Factors Influencing Staff Performance In Handling External Customers: A Case Of The National Oil Corporation Of Kenya, Nairobi, Head Office, Kenya

Abstract

The oil sector plays a key role in the Kenya’s socio economic development. In fact all other sectors depend on this sector for their functioning. At present the competition in the sector has become intense and this necessitates efficiency and effectiveness of strategies adopted by the National Oil Corporation so as to maintain and increased its market share in the market. In addition, the discovery of petroleum in Turkana has increases oil marketers competition to be at the forefront in the marketing and distribution of petroleum products and hence the need for companies to improve their staff performance. The purpose of the study was to establish factors that influence employee performance on handling external customer service at National Oil Corporation of Kenya, Head Office. The objective of the study was to assess the influence of staff motivation, staff training, tools and equipment and organizational culture in handling of external customers. The study utilized a survey design and questionnaires for data collection. The research was based on a descriptive survey design with a target population of 180 employees working in the NOCK head office. Questionnaires were distributed to 180 employees and the data obtained analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Scientist (SPSS) version 20. A correlation analysis was performed to ascertain the influence of the independent variables on dependent variable. The results revealed that 46.7% of respondent had the opinion that staff motivation to a great extent influenced staff performance, whereas 50.0% of respondent felt that staff training improved staff performance to a great extent. On tools and equipment respondents results revealed that 45.6% of respondents felt that tools and equipment’s to a great extent affected staff performance and 43.3% of respondent results felt that organizational culture affected staff performance to a great extent .The research concluded that National Oil must have a good organizational culture, motivate staff, train staff members, ensure staff have better tools and equipment as well as cultivate a good organizational culture to ensure handling of external customers. The study recommended that National Oil Corporation of Kenya develops systematic staff motivation strategies, develops a staff training needs assessment to identify performance gaps and ensure improved ease of use of tools and equipment and lastly ensure that there is proper maintenance hence reducing breakdown of tools and equipment. That the organization must ensure that staff have a clear understandings, application and implementation of the vision and mission of the Corporation