Thesis (M.B.A.: Business Studies Unit)-Durban University of Technology, 2007. 127 leaves / Retailing no longer involves just growth or expansion into new product, consumer segments or geographic areas. Organisations are now learning to shift their emphasis to managing under conditions of modest, zero or for some organisations, under negative growth. This is to a large extend has been the result of changing consumer behaviour, the emergence of new competitors, global economic recession, and rapid technological advances in the retailing industries. These pressures of business today make many people think that the only thing that counts is financial success, i.e. being the investor of choice. In successful organisations everyone's energy is focused on the "Triple bottom line" as the target. That is, if the organisation has been built the right way, it will be the Provider of Choice, Employer of Choice, and Investor of Choice. The leaders of these organisations believe that people, their customers and business partners are as important as their bottom line. These companies realise that profit is the applause you get for taking care of your customers and creating a motivated environment for your people. Despite its importance, this topic has been given little attention in the academic literature. In the case of retailing, services are designed more to augment the core offering or add value rather than represent the core offering itself? The limited and fragmented research on retail services focuses on specific areas such as quality issues and store image. Thus given this void in the literature, the bases of the study would be to approach retail services as a strategic perspective by focusing on the service orientation of a retailer's business strategy. If a retailer decides to strategically augment its products with services, it is essential that the retailer make this change systematically with a long-term orientation. The study would involve examining one level of service orientation, i.e. individual level. In this research stream, a service orientation is treated as a personality measure whereby certain people are more service orientated than others.

The service industry has been growing fast as national economies grew therefore becoming a major contributor to national gross domestic products (GDP). This growth in the services sector has led to questions around the issue of service quality. The aim of this study was to identify the determinants of service, assess the level of service quality in commercial real estate leasing and identify possible quality improvement measures. In carrying out the study, the service quality model developed by Parasuraman, Zeithaml and Berry (1988:14), SERVQUAL, was used. The study was based on the leasing services of the broking department of one of the leading commercial real estate companies operating in Durban. The study was restricted to the Durban market. A non-probabilistic sample of 120 customers was drawn from a list of lease transactions concluded in the last one year. From this sample, 84 questionnaires were successfully completed either by way of a face to face interview or by telephone, showing a response rate of 70 percent. Data was collected using a questionnaire based on the SERVQUAL model and adjusted by the researcher in order to be relevant to the commercial real estate industry. The questionnaire comprised two sections each with 22 questions divided into the five determinants of service quality, which are service tangibles, reliability, responsiveness, assurance and empathy. The first section of 22 questions was on customer expectations of service while the second section of 22 questions was on customer perceptions of service quality received and factor rating at the end. Factor analysis of survey response data was used to analyze the data and draw conclusions. The study findings are that commercial real estate service quality determinants match those in other industries except for rank and order. In general, service quality was found to be below customer expectations and commercial real estate firms need to work on ways to improve it. The study is limited to the specific settings of customers of property brokers in the Durban commercial real estate market. It is uncertain as to whether the findings can be generalized to other areas. / Thesis (MBA)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville, 2010.

