Factors influencing customer satisfaction with educational services offered by Technical Training Institutes in Meru County

Abstract

The study sought to find out the factors int1uencing customers (students) satisfaction with educational services offered by technical training institutes in Meru County. The study was aimedat establishing whether service quality, fees charged, students' expectations and employee performance affect student satisfaction with the educational services offered by the institutes. The study was carried out in Meru County in Eastern Province and in three Technical Training Institutes Meru Technical Training Institute, Nkabune Technical Training Institute and Kiirua Technical Training Institute. A sample of 331(three hundred and thirty one) students was selected from a student population of 221 1(two thousand two hundred and eleven).The study employed a descriptive survey design for data collection. It employed a questionnaire for the students to collect the data. The statistical package for social sciences, (SPSS) was used to analyze the data. The quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistics such as frequency counts, percentages, mean, standard deviation and factor analysis. This was reported in summary form using frequency distribution tables and bar graphs. The study revealed the following first, the students were satisfied with feedback on assignments, adherence to exam schedules and competence of lecturers while they were rather dissatisfied with the availability andreliability of internet services, computer resources and facilities for the disabled, the price of educational services was generally satisfactory. Third, the students were generally satisfied with the employees' performance. Fourth, the students were generally satisfied with the expectations established in their minds concerning various services. The study recommends that the management of technical training institutes should embrace technological advancement by providing computers and internet services in the institutes. The government should also consider extending loan facilities to the students of TTIs. The study is significant in that findings of the studywill benefit the government, management of technical training institutes and the education sector in general in that the study will provide information on the current level of student satisfaction with the various aspects of educational services offered by technical institutes and also identify the factors affecting their satisfaction. This will help the management of these institutions to improve the quality of various services offered