Assessment of Service Quality Improvement Alternative Decision

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Date

2018-06-15

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Publisher

Addis Ababa University

Abstract

Service quality is the ability of the organization to meet or exceed customer expectations. It is the difference between customer expectations of service and perceived service. If the service provider meets or exceeds customer expectation then customer satisfaction occurs. To insure the customer satisfaction, customer service plays vital role. Customer service is the interaction between the customer and service provider. Quality customer service entails providing efficient, quick and friendly service, handling complaints quickly and responding to customers' issues on time. EEU failed to meet its customer expectation, especially in its technical service (operation & maintenance) mainly unplanned service outage, new power connection and customer service. Leaving aside power shortage, technological and financial constraints dissatisfaction occurred due to lack of accountability & responsibility, poor monitoring & controlling mechanism, high bureaucracy, no transparency, and lack of motivation from its employees. EEU has outsourced (contracted out) it bill collection to private sector (Kifeya Lehulu) since two years back. Bill collection service have got a moderate satisfaction level from previous poor satisfaction level. This study shows EEU’s technical service (operation and maintenance) quality of service delivery can be enhanced by outsourcing this scope to the private sector. MCDM AHP & TOPSIS tools used to analyses sector expert’s judgements or opinion (primary and secondary data) & case observation were used to ensure the current service quality. From sector performance indicators (KPI), kept four criteria which are customer service, unplanned outages, safety & employees commitments. Weights of this criteria’s using AHP tools for better service delivery at EEU found unplanned service outages (34.63%), customer service (27.48%), employees commitments (20.64%) & safety (17.24) Result of preference from in-house and outsourcing service delivery by AHP & TOPSIS analysis gives 70% & 86.67% respectively, which indicates that EEU’s technical service (operational & maintenance), service quality level can be enhanced compared from current EEU’s current in-house operation. Finally recommendation is forwarded to deliver standard electricity utility service by contracting out the operation & maintenance in order to place EEU in competitive environment and effectiveness.

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Keywords

Service quality, customer service & satisfaction, outsourcing, AHP, TOPSIS

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