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Competition in the long-term insurance industry is intense and is increasing. This market is highly sophisticated and competitive and has developed substantially over the last few years with increasing integration into the world economy. Many companies have come to a crossroad as far as expansion of their market share is concerned. They have to operate in this highly competitive market and are under increasing pressure from legislation. New customers are in a short supply and competition is fierce. These facts are forcing companies to look at alternative ways of increasing their market share, especially through projects that try to maximise the value of existing clients. This paper looks intrinsically at information quality and how it coincides with customer relationship management projects for it to be effective and to give companies a competitive advantage. Through qualitative exploratory methods I was able to get a clear picture of how one of South Africa's biggest insurance companies tries to increase its market share in such a saturated market using information about their customers to gain competitive advantage. I first develop a thorough theoretical background on the terrain of information quality and how it relates to customer information management, which in turn has a great impact and forms the foundation of customer relationship management. Then, I explain how the company sees customer relationship management and how customer information management and information quality playa role in this view. Finally, I look at practical examples of quality information management at work within a framework of customer relationship management. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Kompetisie in die langtermyn versekerings-bedryf is intens. Die mark is hoogs gesofistikeerd en kompeterend en het substansieel ontwikkel in die afgelope paar jaar met 'n verhoogde integrasie in die wêreld-mark. Vele maatskappye bevind hulself tans by 'n kruispad- met betrekking tot die uitbreiding van hulle aandeel in die mark. Besigheid moet gedoen word in 'n baie kompeterende mark en dan is daar ook die ewig toenemende druk wat toegepas word met betrekking tot wetlikheid en konformiteit. Dit, tesame met die feit dat kliënte al hoe minder raak, dwing maatskappye om na alternatiewe maniere te kyk om verdienstes op te stoot, en spesifiek deur projekte wat probeer om die waarde van bestaande kliënte te verhoog. Die werkstuk kyk spesifiek na informasie-kwaliteit en hoe dit verband hou met kliënte verhoudingsbestuur projekte om dit effektief te maak. Daar word ook gekyk na hoe dit die maatskappy 'n kompeterende voordeel gee. Deur kwalitatiewe ondersoekende metodes kon ek 'n helder beeld kry van hoe een van Suid Afrika se versekerings-maatskappye probeer om verdienstes te verhoog in so 'n versadigde mark deur gebruik te maak van informasie oor hulle kliente om 'n kompeterende voordeel te verkry. Eerstens ontwikkel ek 'n deeglike teoretiese agtergrond oor die gebied van informasie kwaliteit, en hoe dit verband hou met kliënte informasie-bestuur, wat op sy beurt weer 'n groot impak het en die grondslag vorm van kliënte verhoudingsbestuur. Tweedens verduidelik ek hoe die maatskappy kliënte verhoudingsbestuur sien en hoe kliënte informasie bestuur en informasie-kwaliteit 'n rol speel in die siening. Laastens kyk ek na praktiese voorbeelde van kwaliteit informasie-bestuur en die impak wat dit het op kliënte verhoudingsbestuur.

Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Technology: Hospitality and Tourism Management, Durban University of Technology, 2017. / The purpose of this research study was to investigate the influence of service quality on the post-dining behavioural intentions of customers in a fine dining setting. The National Restaurant Association (2014 as cited in Ruggless 2014: 20 stated that the fine dining restaurant segment is constantly losing out on the restaurant industry market share. In order to remain competitive, restaurants need to tender service that meets the expectations of customers, as perceived service quality affects post-dining behavioural intentions (Prayag, Khoo-Lattimore and Sitruk 2015: 27). In an attempt to devise strategies to rescue the sinking fine dining restaurant segment, this research study developed a conceptual framework model and tested its paths through path analysis, using structural equation modelling. The research study modified a DINESERV scale to obtain primary data from respondents. The modified DINESERV attained a high reliability and validity score. It was further subjected to confirmatory factor analyses and all the KMO and Bartlett’s requirements for factor analysis were satisfied. Data was collected by means of self-administered questionnaires at Cargo Hold restaurant after agreement was reached with the management team. The convenience sampling method of data collection was applied. Diners were only given the questionnaire upon receipt of their consent to participate in this study. A total of 400 survey questionnaires were distributed. However, only 361 were deemed suitable for analysis. These 361 usable survey questionnaires represent a 90.25% response rate for this research study. Hypotheses were tested on a hybrid of structural equation modelling path analysis and Spearman’s correlation coefficients. The results showed a positive correlation between service quality and behavioural intentions, with customer satisfaction indirectly exerting a significant effect between these constructs. The research study concludes with implications and direction for future research. / M

