Improving the Quality of customer service through ICT use in the Kenya Power and Lighting Company

Abstract

The study investigated the effects of the perceived ICT service quality and its effects on customer satisfaction at the Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC), Eldoret. It was based on Kano satisfaction model, which focuses on customer satisfaction. The study adopted descriptive survey design involving quantitative research and targeted customers of the KPLC in Eldoret Central Business District. The customers were classified into three segment that is large power customers who were 20, corporate customers 500 and domestic customers who were 300 totalling to 820. Probability random and stratified random sampling techniques were used to select 10large power customers, 250 corporate customers and 150 domestic customers for the study sample size. The study used both primary and secondary sources of data using questionnaires and interview schedules as the research instruments. Data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics (multiple regression analysis and Pearson correlation) to test the null hypotheses respectively. The correlation analysis indicated that perceived service quality (X 3 ) is positively and statistically significant (r = 0.639, P=.000 (2 - tailed) at 1% level of significance. This implies that as the ICT service delivery increase, so does the customer satisfaction. To enhance customer satisfaction, there is need to increase ICT service delivery at the KPLC. The study will be of great value because it will help the KPLC to improve their services by the use of an appropriate ICT, besides it will form a base of study for other researchers who may be interested in the same field of study. Again it will help the ICT service providers to re-evaluate the suitability of their ICT systems to users. The study will benefit the larger community by influencing their attitudes towards the use of ICT since it will save time and user friendly. Also the community will be enlightened on the new way of improving service quality by the use of an appropriate ICT system. The study was restricted to Eldoret central business district, because of the accessibility of the area, lack of enough financial resources and also the limited time. The author recommends for KPLC to put more emphasis on perceived service quality in order to enhance customer satisfaction. This study would be of significance to service industries as it will point how customer service delivery can impact on their organizations performance.