DeclarationI declare to the best of my knowledge that this
research report entitled Recognition of Customer Voices in Public
Offices" is the results of my own investigations except as cited
otherwise in the reference page. This report is an original work
and has not accepted for any Diploma and is not concurrently
submitted in candidature of any other diploma.
Signature: .Name: VERONICA V.MALLYADate: .
CertificationThe undersigned, certifies that VERONICA V. MALLYA
a candidate whose registration number is DHRM 07/12/T.27 is the
Diploma student of Human Resource Management and has presented her
research paper with a title Recognition of Customer Voices in
Public Offices as it appears on the title page and front cover of
this report is acceptable form and content and that a satisfactory
knowledge of the field is totally covered by this research
report.
Name of Supervisor: ALEXANDER MADINDASignature .Date
DedicationThis work is dedicated to my beloved Parents together
with my young brothers and sisters for their tolerance during my
absence at home.
AcknowledgementThis research study has been prepared in contact
with many people as individual or group of individuals including
researchers, academicians, MDC staffs, and representatives from
Mvomero community, students from Tanzania Public Service College-
Tabora campus and others. Their willingness to review and comments
on the preparations and implementations of the research procedures
has made this document possible to produce. I am extremely grateful
to those individual and organizations for their valuable support to
this research work.I am further grateful to the following:-I would
like to pass deeply thanks to my supervisor Mr. ALEXANDER MADINDA
for encouragement, guidance, critics and friendship. Without your
continued support and interest, this report would not have been the
same as presented.I am also indebted to my family for funding my
Diploma study which made possible the necessary training and
subsequent process of my entire academic journey. Librarians at
TPSC also deserve special thanks for their assistance in supplying
the relevant literatures.My fellow students from Diploma and
Certificate courses should also be recognized for their support,
their views and tips were useful indeed. Unfortunately. It is not
possible to list all of them in this limited space.Last, I am
grateful to all my family members.
AbstractThe purpose of this research study was to set assess on
the recognition of customer voices in public offices by focusing a
case of Mvomero District Council office.Customers are the most
important assets needed for any business transactions. A successful
government office recognizes that customer voices are an
intermediate step towards the goal of improving customer
satisfactions. In order to fulfill the study objectives, four
research questions were used to guide the research findings which
were answered by 30 sample respondents using questionnaires,
interviews and observation methods of data collectionsIt was
discovered that customers is vital for improving communication
process between the customers and service procedures. About 96% of
sample respondents who were interviewed agreed that any
organization concentrates on recognizing the customer voices are
always provide their customers with quality and convenience service
to meet customers satisfactions.It was concluded that recognition
of customer voices in public organizations depends very much on the
use and implementations of customer care policy, because one of the
major requirements of customer care policy is to access to the
feedback from your customers. Organization can achieve stellar
customer service and satisfaction through listening to customers
and allows keeping up with changing needs and expectations. Also
recognition of customer voice will have a true meaning if the
organizations provide opportunity to ask customers about the
services.
TABLE OF
CONTENTSDeclaration1Certification2Dedication3Acknowledgement4Abstract5Abbreviations
and acronyms7List of tables and figures8CHAPTER ONE9GENERAL
INTRODUCTION91.0 Introduction91.1 Background of the study91.2
Statement of the problem10Objective of the study101.3.1 General
Objective101.3.2 Specific objectices111.4 Research questions111.5
Significance of the study111.6 Scope of the study111.7 Limitation
of the study12CHAPTER TWO13LITERATURE REVIEW132.1
Introduction.132.2.1 The concept of customer care.132.2.2
Definition of terms132.2.3 Types of customers.142.3 Element of the
customer care.152.4 Principles of customer care.152.5 Concept of
Policy.162.6 Empirical literature review.172.7 The roles of
customer voices182.8 Importance of customer care policy in public
organizations182.9 Employer point of view:192.10 Customers point of
view:20CHAPTER THREE21RESEARCH METHODOLOGY213.0 Introduction213.1
Research design.213.2 Area of the study.213.3 Target
Population.213.4 Sources of data213.5 Sampling technique.223.6
Sampling size.223.7 Data collection methods.223.7.1
Questionnaires.223.7.2 Interview223.7.3 Observations.233.8 Data
analysis.23CHAPTER FOUR24DATA PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION
OF FINDINGS244.0 Introduction.244.1 Data presentation and
analysis244.2 Discussion of the study results.244.2.1 What are the
needs to meet customer requirements in the public office?244.2.2
Roles of Customer Voice in Service delivery274.2.3 The Challenges
facing Customer in public office.29CHAPTER FIVE31SUMMARY OF THE
STUDY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS315.0 Introduction.315.1
Summary of the study.315.2 Summary of findings325.3
Conclusion.325.4 Recommendations32REFERENCES34Appendix35
Abbreviations and acronymsTPSC Tanzania Public Service
CollegeDSS Diploma in Secretarial StudiesMDC Mvomero District
CouncilUN United NationsTRA Tanzania Revenue AuthorityBOT Bank of
Tanzania
List of tables and figuresTable 4.1: Customer Requirements Table
4.2: Roles of Customer VoiceTable 4.3: The Challenges facing
customer in public officeFigure 4.1: Customer RequirementsFigure
4.2:Role of customer voice to service deliveryFigure 4.3:
Challenges facing customers in Public offices
15
CHAPTER ONEGENERAL INTRODUCTION1.0 IntroductionThis chapter is
set to introduce the background of the study topic, statement of
the problem, Objectives of the study (general objective and
specific objectives). However, the chapter introduces, research
questions, significance of the study.