The purpose of the study is to evaluate the service quality that the SANBS provides to its customers, by measuring customers’ perceptions and their expectations of service quality provided by the supplier of blood transfusion services. The organization that is used for this study is the South African National Blood Service (SANBS). Specifically the study seeks to: 1. Determine the extent to which customers are satisfied or not satisfied with the service they receive from the SANBS using the ten-dimensional format of SERVQUAL model, modified to the specific service quality requirements of the blood transfusion service industry. 2. Establish customers’ perceptions of the service they receive using a multiple-item scale (SERVQUAL) for measuring consumer perceptions of service quality. 3. Establish customers’ expectations of the service, and compare them to their perceptions of the service they currently receive. The comparison is made along each service quality dimension, across different parts of same service on a geographical basis, and across different customer groups on a customer category (or type) basis. 4. Recommend implementation of appropriate service quality performance improvement procedures where necessary. Study design and methods: The data for the study came from the SANBS’ customer perception and expectation survey conducted in 2005. Questionnaires were sent out to hospitals that use products and services provided by the SANBS in the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal Provinces of South Africa. The questionnaire was based on the multiple-item SERVQUAL model for measuring consumer perceptions of service quality, modified and tailored to specific service quality requirements of the blood transfusion service industry. Questionnaires were sent out to 113 (69.3%) hospitals out of a total of 163 blood-utilizing hospitals in the two provinces. Of the 113 hospitals, 92 (81.4%) responded, with questionnaires rendered unusable. The final sample size is 88 and is included in the final study database. The data is analyzed by comparing different parts of the service on a geographical basis namely KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape zones. The data is also analyzed by comparing different customer groups namely the Rural State Hospitals, the Urban State Hospitals and Private Hospitals. Results: The result confirms the research (alternative) hypothesis (H1 : μ1 ≠ μ2), and rejects Ho. The overall expectations ratings are higher than the perceptions ratings, and the KwaZulu-Natal expectations ratings are higher than the Eastern Cape ratings. The expectations of private hospitals and rural state hospitals have a higher rating than that of urban state hospitals and the perceptions of private and urban state hospitals have a higher rating than that of rural state hospitals. The largest service quality gap is the accessibility dimension which relates specifically to approachability and ease with which customers can access staff at different levels of the organization by e-mail, and includes accessing of knowledgeable blood bank personnel and medical staff of SANBS, but may also relate to the distance of hospitals from the nearest blood bank, all of which are situated in urban state hospitals. The mean difference for accessibility is the highest followed by the understanding customer mean difference. The mean differences for the other dimension categories are significantly less than that of the largest two dimensions, but not significantly different amongst themselves. The mean difference for rural state hospitals is the largest followed by private hospitals and urban state hospitals. The mean difference for rural state hospitals is greater than that for urban state hospitals in both zones, but the mean difference for private hospitals is greater in KwaZulu-Natal than in the Eastern Cape. The dimension means of differences for rural state hospitals are greater than that for urban state hospitals. According to the correlations between expectations and perceptions for different dimensions, there is a weak or no linear relationship between expectations and perceptions. Conclusion: This empirical study supports the literature on the provision of service quality, and concludes that there is a statistically significant difference or gap between the services offered by the SANBS as perceived by its customers, and the expectations of its customers. The study substantiates the need for management of blood transfusion services to take into account customer perceptions of service quality and their expectations, and upon identification of gaps, to implement appropriate service quality improvement processes, rather than take a one sided view of their (SANBS’) own perception of service quality.

The increasingly competitive business environment has influenced contemporary organisations to build mutual beneficial relationships with their customers indicating a paradigm shift from transactional marketing. In order to compete in this intense competitive environment, organisations are creating competitive advantage over their rivals through service quality that will influence customer satisfaction which subsequently leads to customer loyalty. Service quality has been found to be the key strategy of success and survival for most organisations like retail supermarkets who want to win the loyalty of their customers because of its positive effect on customer satisfaction. The purpose of this research was to determine the relationship between service quality, customer satisfaction and customer loyalty in the retail supermarket industry. An empirical study was conducted in Grahamstown between two main supermarkets through a survey that determined customers’ perceptions on service quality, customer satisfaction and customer loyalty respectively. The empirical findings of this research study revealed that moderate to strong positive linear relationships exists between the dimensions of service quality (namely physical aspects, reliability, personal interaction, problem solving and policy) and customer satisfaction at the 5% level of significance. Furthermore, this study showed that dimensions of service quality (namely physical aspects, reliability, personal interaction and problem solving) have weak negative linear relationships with price sensitivity dimension of customer loyalty. The study further showed that the dimensions of service quality (namely physical aspects, reliability, personal interaction, problem solving and policy) have weak to moderate positive linear relationships with the purchase intentions dimension of customer loyalty. In addition, all the dimensions of service quality (namely physical aspects, reliability, personal interaction, problem solving and policy) showed moderate positive linear relationships with word of mouth communication dimension of customer loyalty. A weak negative linear relationship between price sensitivity dimension of customer loyalty and customer satisfaction was revealed in this study. Purchase intentions dimension of customer loyalty was also found to have a moderate positive linear relationship with customer satisfaction. In addition, word of mouth communication dimension of customer loyalty showed a strong positive linear relationship with customer satisfaction. There is sufficient evidence that the customers of the two supermarkets in this study have different perceptions on problem solving dimension of service quality. This study further provides sufficient evidence of the significant difference between gender on the levels of customer satisfaction. In addition, this study showed that customers of various levels of education and occupations differ in price sensitivity dimension of customer loyalty. The average scores for word of mouth communication, purchase intentions and price sensitivity dimensions of customer loyalty were found to be significantly different between the two supermarkets investigated in this study. Therefore, for supermarkets to compete effectively in the intense retail supermarket industry in South Africa they have to manage their service quality dimensions so as to influence customer satisfaction and customer loyalty respectively.

