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Customer service quality is still a major problem in Zimbabwe’s telecommunications sector. This study aimed to develop a framework to improve customer service in the sector. It focused on how network reliability, how quickly complaints are resolved, staff skills and empathy, and customer involvement in service improvement affect customer satisfaction. Customers often face network failures, slow responses to complaints, and poor communication with service providers. These problems reduce customer satisfaction.: The study used data collected in Manicaland Province, Zimbabwe. A convergent parallel mixed-methods approach was used. Quantitative data were collected from a random sample of 220 customers, while qualitative data were collected from 13 purposively selected participants, including managers and frontline customer service staff. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS AMOS version 23 and thematic analysis. The results showed that network reliability had a strong and positive effect on customer satisfaction. Staff competence and empathy also had a significant positive effect on customer satisfaction, showing that skilled, respectful, and caring staff improve customers’ experiences. In contrast, complaint-resolution efficiency did not have a significant effect on customer satisfaction. The analysis further showed that value co-creation partially mediated the relationship between network reliability and customer satisfaction, as well as between staff competence and customer satisfaction. The study recommended that regulators such as Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ) enforce service quality standards, and that policymakers support digital inclusion and innovation. The study contributes that customer satisfaction can be improved by upgrading network infrastructure, providing ongoing staff training, empowering frontline employees, and creating formal ways to engage customers.

In the competitive business environment, organisations are increasingly adopting Customer Relationship Management (CRM) strategies to strengthen customer retention and improve service delivery. This study explored CRM as a strategic tool for customer retention at a selected Information Communication Technology (ICT) company based in Johannesburg, South Africa. A quantitative research approach was employed, targeting 121 employees across sales, marketing, business development, logistics, and finance departments. These employees were selected due to their direct engagement with customers. Data were collected through structured online questionnaires and analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26. Descriptive and inferential statistical techniques, including Pearson’s correlation and regression analysis, were applied to evaluate the relationship between CRM and customer retention. The findings revealed a moderate but significant positive correlation between CRM and customer retention, indicating that strategic CRM practices contribute to stronger customer loyalty. The research concludes that CRM is a critical organisational strategy that can enhance customer retention if properly integrated and supported across business functions. It recommends further investment in CRM systems, employee training, and customer engagement initiatives to sustain competitive advantage and long-term growth.

In the modern dynamic higher education landscape, the efficiency and effectiveness of frontline services have a significant impact on the student experience. Understanding first-time entry students' perspectives is critical in South African universities, where diverse challenges and opportunities intersect. These students begin their academic journey with a mixture of anticipation, expectations, and uncertainties, making their insights invaluable in assessing the efficiency of frontline services. By comprehending the perspectives of FTENs this paper seeks to uncover opportunities for improving frontline service delivery, enhancing student satisfaction, and fostering a supportive environment conducive to academic success. By addressing this research question: what insights and implications can be deduced regarding frontline service efficiency in the context of a South African university through an examination of FTENs experiences? Through a pluralistic research approach incorporating both qualitative and quantitative inquiry, employment of questionnaires and thematic content analysis, the study illuminates the nuanced challenges experienced by FTENs. The findings underscore a mixture of positive and negative implications, highlighting both strengths and areas for improvement within the institution's service delivery framework. On one hand, a majority of participants reported positive service experiences, emphasizing the helpfulness, patience, and professionalism of the front-line administrative staff. The study also uncovered significant challenges faced by some students, including delayed responses, perceived staff frustration, and concerns regarding fairness and inclusivity. This research contributes to advancing a deeper understanding of the intricate interplay between FTENs’ experiences and the institution’s effectiveness.

This research investigates consumer perceptions of retail service quality at a particular supermarket chain located in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It expands upon the SERVQUAL paradigm to examine the determinants influencing consumer happiness and loyalty within the supermarket scenario. The study utilised a quantitative research design to gather data from 400 customers at four supermarket sites in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were employed to assess the dimensionality, reliability, and validity of variables evaluating retail service quality. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was utilised to examine the interrelations among these constructs. The study examined the impact of interpersonal interactions, loyalty, customer satisfaction, physical attributes, policies, and reliability on customer views. The results demonstrate that clients uphold favourable attitudes regarding all dimensions of service quality, with personal interaction, loyalty, and customer satisfaction being especially significant. The study establishes a substantial positive correlation among policy, physical attributes, interpersonal contacts, and customer happiness. Nonetheless, it fails to establish a substantial correlation between reliability and consumer pleasure. The study emphasises the significant impact of customer happiness on perceived loyalty. The study contributes by adapting and validating the SERVQUAL paradigm for the context of grocery chains. It provides pragmatic insights for service businesses seeking to improve customer experiences and cultivate loyalty.

Loyalty Programs (LPs) aim to increase profit by rewarding, with various benefits, customers who patronize the retailer. This study investigated the benefits LPs provide in the South African Fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) marketplace and how these influence relationship quality and loyalty between retailer and customer. How the perceived benefits of LPs contribute to relationship quality (satisfaction, trust and commitment), and how they lead to loyalty are examined. To illustrate these relationships, a model showing three independent (perceived benefits, namely altruistic, consumeristic, and egoistic) and three dependent variables (relationship quality, namely trust, satisfaction, and commitment), plus customer loyalty, was developed. A quantitative survey was administered electronically over 11 days to a randomly selected sample of 5000 consumers per day from a commercial database, resulting in 1944 responses. After the deletion of incomplete or inappropriate responses, 479 usable replies remained. Since this sample was self-selected, it should be considered a convenience sample. Structural equation modelling (SEM) with confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was applied to test the hypotheses and develop the model. SEM indicated that respondents consider egoistic and consumeristic benefits as the same. Furthermore, trust and satisfaction manifest as a single construct. Both consumeristic and altruistic benefits had a significant positive relationship with this unified construct of trust/satisfaction, and the relationship between altruistic benefits and commitment was also positive and significant. Finally, although neither altruistic nor consumeristic benefits appeared to contribute directly to loyalty, a positive relationship existed between the new construct of trust/satisfaction and those of commitment and loyalty. The pathway to loyalty is indirect, and to reach this sought-after goal, relationship quality constructs must first be achieved.

The high student attrition at the masters' and doctorate levels requires universities to be customer-oriented, and flexible in their capacity to deliver higher value to mature students whose needs and expectations are high. Therefore, this study aims to assess student experience and service delivery levels that academic departments provide postgraduate students at public universities in KwaZulu-Natal. An empirical study was conducted amongst masters’ and doctorate students at a university of technology, a traditional university, and a comprehensive university. The study involved a survey questionnaire with a five-point Likert scale and included seven service delivery dimensions which respondents were to rank accordingly. Data were subjected to descriptive and inferential statistics and the factors that emerged from factor analysis were tested for reliability and validity by conducting Cronbach's alpha. The results show that postgraduate students are university customers and therefore expect courtesy and professionalism in the delivery of postgraduate programmes. The results further suggest that retention capabilities exist for the traditional university compared to the other types of universities. Students seem to be moderately satisfied with the quality of academic services offered by universities. Service delivery experience among students appears to vary across universities. Universities should take cognisance of the gaps and attempt to be more customer-oriented to ensure the needs and expectations of graduate students are met. The findings of the study may serve as guidelines for a follow-up qualitative study to establish the specific areas where students were not satisfied.