Loyalty intentions as an outcome of customer delight in a services environment - a South African perspective

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 71-96
Author(s):  
Mornay Roberts-Lombard ◽  
Lebogang Makola ◽  
Tholakele Nkosi ◽  
Sizakele Mabhena
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Service Delivery ◽  
Service Provider ◽  
Cell Phone ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Extended Model ◽  
Value Perception ◽  
Meaningful Relationship ◽  
Customer Delight ◽  
Business To Consumer

The study explores the delight phenomenon by investigating customer delight, its antecedents and its postcedents in the cell phone industry of South Africa. Data was collected from 450 customers of cell phone companies who considered themselves satisfied overall with their cellular service provider. This study extends the model proposed by Roberts-Lombard and Petzer (2018) and attempts to substantiate their findings in South Africa through applying the extended model in a parallel industry context. The results indicate that perceived employee service delivery skills and perceived value are important antecedents of customer delight and that there is a meaningful relationship between customer delight and customer loyalty in a business-to-consumer (B2C) setting in South Africa. The study adds value by informing cellular service providers how the service delivery ability of employees and the value perception of customers influence their customer delight experience and ultimately their loyalty to the service provider.

scholarly journals Customer satisfaction/delight and behavioural intentions of cell phone network customers – an emerging market perspective

2018 ◽  
Vol 30 (4) ◽  
pp. 427-445 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mornay Roberts-Lombard ◽  
Daniël Johannes Petzer
Keyword(s):  
Customer Satisfaction ◽  
Service Delivery ◽  
Cell Phone ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Emerging Market ◽  
Network Service ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Network Service Provider ◽  
Customer Delight ◽  
Practical Implications

PurposeThis study aims to investigate the extent to which the satisfaction/delight experienced by customers of cell phone network service providers is influenced by their perceptions of the networks’ employee service delivery skills and the value that the customers derive from the networks’ offerings. In turn, the influence of the extent of their satisfaction/delight on future behavioural intention (BI) is determined.Design/methodology/approachA descripto-explanatory research design is followed and data are collected from satisfied/delighted cell phone network service provider customers using self-administered questionnaires. A total of 593 responses were suitable for analysis. An exploratory factor analysis is used to uncover the interrelationships between the items measuring the study’s constructs. Furthermore, the measurement and structural models are assessed.FindingsPerceived employee service delivery skills (PESDS) and value significantly and positively influence customer satisfaction/delight experiences, whereas customer satisfaction/delight experiences significantly and positively influence their BIs.Research limitations/implicationsThe model tested confirms the hypothesised relationships between PESDS, perceived value, customer satisfaction/delight experiences and BIs of cell phone network customers. Customer satisfaction/delight experiences are linked to their two antecedents (PESDS and value) and their outcome, BI.Practical implicationsThe findings assist cell phone network service providers in understanding how PESDS and value can foster customer delight, ultimately leading to positive BIs from customers.Originality/valueThis study focuses only on satisfied customers and determines the interrelationships of the extent to which they encounter customer satisfaction/delight experiences and related constructs. Few research studies, however, have examined how customer satisfaction/delight experiences relate to its antecedents and outcome.

Service Delivery Strategies for Alleviating Pandemic Suffering While Maintaining Profitability

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Omkar Palsule-Desai ◽  
Vikrant Vaze ◽  
Gang Li ◽  
Srinagesh Gavirneni
Keyword(s):  
Service Delivery ◽  
Service Provider ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Quantitative Model ◽  
Customer Segmentation ◽  
For Profit ◽  
Product Assortment ◽  
The Poor ◽  
Service Option ◽  
Delivery Strategies

The postpandemic world requires a renewed focus from service providers on ensuring that all customer segments receive the essential services (food, healthcare, housing, education, etc.) that they need. Philanthropic service providers are unable to cope with the increased demand caused by the social, economic, and operational challenges induced by the pandemic. For-profit service providers offering no-pay services to customers, allowing them to self-select a service option, is becoming a popular strategy in various settings. Obtaining insights into how to efficiently balance societal and financial goals is critical for a for-profit service provider. We develop and analyze a quantitative model of customer utilities, vertically differentiated product assortment, pricing, and market size to understand how service providers can effectively use customer segmentation and serve the poor in the lowest economic strata. We identify conditions under which designing the service delivery to be accessible to the poor can simultaneously benefit the for-profit service provider, customers, and the entire society. Interestingly, we observe that the increasing customer valuation of the no-pay option because of a superior quality service offered by a service provider need not benefit customers. Our work provides a framework to obtain operational, economic, and strategic insights into socially responsible service delivery strategies.

