The importance and need for customer care is recognized in both the public and private sector. Policy documents such as Batho Pele (White Paper on Transforming Public Service Delivery 1997) have captured this. Hence citizens should be treated as customers. Each of the eight Batho Pele principles reinforces and encourages the perception of the end-users of public services as customers, rather than simply as citizens (Batho Pele Handbook, 1997:26). The Eastern Cape Department of Basic Education has experienced challenges which include the malfunctioning of the school nutrition programme, unpaid service providers and unpaid benefits to its employees. These challenges highlight the need for customer care in the provision of these services. This study evaluated the role of the Customer Care Unit in the Department of Basic Education in the Eastern Cape. Interviews and complaints data base were used in the data collection process. The study found that factors influencing the functioning of the Customer Care Unit include, among others, limited collaboration between the Customer Care Unit and the Head Office of the Eastern Cape Department of Basic Education; limited awareness of the existence of the Customer Care Unit; and a shortage of staff and financial resources. The study recommends that Management should support the Unit by, among others, appointing and training adequate staff, raising awareness regarding the Unit and providing financial, technological and physical resources for the Unit.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:nmmu/vital:8296 |
| Date | January 2012 |
| Creators | Mkutukana, Babalwa |
| Publisher | Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, Faculty of Arts |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis, Masters, MPA |
| Format | xi, 129 leaves, pdf |
| Rights | Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University |
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