for the study. Chapter four contained a summary of data analysis and interpretation. The main findings can be summarized as follows : Customer expectation and perception; Factors determinants in the choice of mobile service provider which were found to rotate a round Call Quality, Call drop rate, Network coverage, distribution of customers according to preferred Network and Network service performance. The study established that Network service performance is usually associated with Call performance, Network coverage, Network reliability, Customer service, service plan options, Availability of credit offer and cheap tariff, customer satisfaction in mobile service provider and the spill over effects of product quality on partners. All the factors have been positively established to be major influences of the perception of service quality on customer satisfaction. The research has also established that service providers are constantly investing on new technologies aimed at enhancing service qualities that would attract and retain existing customers. Even as the research was being concluded, new evidences are emerging to the effect that Safaricom is about to launch a new service to be named MShwari which will virtually act as a mobile bank that will offer customers a chance to save and earn interest on the savings the same way traditional Banks operate. In conclusion, some of the service quality attributes discovered in the study have direct bearing on customer’s perception and if applied well by the service providers, could enhance customer’s satisfaction.