The Interplay of Agents in Improvising Telecommunication Infrastructures' Services to Rural Community of South Africa

2015 ◽  
pp. 208-225
Author(s):  
Sharol Mkhomazi
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Rural Communities ◽  
South African ◽  
Service Provider ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Telecommunication Network ◽  
Structuration Theory ◽  
Telecommunication Service ◽  
Network Service Provider

The deployment of telecommunication infrastructures is a challenge in many parts of South Africa particularly in the rural areas. The challenge has impact of communities' members as they do not have network coverage for Internet in some areas. The challenge gets worse with individual telecommunication service provider. Hence there is technological proposal for sharing of infrastructure by the service providers. However, the sharing of infrastructure is not as easy as notion by many individuals and groups institutions included. The article presents findings from a study on how a South African telecommunication network service provider could deploy shared infrastructures in the country's rural communities. The sharing of infrastructure is described by the structure and actions of agents within the infrastructure sharing process. Structuration theory was employed as a lens in the data analysis. The key findings include insufficient distribution of infrastructure, ownership responsibility, competitiveness, infrastructure deployment cost, and signification of regulation.

An analysis of the solar service provider industry in the Western Cape, South Africa

2014 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 70-80 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roman Votteler ◽  
Johan Hough ◽  
Chanel Venter
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Service Provider ◽  
Value Chain ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Renewable Energy Sources ◽  
Electricity Production ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Western Cape ◽  
Stakeholder Satisfaction

Scientists agree that rising electricity usage of the rapidly growing human race to improve its standard of living is negatively affecting the environment. To create a sustainable environment for future generations, renewable and environmentally friendly resources have to be exchanged for the present finite resources. In South Africa, coal plants are responsible for more than 90% of electricity production. This means that action has to be taken now to start a process of change to sustainable electricity resources.This paper focuses on the South African solar industry. Due to the high sun radiation levels, solar technology is one of the renewable energy sources with the greatest potential. The industry is in its infancy, characterised by accelerated growth expectancy and fuelled by factors such as government subsidies, the fluctuations of fossil fuel prices and the increasing focus on economical long-term sustainability. The expected growth necessitates a focus on the market positioning of solar service providers in the Western Cape, with the aim of taking full advantage of the opportunities associated with this industry.The main objective is to determine the current structure of the solar service provider value chain and subsequently areas of improvement to increase growth, stakeholder satisfaction and sustainability. A literature review was conducted to address the research objective, relevant approaches and the broader electricity industry. Porter’s Value Chain approach was used as a foundation for the adaptation to the solar service provider value chain. Porter’s Five Forces model was also used as a secondary approach, which analysed the competitive environment of the solar service provider industry in the Western Cape. The methodology entailed a qualitative research approach in the form of semi-structured interviews. All respondents were general managers or owners of a solar service provider, who were interviewed face to face. The research focused on the entire population of solar service providers in the Western Cape. Seventy-seven different service providers were targeted, of which 18 were interviewed. The interviews were transcribed and analysed using content and frequency analysis. To guarantee reliability, a pilot study was conducted to ensure that the respondents understood the questionnaire. The findings show that customer service is the foremost value driver for solar service providers. This entails the actual installation of the product as well as the people skills of the installation team. As most customers only have to be served once due to the long life span of the products, marketing also plays an obvious role in attracting new customers. The most important outcome of this paper is the determination and a better understanding of the solar service provider value chain in South Africa. The recommendations, especially with regard to marketing and service elements, could improve the performance of solar service providers. The consequence could be an increase in stakeholder satisfaction and an enhanced usage of solar energy in South Africa. Future research should focus on customers to reveal preferences and opportunities for marketing approaches.

Aggression at the service delivery interface: Do you see what I see?