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDYCustomer services have long history
of years used by different government in striving measurable
improvements in customer services delivery. Through the customer
care policy, various governments hold chief executives and other
responsible officers accountable for such improvements (Wetherril,
2010). Customer voices on the other side played a significant role
especially throughout the implementation of the customer care
policy. The role and significance of customer voice can easily be
seen in the case of the organization which has competitors, whereby
it is not enough to compete on the basis of prime elasticity alone
but both the price and quality customer services delivery.Customer
can be defined as a person who need a service, is someone who has a
direct relationship with, or is directly affected by the
organization and who receives one or more organization services or
products with satisfaction. Following the adoption of customer care
policy in most of the public organizations especially those
organizations offering direct services to customers. The management
and other agencies have, but emphasis in the process of handling
their customers and make them satisfied with services offered by
the organization (answer .com, character/ index ). Requirement of
customers is taken as a guarantee to keep in place to maximize
customers satisfaction within the organization. But the practice is
not the same when it comes on the implementation of the customers
voice. Some organizations especially in public sector fail to
implement the customer voice as the way forward to add value to
their products. However, customer voice can help the door to
communication open so that if service does break down some days, it
gives the organization a better chance of hearing about it and
solve the problem. This study therefor, is set to assess on the
customer voices by focusing a case of Mvomero District Council in
Morogoro region.1.2 PROBLEM STATEMENTFailure to meet customer
expectations from organizations delivering services to the public
is the common challenge in most of developing countries. Most of
the public organizations in developing nations, find difficult to
deliver quality services as declared by the customer care policy. A
lot of complaints have been raised concerning the quality of
service offered by the public sector. Such complaint include harsh
language, inaccessibility of servants, partially in services, long
procedures to get the required service, service delay, bribery,
ignorance, lack of time management, and poor communications (
Tanzania Public Services Delivery Survey Report, 1996). However,
customers in public organizations have raised their voices against
these challenges and it seems as NO one cares to recognize these
customer voices toward the public offices, Mvomero District Council
office being one of them. Following the existence on failure to
customer voices, researcher has developed an interest to assess on
the recognition of customer voices in public office, particularly
in MDC in Morogoro region
1.5 Significance of the studyThe study is important in the
following:-The completion of the study helps MDC office to
undertake measures to customer voices as the means to add value. It
can help the organization to capture the way to deal with of
customer voices so as to meet customer requirementsThe completion
of the study also can assist public servants especially in MDC
office to implement customer care by assessing through their
service delivery system.The study findings on the other hand can be
a reference material in the future, especially to students,
researchers and others whose topic of study will be relevance to
topic discussed in this report.
OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY1.3.1 GENERAL OBJECTIVESThe general
purpose of the study is to assess customer voices in public
offices, especially at Mvomero District Council Office.
