| Abstract: |
Customer satisfaction is very important for every organisation, especially those in
service industries where customers interact continuously with service providers.
This study examined customer relations practices and customer satisfaction among
Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) customers in Ebonyi State,
Nigeria. The study was guided by four objectives, which examined customers'
perceptions of EEDC's customer relations practices, the relationship between such
practices and customer loyalty and cooperation, customers' perceptions of service
delivery, and the effect of customer relations practices on the corporate image of
EEDC. The study was anchored on the Excellence Theory. A descriptive survey
research design was adopted. The population of the study comprised 55,230 EEDC
customers across thirteen service centers in Ebonyi State. A sample size of 382
respondents was determined, while a multistage sampling procedure involving
stratification, proportional allocation, simple random sampling and purposive
sampling was used to select respondents. A structured questionnaire was used for
data collection. Of the 382 copies of the questionnaire distributed, 365 were properly
completed and retrieved, representing a 95.5% response rate. The data were
analysed using frequency distributions and percentages. The findings showed that
customers generally perceived EEDC's customer relations practices as inadequate,
particularly in the areas of proactive communication, responsiveness to customer
concerns and interaction with customers. The findings also indicated weak customer
satisfaction and cooperation in some areas, although some positive perceptions were
observed regarding the protection of EEDC property and aspects of service delivery.
Customers also expressed concerns about prepaid-meter accessibility, electricity
billing, electricity supply and the responsiveness of EEDC to service-related
complaints. Furthermore, the findings suggested that customer relations practices
had not substantially improved customers' perceptions of EEDC's corporate image.
The study concluded that EEDC needs to strengthen its customer relations practices
by adopting more responsive, interactive and customer-oriented communication
strategies. The study recommended, among others, that EEDC should strengthen
two-way communication with customers, improve its complaint-resolution
mechanisms, provide timely and accurate information about service interruptions,
improve service delivery, and ensure greater transparency in billing and metering. |