2008 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 180-192 ◽  
Author(s):  
Loraleigh Keashly ◽  
Joel H Neuman
Keyword(s):  
Service Delivery ◽  
Service Provider ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Temporal Dynamics ◽  
Healthcare Services ◽  
Department Of Veterans Affairs ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Research Attention ◽  
Us Military

AbstractAggression at the service delivery interface (the point of contact between service provider and service recipient) has become a focus of much recent research attention. However, much of what we know is based on cross-sectional survey data – which tells us little about the underlying dynamics within specific aggressive incidents. Further, these data are often collected from the perspective of the service provider alone. For this study, we focused on specific hostile interactions during the delivery of healthcare services and gathered data from the perspectives of service providers and service recipients. Drawing on interviews with US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) staff and US military veterans, we categorised and compared each party's attributions for the initiation of hostile (unpleasant) encounters. We found that staff and veterans had different perspectives on the nature of precipitating factors and that the initial attribution for the event was linked to differences in subsequent responding. These findings are discussed in terms of their insight into the temporal dynamics of aggressive events and their implications for the prevention and management of hostility at the service delivery interface.

scholarly journals Using an adaptive, codesign approach to strengthen clinic-level immunisation services in Khayelitsha, Western Cape Province, South Africa

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. e004004
Author(s):  
Andrea Timothy ◽  
David Coetzee ◽  
Christopher Morgan ◽  
Margaret Kelaher ◽  
Ross Stewart Bailie ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Service Delivery ◽  
Service Provider ◽  
Parent Engagement ◽  
Assessment Process ◽  
Western Cape ◽  
Western Cape Province ◽  
Childhood Immunisation ◽  
Short Period ◽  
Immunisation Service

IntroductionOptimal immunisation programme service delivery and childhood vaccine coverage remains an ongoing challenge in South Africa. Previous health systems approaches have made recommendations on how to address identified barriers but detailed local implementation studies are lacking. This study aimed to improve immunisation service delivery in children under 24 months in Khayelitsha, Western Cape Province using an adaptive, co-design approach to assess and improve childhood immunisation service delivery at the clinic level.MethodsA rapid, adaptive approach to identification of barriers and assessment of current childhood immunisation service delivery was developed with three clinics in Khayelitsha, Western Cape Province. This informed a short co-design process with key stakeholders and service providers to develop local interventions targeted at high priority barriers. Interventions were implemented for 4–6 months and evaluated using theory-based evaluation tools. Clinic service delivery, satisfaction and changes to clinic processes and parent engagement and knowledge were measured.ResultsInterventions developed included weekly community immunisation education radio sessions, daily clinic health talks, immunisation education and promotion materials and service provider and parent quality checklists. Evaluation post-intervention showed improvement in parents’/guardians’ knowledge about immunisation, parent engagement and service provider commitment to improvement in service quality. Radio sessions and immunisation education and communication materials were deemed most useful by parents and providers.ConclusionImmunisation service delivery can be strengthened using an adaptive, clinic-led assessment process which can effectively identify barriers, inform co-designed interventions and be evaluated over a short period. This approach provides a framework to guide future local participatory action research to more effectively improve childhood immunisation service delivery and other child health services in under-resourced settings.

scholarly journals Courier Services in India: Concerns for Effective Service Delivery

2007 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 83-90
Author(s):  
Sandhya Anvekar
Keyword(s):  
Service Delivery ◽  
Service Provider ◽  
Critical Incidents ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Service Failure ◽  
Courier Service ◽  
Front Stage ◽  
Effective Service ◽  
Insight Into ◽  
Efficient Distribution

The courier industry in India is like a vital link of communication between persons and corporations meant for individual and industrial benefits. It is an industry worth Rs. 50 billions and is on steady pace of development. More than 2300 courier companies operating in India, it is a challenge for the service provider of courier services to be unique, competent and provide effective service delivery. An insight into the crucial and critical incidents of service failure and strategizing by closing these failures will ensure effective service deliveries by the courier service providers. A trained and skilled front stage personnel, committed delivery boys/runners and efficient distribution networking can enable the courier service operators to provide failure free effective service delivery.

Aggression at the service delivery interface: Do you see what I see?