1.3.2 SPECIFIC OBJECTIVESi. To identify the need to meet
customer requirement in public officeii. To find out the role of
customer voices in service delivery systemiii. To identify the
challenges facing customers in public officesiv. To identify the
role of customer care policy in public organizations.1.4 RESEARCH
QUESTIONi. What are needed to meet Customer requirements the Public
office?ii. What are the roles of Customer voice in the service
delivery system?iii. What are the challenge facing customers in
public office?iv. What are the roles of customer care policy in
public organization?1.5 Significance of the studyThe study is
important in the following:-The completion of the study helps MDC
office to undertake measures to customer voices as the means to add
value. It can help the organization to capture the way to deal with
customer voices so as to meet customer requirementsThe completion
of the study also can assist public servants especially in MDC
office to implement customer policy by assessing through their
service delivery system.The study findings on the other hand can be
a reference material in the future, especially to students,
researchers and others whose topic of study will be relevance to
topic discussed in this report.The study also is conducted in
partial fulfillment of the requirement for the award of Diploma in
records archives management
CHAPTER TWOLITERATURE REVIEW2.1 Introduction.This chapter is set
to describe the review of literature. Here, the most recently
literature material on the topic if the study is skimmed and
informations supporting or contradicting what a researcher has
about the research study and problem is cited. The literature are
obtained from books, previous research reports, government sources,
the internets, database, libraries indexes and abstracts of
journals. The study or researcher start by giving short
explanations on content of customer care, then the study
discussion.2.2.1 The concept of customer care.Customer care is the
process of handling customers and makes him/her satisfied with the
service offered by the organizations (Moore, 2001)The concept and
terms customer care in among the elements of customer service
delivery (Bester filled, 2006). Customer care involves putting
system in place to maximize customers satisfaction within the
business. It should be a prime consideration for every business
sales and profitability depends on keeping customer happy.2.2.2
Definition of terms
Customer A customer may be defined as someone who has a direct
relationship with business firm or is indirectly affected by the
organization and who receives one or more organization services or
products (Moore 2001). Is a recipient of one or more of a processes
specified outcomes and target audience of the public organization
services? However, a customer according to oxford English
dictionary (5th Edition), customer can be an individual, group or
companies with demand for good or services from the producers.
Puffit (ibid) says that, an attempt to capture the essential nature
of the relationship between the local authority or any business
organization and receiver of its goods or services. The language to
use is different but one fix to the appropriate context under
discussion whether clients, customer, consumer, beneficiary, user,
recipient, or citizen. Example, customer in hospital is patient; in
school are students and passengers in transportation.2.2.3 Types of
customers.According to Bester et al (2006), customers are
identified as external and internal customers.a) External
customers.Do exist outside the organization who purchase or release
products and services like vendors, suppliers and so on. They have
no bound to the particular organization and they can decide to go
to any other organization to seek for the best quality services.
They are not employed in the organization authority.
b) Internal customers.Internal customers are those customers
found within the organization itself. Every function within the
organization needs a person to execute it and within the employees
themselves one depends on the other for realizing performances.
They are also known as customer customers of each other in the
field. Such customer includes peers, co- workers, bosses,
subordinates or people from In focus group discussion, most of them
complained on the charges for services for free of charge. They
(respondents) said that the response was reported to be high speed
when one paid for the services. (Customercare in public
organization: www.tgt/c.go.tz)The research on customer care on
service delivery in public sector, case study of TPA- Dar Es Salaam
points the problems towards customer care in public organizations
as following
CHAPTER THREE3.0RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.1 Research design.The design of the study was descriptive
research design where the design was to assist in describing the
problem of the study in detail. The design was selected due to the
nature of the study.3.2 Study areaThe study will be conduct at
Mvomero District Council offices is selected is because it is area
provides a range of activities and services which needs customer
voice recognitions due to the fact that area is the new district
council.3.3 Sample Population.The target population for the study
was the management and staff from MDC offices and also customers
who was accessible and available for the researcher.3.4 Sources of
dataThe study employed primary data (those data obtained a fresh
from the field through the research tools as surveys;
questionnaires, interviews) and secondary data (i.e. these the data
obtained from books, journals, research reports, pamphlets etc.).
Here the researchers decision to combine primary data and secondary
data aims at getting enough data.
3.5 Sampling technique.The study used purposive sampling
technique and randomly sampling technique. In purposive sampling
technique researcher is allowed purposely to select respondents who
believe to be reliable for the study. Here researcher purposely
selected respondents according to preference and willingness.
