Customer Satisfaction Measurement for Service Management in South African Banks
Date
2012-12-04
Authors
Kaseke, Trevor
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
This study sought to explore possible reasons to explain why, despite the money
spent by banks on customer satisfaction surveys, the satisfaction scores have
either remained unchanged or become lower. The study explored two broad
dimensions; the ability of the banks to effect corrective actions that would lead to
improved customer satisfaction and the effectiveness of the survey instruments
used by the banks.
Qualitative interviews were conducted with bank employees who work with
customer satisfaction surveys within the big four banks in South Africa; Absa
Bank, First National Bank, Nedbank, and Standard Bank.
The findings, though exploratory in nature, reveal significant impediments to the
realisation of improved service levels, from which would come improved customer
satisfaction scores. In terms of the banks themselves, this study found that there
are no systems in place to interpret customer satisfaction survey data and to
effectively act upon the findings. This was reinforced by the bank employees not
having the capacity to interpret and use the survey results.
The study also found the instruments used are not effective in terms of what they
are intended to achieve. They are incorrectly designed thereby incorrectly
focused. In addition, the people who are meant to use them do not understand
how to use them.
The findings of this study seem to point to customer satisfaction as something that
the banks know they should be paying attention to, but seem not to know how to
best go about it. The strategic importance appears to exist only in the annual
reports and strategy documents. The environment, as a result, is not conducive
for the implementation of corrective actions. Unless these factors are investigated
further, and effectively addressed, it seems likely that the banks will continue to
spend a lot of money on these customer satisfaction surveys. They will not
however, achieve what they should be achieving; improved customer satisfaction,
and higher customer satisfaction scores.
Description
MBA thesis - WBS
Keywords
Customer satisfaction, Customer service