2008 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 180-192 ◽  
Author(s):  
Loraleigh Keashly ◽  
Joel H Neuman
Keyword(s):  
Service Delivery ◽  
Service Provider ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Temporal Dynamics ◽  
Healthcare Services ◽  
Department Of Veterans Affairs ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Research Attention ◽  
Us Military

AbstractAggression at the service delivery interface (the point of contact between service provider and service recipient) has become a focus of much recent research attention. However, much of what we know is based on cross-sectional survey data – which tells us little about the underlying dynamics within specific aggressive incidents. Further, these data are often collected from the perspective of the service provider alone. For this study, we focused on specific hostile interactions during the delivery of healthcare services and gathered data from the perspectives of service providers and service recipients. Drawing on interviews with US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) staff and US military veterans, we categorised and compared each party's attributions for the initiation of hostile (unpleasant) encounters. We found that staff and veterans had different perspectives on the nature of precipitating factors and that the initial attribution for the event was linked to differences in subsequent responding. These findings are discussed in terms of their insight into the temporal dynamics of aggressive events and their implications for the prevention and management of hostility at the service delivery interface.

Implications of customer participation in outsourcing non-core services to third parties

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kaat De Pourcq ◽  
Katrien Verleye ◽  
Bart Larivière ◽  
Jeroen Trybou ◽  
Paul Gemmel
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Service Delivery ◽  
Waiting Time ◽  
Service Provider ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Third Parties ◽  
Third Party ◽  
Customer Participation ◽  
Process Data ◽  
Content Type

PurposeFocal service providers increasingly involve customers in the decision-making about outsourcing parts of the service delivery process to third parties. The present study investigates how customers' outsourcing decisions affect the formation of the waiting experience with the focal service provider, by which the objective waiting time, environmental quality and interactional quality act as focal drivers.Design/methodology/approachTo test our hypotheses in the context of cancer care, we gathered process data and experience data by means of a patient observation template (n = 640) and a patient survey (n = 487). The combined data (n = 377) were analyzed using Bayesian models.FindingsThis study shows that opting for a service triad (i.e. outsourcing non-core services to a third party) deduces customers' attention away from the objective waiting time with the focal service provider but not from the environmental and interactional quality offered by the focal service provider. When the type of service triad coordination is considered, we observe similar effects for a focal service provider-coordinated service triad while in a customer-coordinated service triad the interactional quality is the sole experience driver of waiting experiences that remains significant.Originality/valueBy investigating the implications of customer participation in the decision-making about outsourcing parts of the service delivery process to third parties, this research contributes to the service design, service triad and service operations literature. Specifically, this study shows that customer outsourcing decisions impact waiting experience formation with the focal service provider.

scholarly journals Rural realities in service provision for substance abuse: a qualitative study in uMkhanyakude district, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

2017 ◽  
Vol 59 (3) ◽  
pp. 55
Author(s):  
D M Mpanza ◽  
P Govender
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
South Africa ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Substance Abuse ◽  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Service Delivery ◽  
Mental Health Care ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Monitoring And Evaluation ◽  
Kwazulu Natal

Background: Substance abuse is recognised as a worldwide concern, contributing significantly to morbidity and mortality in South Africa. There is minimal research that has considered influences in mental health care service delivery in rural and disadvantaged communities in South Africa. Methods: A qualitative study with substance abuse service providers in uMkhanyakude rural district of KwaZulu-Natal was undertaken to gain insight into the experiences and challenges in service delivery. Focus groups and semi-structured interviews were conducted with various stakeholders (n = 29) in the rural district. Results: The findings of the study suggest that service providers experience challenges in service delivery in this rural area. The effects of culture (amarula festival and ancestral worship) exacerbate the use of substances; the high rate of unemployment and poverty lead to the produce of home-brewed substances for sustainable living; a lack of resources poses threats to service delivery; the poor prioritisation of mental health care services and a lack of monitoring and evaluation of services in the district were highlighted. Conclusions: Despite this being a single district study, findings reflect the need for a district, provincial and national standard for substance abuse rehabilitation services in addition to the improvement of monitoring and evaluation for quality improvement. There is also a need to respond to the gaps that exist in after-care and community-based or decentralised substance abuse services that are essential in such areas, which are under-resourced despite the high prevalence of substance users. (Full text of the research articles are available online at www.medpharm.tandfonline.com/ojfp) S Afr Fam Pract 2017; DOI: 10.1080/20786190.2016.1272232

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