Purposive sampling was selected because it gives the researcher
preference in selecting respondents.In random sampling, respondents
were randomly selected aiming to avoid bias and reduction of
respondents of desired characteristics. The combination of the two
sampling technique ensures data quality.3.6 Sampling size.The
sample size will categories mentioned above and will comprise 55
respondents. It will include :30 staff, 25customer selected from
the above3.7 Data collection methods.3.7.1 Questionnaires.This is
common to all staff and management from MDC office and some few
selected customers. The method has a disadvantage that it requires
literate respondents and is expensive, but the method was used for
data collection in a scientific research study. Researcher provided
a set of questions answered at a given interval.3.7.2 InterviewThe
method is applicable to all respondents aiming at supplementing the
questionnaire. The approach was to try to ask questions of interest
to enable respondents to express themselves. Interview method was
chosen because it ensures collection of data in the spot.
3.8 Data analysis.Findings of the study presented and analyzed
by the use of qualitative and quantitative analysis. The findings
are summarized and presented by the use of tables, percentages,
figures, expressions and numbering.
CHAPTER FOURDATA PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION OF
FINDINGS4.0 Introduction.This chapter aim topresent obtained
information about the study title, analysis of the study findings
and discussion results in details.Data presentation, analysis and
discussion in this chapter are guided by information collected from
obtained respondents.4.1 Data presentation and analysisThe study
aimed at assessing on the recognition of customer voice in public
office. Together with the main objectives there were four specific
objectives including; To identify the need to meet customer
requirement in public office, To find out the role of customer
voices in service delivery system, To identify the challenges
facing customers in public offices and To identify the role of
customer care policy in public organizationsThe study was also
guided by four research questions which were answered by 30 sample
respondents.The analysis of the findings was done using the
qualitative and the quantitative approach.4.2 Discussion of the
study results.The discussions were done in line with the research
question of the study.4.2.1 What are the needs to meet customer
requirements in the public office?Fromabove research question data
were obtained using questionnaire and interview to 30 sample
respondents and it was discovered that the need to meet the
customer requirements was basically depends on various factors
given in the table below.
Table 4.1: Customer RequirementsRequirementsNo. of
RespondentsPercentage
Types of Customer.826.7%
Available resources.930%
Concept of Customers 310%
Customer care Policy620%
Competence413.3%
Total30100%
Source: Research findings 2013The table 4.1 shows that in order
to meet the need for customer requirements; an Available resource
was selected by (30%) respondents as the major requirements.
However, types of customers were agreed by (26.7%) respondents as
the need to meet customer requirements in public offices. Customer
care policy was agreed by( 20%) respondents.That information
obtained means that, types of customers, available resources at a
specific office, awareness of customers and their part toservice
provided, customer policy guiding Government and non government
organization together with competences of public servants on
customer care related skills are determinant factor to the level of
satisfaction of service provided. Having those entire five basic
factors at reasonable ratio ensures high quality customer
services.However; it was discovered that competence (13.3%) and
concepts of customers (10%) were also the need for customer
requirements.
Figure 4.1:Customer Requirements
Source: Research findings 20134.2.2 Roles of Customer Voice in
Service deliveryThe second research question of the study aimed at
identifying the roles of customer voice. It is believed that
successful organization recognize that without customer voice there
is no superior customer services and this can be achieved through
the following. Customers are always provides feedback to
effectiveness of service provided by a particular office. Having
positive response implies high satisfaction otherwise office cant
develop any point of correction. It is the voice of customers which
alert the office to adjust either positively or negatively. It is
from that point where Researcher decided to ask respondents on the
real duties customers to the service improvement or lower quality
of service delivery by the office. Table 4.2 below provides summary
of response concerning role played by customer voices in service
delivery:
Table 4.2: Roles of Customer VoiceRolesNo. Of
respondentsPercentage
Improves Communication1033.3
It define Superior Service 930
It is benchmark to perform once 826.7
Dedication to Service 310
Total 30100%
Source: Research studies 2013Table 2 describes the roles of
Customer Voice in services delivery. It was found that the customer
voice plays different roles including a role of improving
communication process between the service deliverers and the
customers as said by 10 respondents (33.3) agreed that listening to
customer is one of the key factors for success.Figure 4.2:Role of
customer voice to service delivery
Source: Research findings 20134.2.3 The Challenges facing
Customer in public office.The question aimed at identifying the
main challenges facing customer in most of the public offices and
the following were the arguments obtained from 30 respondents by
the use of questionnaire documents and interview. Table
4.3Challenges facing customer in public
officeChallengesResponse
SeriousVery serious
Abuse language1020
Bureaucracy 426
Excessive Costs1614
Bribery2010
Incomplete Service23 7
Poor Communication Skills 822
Source research findings 2013Table 3 shows the challenges which
are normally facing the customers in public office. It was
discovered Bureaucracy as the common challenge as 26 sample size of
the study (86.7) pointed it out while only 4 (13.3%) were not
agreed.However, abusive language is also a very serious challenge
facing customer in public office said by 20 respondents (66.7%)
agreed on this fact and the other 10 did not highly agreed with
this challenge. According to respondents whom involved in interview
they explained that most public servants do not have polite
languages when provide services to individuals who attend to their
office.A poor communication skill among public servants was
mentioned as the challenges in proving customer satisfactions.
