THE INFLUENCE OF QUALITY SERVICE ON CUSTOMER SATISFACTION AMONG THE STUDENTS OF INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING. A CASE OF THE CO-OPERATIVE UNIVERSITY OF KENYA
Abstract
In today’s world of global competition, rendering quality service is a key factor for success of an organization and a competitive strategy for sustainable competitive advantage. It’s on this premise that the study sought to examine the influence of quality service on customer satisfaction among the students at The Co-operative University of Kenya (CUK). The specific objectives were; to determine how quality dimensions affect customer satisfaction at the CUK and to establish the relationship between quality service and customer satisfaction at the CUK. The study was based on the service quality (SERVQUAL) model that measures customer expectations and perceptions of service quality. The respondents for the research were the students of the CUK undertaking undergraduate programmes. Data was collected using a structured questionnaire based on the SERVQUAL model from School of Business and Economics, School of Co-operatives and Community Development, School of Computing and Mathematics and Nairobi CBD Campus). Questionnaires totalling 400 were distributed at simple random and the ones that were returned were 329 representing 83% response rate. Descriptive analysis was used to profile the respondents, while factor analysis was employed to determine service quality dimensions and customer satisfaction. Data was collected and analysed using SPSS model 21. Analysis was done through coefficient matrix to confirm the factors. The results shows that different dimensions of each service quality had significant effect on the customer satisfaction level except for reliability and responsiveness which was not significant and there exist a significant relationship between quality service and customer satisfaction. Recommendations; there is need to improve reliability and responsiveness quality service dimension, customer service should be included in the university vision and mission statement and also to be an agenda for every meeting in the university.
Keywords: Competitive Advantage, Quality, Satisfaction, SERVQUAL
CITATION: Nteere, K, K. (2021). The influence of quality service on customer satisfaction among the students of institutions of higher learning. A case of the Co-operative University of Kenya . The Strategic Journal of Business & Change Management, 8 (2), 477 – 484.
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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.61426/sjbcm.v8i2.2009
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