Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management

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Subject: search.filters.subject.Customer service

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    THE CHALLENGE OF CUSTOMER SERVICE MANAGEMENT IN MUNICIPAL REVENUE ENHANCEMENT
    (2014-01-14) Phakathi, Nompumelelo Goodness
    This research study attempts to prove that better customer service management can assist in raising levels of payment in municipalities. Data was gathered from interviews, field observations and the review of documents. Although the literature reveals that good customer service management improves revenue in the private sector, it is difficult to establish whether this is true for the public sector. This research study showed that good customer service management without the implementation of credit control policies does not have a significant impact as the habit of non-payment for services is deeply rooted and there are still customers who afford to pay but would not pay. The research concludes that a customer service management strategy should be aimed at transforming the organisation at large and breaking the culture of working in silos. Credit control should be part of this strategy.
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    Customer Satisfaction Measurement for Service Management in South African Banks
    (2012-12-04) Kaseke, Trevor
    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.
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    Measuring Customer Service Quality in a South African Industrial Automation Company
    (2011-11-22) Sali-Ameen, Mohammed
    The study will be demarcated as follows. Chapter One has provided a background of some of the issues facing Honeywell Automation South Africa and some of the industry challenges. Pressure from competitors in the South African market is also discussed in this chapter. Chapter Two will review literature on the work of several authors on the generic determinant of service quality. A comparison of the factors identified reveals common elements. Some criticism is levelled against SERVQUAL, and the alternative INDSERV model is introduced. Chapter Three outlines the research design and methods for conducting this study. The data analysis techniques are explained and consideration given to the limitation/delimitation of this study, as well as issues relating to confidentiality, validity and reliability. Chapter Four and Five present the response data. The results of the study are integrated with the objective of this research, literature review and management models presented in the previous chapters. Chapter Six Conclusions have been drawn from the survey results and recommendations made for improving service quality at Honeywell Automation South Africa. A theoretical framework has been developed within the scope of this study to assist the company in improving customer service levels in order to gain competitive advantage
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    Determinants of Successful Outlets in the South African Quick Service Restaurant Industry
    (2011-06-15) Shaw, Michael Lindsay
    The South African Quick Service Restaurant Industry is a multi million Rand industry. Fast-food chains spend millions on branding, advertising, site location and other factors to obtain a competitive advantage and improve annual sales. This research aims to determine the factors that contribute to increased turnover in the quick service restaurant industry. These factors are categorised into internal factors of customer service and external factors of store site location. By sampling 71 stores in a national Quick Service Industry group, this research applied factor analysis and multiple regression techniques to determine the significant factors of both site location and customer satisfaction contributing to improved store turnover. Site location data were collected using objective extrapolation techniques for 71 stores, which were then ratified through store surveys. Customer Satisfaction data were collected by interviewing 20 customers in 14 stores in the Gauteng region. The findings of this research suggest that factors related to site location such as the presence of a bank in the centre; as well as the presence of a McDonalds or Wimpy store within a 3km radius have a positive correlation to store turnover. Within the factors of customer satisfaction, only staff and service correlate positively with store turnover. The relevance of the findings speak to the importance of symbiotic business relationships in the quick service industry, the importance of business attractors such as banks; as well as the key differentiator of staff in improving turnover. In conclusion, this research suggests many further areas for more detailed research into some of the findings that allude to the importance of a more detailed understanding of relationships between factors
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    CUSTOMER CHOICE
    (2011-04-13) Govender, Krisen
    The South African banking landscape has been characterized by changes since the late 1990’s. Within this environment this priority banking arena has also become highly competitive and this is driven by a limited n umber of available priority banking clients. The ability to innovate is seen as a highly competitive advantage by all the role-players within this sector. The purpose of this study was to investigate factors that customers felt were important in determining their choice of priority bank. The study focused on the existing clients of priority banks and investigated the factors that would have an effect on retaining them as clients of their current priority bank. A qualitative research methodology was empl oyed and made use of in-depth interviews as this allowed a more flexible approach to interviewing and also enabled the ability to probe a greater range of information in the interview process. The general consensus amongst those interviewed felt that cust omer service, characterized by personal interaction was deemed to be important as a means to retain priority banking clients by their institutions. In order to ensure that these institutions also provided flexibility to their clients, increased usability of their selfservice channels was deemed to be important. Advertising and sponsorship were acknowledged as harnessing the image of the brand and ensuring it remains dominant within clients’ mind space but it was evident that they had minimal influence to leveraging off as a source of competitive advantage