The banking sector plays an important role in the economy of any country across the world. The recent financial crisis shows how much of the world’s economy is influenced by the banking sector. There are different roles that banks play in contributing to the operation and growth of an economy. Their role spreads from that of intermediary to that of provider of payment clearing services. Banks are an important and integral part of any economy. According to a study by Greenberg & Simbanegavi (2009), the South African banking sector is fertile ground for high levels of competition amongst its players. This competition is important for the proper working of the modern economy. According to Van Leuvensteijn et al. (2008), because banks act as the main vehicle for monetary policy, reduced competition in the banking sector can hinder the efficiency of monetary policy. As a result of the competition in the banking sector, customer retention is a key component of banks’ strategies in today’s market. The main aim of the study was to investigate factors affecting customer retention at Nedbank South Africa. The study focused on the institutional causes of bank customer defection and sought to investigate the effects of three factors (Customer service quality, Satisfaction with product, and Switching costs) on Customer Retention. This study showed the importance of customer retention and more importantly how the mentioned three factors affect customer retention at Nedbank South Africa. One of the highlights that came out of this research was that 50 perscent of the respondents were either considering closing their account or were likely to close their account within the next 12 months. In conclusion, these three factors were found to be important in the customer retention strategy of the bank. Recommendations were presented by the author on how to integrate the factors into a retention framework that can contribute to the profitability of the bank. Areas of future research that can be helpful to the bank were also highlighted by the author.

This project will create strategic tools for the Credit Union and CUSO to use in order to best create a more symbiotic relationship between the two entities.

Thesis (M. Tech.(Tourism and Hospitality Management)) -- Central university of Technology, Free State, 2010 / Globally, tourism is increasingly referred to as the world's biggest industry. As tourism increases so the consumer’s demand for quality in all its related products and services increase. Superior customer service can therefore be viewed as one of the most effective strategies to create a sustainable competitive advantage. The delivery of excellent service is crucial if a tourism destination such as the Sol Plaatje Municipal Area in the Northern Cape, South Africa, is to enhance its visitors’ experience and ensure their extended stay. One of the key constraints to tourism growth that has been identified is the lack of product and service quality. The primary goal of the study therefore was to investigate the perceptions of tourists on the quality of tourism service in the Sol Plaatje Area. Another primary goal was to determine the quality of service by conducting unstructured interviews with role-players in the local tourism industry. Secondary objectives were set, namely to determine the service needs of foreign and domestic tourists, and to make recommendations and suggestions to increase service quality in the Sol Plaatje Area. A questionnaire was used as a measuring instrument and distributed to domestic and foreign tourists. Three sampling points were selected to conduct the survey (250 questionnaires), namely the departure hall of Kimberley Airport, the Big Hole and the McGregor Museum. Results indicated that although the majority of tourists (83.4% of domestic and 93.8% of foreign respondents) were generally satisfied with the service they received and would promote the Sol Plaatje Municipal Area as a tourist destination, a large number of respondents (32.1%) rated their satisfaction with service delivery as average to poor. This is an indication that improvement is needed in the delivery of quality service. Unstructured interviews (conducted by the researcher) with 20 major role-players in the local tourism industry indicated that the majority (60%) perceived the service delivery in the Sol Plaatje Municipal Area as average to poor and not exceeding the expectations of tourists. Overall, the results indicated the need for the Sol Plaatje Municipal Area to improve its tourism service delivery in order to exceed tourist expectations and compete with other destinations locally and abroad. The findings of this study contribute valuable information and insights into the quality of service delivery in the Sol Plaatje Municipal Area. It will therefore be beneficial to all tourism stakeholders to provide visitors with the best service experience in the Sol Plaatje Municipal Area.

This study examines customer service in selected restaurants in the Tshwane area. It is aimed at establishing criteria for excellent customer service in restaurants, which can serve as the basis for building good relationships with customers. An extensive literature study was undertaken and aspects that were discussed in the secondary research include the various components of customer service, as well as the marketing environment of restaurants in South Africa and the Tshwane Area. An empirical study was conducted to namely to investigate customer service in selected restaurants in the Tshwane Area, with the aim to establish criteria for excellent customer service as a benchmark for establishing relationships with customers, by means of an exploratory study. A self-administered survey was conducted whereby questionnaires were handed to restaurant patrons with the restaurant bill folder. Based on the research results, criteria were developed for excellent customer service which can be used as a benchmark for establishing relationships with customers, by providing customer satisfaction, which leads to customer retention, loyalty and ultimately profitability for an organisation. / Business Management / M. Com. (Business Management)