Public offices are responsible to provide services to all Tanzanian
from different angle provided that the service needed is available
at such particular office. But some servants have no enough
communication skills to communicate effectively with customers.Six
challenges explained above are summarized in figure 4.3 below
showing seriousness and associates high seriousness of each
challenge:Figure 4.3 Challenges facing customers in Public
offices
Source: Research findings 2013
CHAPTER FIVESUMMARY OF THE STUDY, CONCLUSION AND
RECOMMENDATIONS5.0 Introduction.This chapter gives the summary of
the study, describes the conclusion and recommendations.5.1 Summary
of the study.Purpose of this research study was to assess on the
recognition of customer voices in public offices especially at
Mvomero District Council.In order to achieve the goal of the study,
this research was guided by four research questions namely, (i)
What are the needs to meet customer requirement in public
offices?(ii) What are the roles of customer voices in service
delivery system?(iii) What are the challenges facing customers in
public offices?(iv) What are the roles of the customer care policy
in public organization?The research respondent (target population)
was the management and staff from MDC offices including
Secretaries, head of department, managers, and available customers.
Method used to collect data for the study includes questionnaires,
interview and observations. On the other hand, the purposive
sampling and random sampling techniques were used to sample the
study respondents.The study was principally organized into five
chapters. The first chapter deals with the research overviews by
describing the background to the study topic, statement of the
problem, objectives of the study, research questions, significance
of the study, limitations of the study and delimitation.The second
chapter provides a detailed literature review by studying the
knowledge and experience from other researchers, opinions and
concepts which relate to the study. However , the third chapter
deals with the research methodology and gives the methodologies
issues such as research design, area of the study, target
population, sources of data, sampling techniques, sample size,
methods of data collections and data analysis procedures.Chapter
four gives the study findings, analysis of data, data presentations
and detailed discussions of the study. Describes the conclusion and
make recommendations for the study.5.2 Summary of findingsThe
findings shows that customer voices is very important measure
towards the performance of the organization, because customer are
principally the main users of services offered by certain
organizations and they can taste and approve services if they are
satisfied. It was observed that, excessive administrative
activities as the major challenges which hinders customer
satisfaction.5.3 Conclusion.As it was observed from sample
respondents and from researchers observations and point of view,
the recognition of the customer voices in public organization
depends very much on the implementation of the customer care
policy. Problems which have been identified to have been pointed
out in this study especially those regarding to the customer voices
have to be taken with strong measures and all procedures and
requirement of customer care policy have to be considered as one of
the most useful criteria for the success of your organization.5.4
RecommendationsThe study recommends the following:-(i) Customer
care policy should be implemented to all organizations (public and
private organization) to ensure good customer care and excellent
service delivery.(ii) Training to public servant especially those
who delivering direct services to customers, they have to be
trained on customer care.(iii) Customer care management, policy,
standards and other guidelines should be established in form of
manuals directives and handbook about customer care to improve best
service delivery.(iv) Sufficient and appropriate equipment, space
and materials should be provided for handling customers.
REFERENCESAnswers.com (retrieved on 5th December
2012)Besterfield et al (2006): the workshop on the importance of
customers handling in business: ACAS LondonMoore (2001), Principles
of customer services, a handbook for customer services provides-
Ash- Publishing house: New JerseyPublic service delivery survey
report (2002)Puffit (1998): Consumers habits: Precedings in the
nature of customer handling (3rd EDITION) the university of London
UKSchedule of activities and budgetNoActivitiesBudget
1Proposal writing Stationery Binding Photocopy
100,000/=
2Research induction Data collection Data analysis Data
presentation
150,000/=
3Report write up Stationery Photocopy Bindings
100,000/=
Total350,000/=
Appendix
