Assessment of mobile phone service quality by customers and service providers: the case of St. Augustine and Mzumbe universities and network providers in Tanzania.
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Date
2013-08-01
Authors
Elisante, Gabriel
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Abstract
This study is about the effects of service quality on customers’ satisfaction in the mobile phone industry of Tanzania as assessed by customers and service providers. The research problem is that with different expectations and perceptions, customers and service providers might assess quality factors differently in predicting customers’ satisfaction level. The main objective of this study is to find out to what extent service quality factors can be used to predict the level of satisfaction by customers compared to service providers. There were four specific objectives for this study. Firstly, to establish the quality factors that influence the assessment of mobile service quality by customers. Secondly, to determine how service providers assess themselves regarding customers’ satisfaction. Thirdly, to compare the assessment mobile phones service quality by customers and service providers. Fourthly, to determine the effect of location on the assessment of quality factors by customers. The study was designed to be descriptive. The study population consisted of 10,990 university students from two selected universities. A sample of 468 university students was drawn to represent customers. Out of 468 questionnaires distributed, 420 were collected hence a response rate of 90 percent. A linear regression analysis model was used to determine the factors that are important in predicting satisfaction. A t-test was used to compare the results from customers’ assessment with that of service providers. It was found that three quality factors (reliability, responsiveness and empathy) are important in determining the overall customers’ satisfaction of the mobile phones network industry. It was further found that the important factors in predicting satisfaction are different from one location to another. The quality assessment by customers is found to be different from that of service providers. This is because the t-value obtained through a T-Test, was found to be statistically significant. It is therefore concluded that the factors of service quality affect the level of customers’ satisfaction in the mobile phone industry differently. The results of this study can be used by service providers in the marketing management for mobile phone networks. The Service providers ought to focus their strategies on the three important factors in the mobile phone industry of Tanzania. It is recommended that service providers need to understand the assessment of their customers in order to eliminate the service quality gaps which emanate from variations in assessment of service quality of service providers compared to customers.