Keyword

Service quality, customer satisfaction, internet provision, Zimbabwe

Abstract

The purpose of the research was to examine the impact of service quality on customer satisfaction amongst customers in the internet service provision sector of Zimbabwe. In the study, service quality consisted of six dimensions, namely, reliability, empathy, responsiveness, tangibles, location and price. The study employed a cross-sectional quantitative design from which a sample of 341 successfully completed questionnaires were obtained. Data analysis was performed using SPSS 23 software. Multiple regression was performed to ascertain the cause-effect relationship between the independent variables (namely, reliability, empathy, responsiveness, tangibles, location and price) and the dependent variable (customer satisfaction). The results of the study indicated that reliability, responsiveness and price displayed a positive statistically significant impact on customer satisfaction.  On the other hand, empathy, tangibles and location were noted as not having a statistically significant positive impact on customer satisfaction.  The main implication for internet service providers in Zimbabwe is that responsiveness and prices-sensitive offerings are key to satisfying customers.


Full Text : PDF

References
  1. Agnihotri, R., Dingus, R., Hu, M. Y., & Krush, M. T. (2016). Social media: Influencing customer satisfaction in B2B sales. Industrial Marketing Management, 53, 172-180.
  2. Al-Wugayan, A., & Pleshko, L.P. (2010). A Study of Satisfaction, Loyalty, and Market Share in Kuwait Banks. Academy for Studies in International Business, 10(1), 2-7. 
  3. Anselmsson, J. (2006). Sources of customer satisfaction with shopping malls: a comparative study of different customer segments. International Review of Retail, Distribution and Consumer Research, 16(1), 115-138.
  4. Chang, K.C., Chen, M.C., & Hsu, C.L. (2010). Applying loss aversion to assess the effect of     customers’ asymmetric responses to service quality on post-dining behavioural     intentions: an empirical survey in the restaurant sector. International Journal Hospital Management, 29 (4), 620–631.
  5. Chen, C. F., & Chen, F. S. (2010). Experience quality, perceived value, satisfaction and behavioral intentions for heritage tourists. Tourism management, 31(1), 29-35.
  6. Cheung, R., & Vogel, D. (2013). Predicting user acceptance of collaborative technologies: An extension of the technology acceptance model for e-learning. Computers & education, 63, 160-175.
  7. Chidambaram, V. (2012). A review of customer satisfaction towards service quality of banking sector. Social and Management Sciences, 2, 71-79.
  8. Eshghi, A. (2008). Service quality and customer satisfaction. An empirical investigation in India mobile Telecommunications services. Marketing management journal, 18 (2), 119-144.
  9. Fox, N., Hunn, A., & Mathers, N. (2009). Sampling and Sample Size Calculation. The NIHR for the Research Design Service for the East Midlands. UK: Yorkshire and the Humber.
  10. Gera, R. (2011). Modelling the service antecedents of favourable and unfavourable behaviour intentions in life insurance services in India: An SEM study. International Journal of Quality and Service Sciences, 3(2), 225-242.
  11. Ghylin, K.M., Green, B. D., Drury, C. G., Chen, J., Schultz, J.L., Uggirala, A., Abraham, J.K. & Lawson, T.A. (2006). Clarifying the dimensions of four concepts of quality. Theoretical     Issues in Ergonomics Science, 9(1), 73-94.
  12. Giese, J. L., & Cote, J. A. (2000). Defining consumer satisfaction. Academy of marketing science review, 1(1), 1-22.
  13. Han, H., & Ryu, K. (2009). The roles of the physical environment, price perception, and customer satisfaction in determining customer loyalty in the restaurant industry. Journal of hospitality & tourism research, 33(4), 487-510.
  14. Johnson, M. D., & Gustafsson, A. (2000). Improving customer satisfaction, loyalty and profit: an integrated measurement and management system. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
  15. Koenaite, M., Chuchu, T., & Venter de Villiers, M. (2019). The impact of mobile banking on the adoption of banking products and services in South Africa, using the technology acceptance model. Journal of Business and Retail Management Research. 13(3), 93-103
  16. Kotler, P. (2015). Marketing Management+ Mymarketinglab with Pearson Etext Access Card. Prentice Hall.
  17. Kotler, P., Keller, K. (2009). Marketing management. New Jersey: Person education.
  18. Kumar, M., Tat Kee, F., & Taap Manshor, A. (2009). Determining the relative importance of critical factors in delivering service quality of banks: an application of dominance analysis in SERVQUAL model. Managing Service Quality: An International Journal, 19(2), 211-228.
  19. Lin, H. F. (2007). The impact of website quality dimensions on customer satisfaction in the B2C e-commerce context. Total Quality Management and Business Excellence, 18(4), 363-378.
  20. Masevo, B. (2015). Factors that influence innovation in the Paint manufacturing industry in Zimbabwe. A case of Solid Paints Company in Harare. Solusi University.
  21. Mashwama, V.C., Chiliya, N., & Chuchu T. (2019). Destination Image of Swaziland: Perceptions of Local and International Tourists. e-Review of Tourism Research 16(4), 271-293
  22. Maziriri, E.T., & Madinga, N.W. (2015). The Effect of buyer’s remorse on consumer’s repeat-purchase intention: Experiences of Generation Y apparel student consumers within the Vaal Triangle. International Journal of Research in Business Studies and Management, 2(5), 24-31.
  23. Munusamy, J., Chelliah, S., & Mun, H. W. (2010). Service quality delivery and its impact on customer satisfaction in the banking sector in Malaysia. International Journal of Innovation, Management and Technology, 1(4), 398-404
  24. Negi, R. (2009). Determining customer satisfaction through perceived service quality. International journal of mobile marketing, 4, (1), 31-38.
  25. Nguyen, M. T. (2014). Effects of Service Quality and Price Fairness on Student Satisfaction. International Journal of Business and Social Science, 3(19), 132-150
  26. Parasuraman, A. Z. (1988). SERVQUAL: A multi-item scale for measuring consumer perceptions of service quality. Journal of Retailing, 64, 12-40.
  27. Samen, A., Akroush, M., & Abu‐Lail, B. (2013). Mobile SERVQUAL: A comparative analysis of customers' and managers' perceptions. International Journal of Quality & Reliability Management, 30(4), 403–425.
  28. Saunders, M., Lewis, P. and Thornhill, A. (2012). Research Methods for Business Students. 6thedition, Harlow: Pearson. 
  29. Sullivan, M. J., Suddeth, B. N., Vardell, T., & Vojdani, A. (1996). Interruption costs, customer satisfaction and expectations for service reliability. IEEE Transactions on Power Systems, 11(2), 989-995.
  30. Tahir, H., Waggett, C., & Hoffman, A. (2013). Antecedents of customer satisfaction: An E-CRM framework. Journal of Business and Behavioral Sciences, 25 (2), 112-120.
  31. Wakefield, K., & Blodgett, J. (1994). The Importance of Servicescapes in Leisure Service Settings. Journal of Services Marketing, 8(3), 66-76. 
  32. Wilson A., Zeithaml V.A., Bitner M.J., & Gremler D.D. (2008) Services Marketing. McGraw-Hill Education