Keywords
service delivery
service quality assessment
service quality
How to Cite
Abstract
This study evaluates customers' perceptions of service delivery at Trade and Investment KwaZulu-Natal (TIKZN), a provincial investment promotion agency in South Africa. Using a quantitative approach, the data were collected via structured questionnaires from a sample of 400 businesses in Durban Central, selected through probability cluster sampling. The SERVQUAL instrument measured customer expectations and perceptions across five service quality dimensions. The data analysis, conducted using SPSS, revealed a consistent negative gap between expectations and perceptions, indicating widespread dissatisfaction with TIKZN’s service delivery. The largest gaps were observed in responsiveness and reliability, suggesting that clients found the agency insufficiently prompt and dependable. Despite high expectations for modern facilities and professional staff, actual service experiences fell short. The study recommends implementing rigorous customer satisfaction measures, regularly monitored by independent auditors, and investing in targeted employee training to improve service quality and responsiveness, thereby enhancing stakeholder satisfaction and institutional performance.
References
Aboubakr, R. M., Bayoumy, H. M. (2022). Evaluating educational service quality among dentistry and nursing students with the SERVQUAL model: A cross-sectional study. Journal of Taibah University Medical Sciences, 17(4), 648-657. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtumed.2022.01.009
Ali, B. J., Saleh, P. F., Akoi, S., Abdulrahman, A. A., Muhamed, A. S., Noori, H. N., Anwar, G. (2021). Impact of service quality on the customer satisfaction: Case study at online meeting platforms. International Journal of Engineering, Business and Management, 5(2), 65-77. https://dx.doi.org/10.22161/ijebm.5.2.6
Bhasin, H. (2020). Importance of Quantitative Research. https://www.marketing91.com/importance-of-quantitative-research/
Bushe, B. (2019). The causes and impact of business failure among small to micro and medium enterprises in South Africa. Africa’s Public Service Delivery and Performance Review, 7(1), 1-26. https://doi.org/10.4102/apsdpr.v7i1.210
Catlin, J. R., Luchs, M. G., Phipps, M. (2017). Consumer perceptions of the social vs. environmental dimensions of sustainability. Journal of Consumer Policy, 40, 245-277. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10603-017-9356-x
Choi, Y., Choi, M., Oh, M., Kim, S. (2020). Service robots in hotels: understanding the service quality perceptions of human-robot interaction. Journal of Hospitality Marketing & Management, 29(6), 613-635. https://doi.org/10.1080/19368623.2020.1703871
Department of Public Service and Administration (2014). The Batho Pele Vision – A better life for all South Africans by putting first. Republic of South Africa. http://www.dpsa.gov.za/documents/Abridged%20BP%20programme%20July2014.pdf
El-Nabolsi, S., Kidane, B. (2015). Expectation gaps between Bank Alfa and its customers. (Bachelor Dissertation). Mälardalen Universit.
Goula, A., Stamouli, M. A., Alexandridou, M., Vorreakou, L., Galanakis, A., Theodorou, G., Stauropoulos, E., Kelesi M., Kaba, E. (2021). Public hospital quality assessment. Evidence from Greek health setting using SERVQUAL model. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(7), 2-16. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18073418
Habib, A. (2015). Send in the competent in place of the Cadres. Sunday Times, 4 January 2015.
Hanyane, B., Naidoo, G. (2015). Municipal employees’ perceptions of service delivery in Limpopo-South Africa: A critical need for good governance. Journal of Human Ecology, 51(3), 241-249.
Helao, T. (2015). An evaluation of good governance and service delivery at Sub-national level in Namibia: the case of the Oshana region (Doctoral thesis). University of South Africa.
Kalanga, T. P. (2022). An investigation into customers’ perceptions of service quality: a case study of a selected theme park in KwaZulu-Natal (Masters dissertation). Durban University of Technology.
Leach, L. M. (2018). A framework for factoring citizen perceptions in local public service value systems to improve service quality (Doctoral thesis, Stellenbosch University).
Malefane, S. R. (2013). Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises and local economic-base restructuring–A South African Local Government Perspective. Journal of Public Administration, 48(4), 671-690.
Mathong, P., Sureeyatanapas, P., Arunyanart, S., Niyamosoth, T. (2020). The assessment of service quality for third-party logistics providers in the beverage industry. Cogent Engineering, 7(1), 2-17. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311916.2020.1785214
Matiza, T., Oni, O. A. (2014). The case for nation branding as an investment promotion methodology for African nations: a literature-based perspective. Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences, 5(3), 262-272. https://doi.org/10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n3p262
Mendocilla, M., Miravitlles Matamoros, P., Matute, J. (2021). QUICKSERV: a service quality assessment tool for the quick-service restaurant industry. British Food Journal, 123(13), 241-259. https://doi.org/10.1108/BFJ-12-2020-1108
Musaba, C. N. A., Musaba, E. C., Hoabeb, S. I. (2014). Employee perceptions of service quality in the Namibian hotel industry: A SERVQUAL approach. International Journal of Asian Social Science, 4(4), 533-543.
Mustak, M., Jaakkola, E., Halinen, A. (2013). Customer participation and value creation: a systematic review and research implications. Managing Service Quality: An International Journal, 23(4), 341-359. https://doi.org/10.1108/MSQ-03-2013-0046
Noel, D. T., Govender, J. P. (2024). Customer perceptions of retail service quality at a selected supermarket chain. International Journal of Business Ecosystem & Strategy (2687-2293), 6(4), 34-48. https://doi.org/10.36096/ijbes.v6i4.607
Ramya, N., Kowsalya, A., Dharanipriya, K. (2019). Service quality and its dimensions. EPRA International Journal of Research & Development, 4(2), 38-41.
Reddy, P. S. (2016). The politics of service delivery in South Africa: The local government sphere in context. TD: The Journal for Transdisciplinary Research in Southern Africa, 12(1), 1-8. http://dx.doi.org/10.4102/td.v12i1.337
Sekaran, U., Bougie, R. (2019). Research methods for business: A skill building approach. John Wiley & Sons.
Singh, A. (2019). Corporate Strategy Plan. Sigma International for Trade and Investment KwaZulu-Natal. https://www.tikzn.co.za/
Sleep, S., Bharadwaj, S., Lam, S. K. (2015). Walking a tightrope: the joint impact of customer and within-firm boundary spanning activities on perceived customer satisfaction and team performance. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 43(4), 472-489. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11747-014-0395-4
Smith, S. (2020). Customer expectations: 7 Types all exceptional researchers must understand. https://www.qualtrics.com/blog/customer-expectations/
Tian, X., He, W., Tang, C., Li, L., Xu, H., Selover, D. (2020). A new approach of social media analytics to predict service quality: evidence from the airline industry. Journal of Enterprise Information Management, 33(1), 51-70. https://doi.org/10.1108/JEIM-03-2019-0086
Tlapana, T., Pillay, MA., Magoso, NP., Matli, CM. (2024). Service Quality at Selected Fashion Retail Stores in South Africa. International Journal of Financial Studies, Economics and Management, 3 (1), 1-12. https://doi.org/10.61549/ijfsem.v3i1.195
Trade and Investment Strategy Review 2018/2019. (2019). Strategic Plan. https://www.tikzn.co.za/open.php?cat=about_tikzn&page=company_profile
Tulcanaza-Prieto, A. B., Aguilar-Rodríguez, I. E., Lee, C. W. (2022). Customer perception and its influence on the financial performance in the Ecuadorian banking environment. Sustainability, 14(12), 3-14. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14126960
Vencataya, L., Pudaruth, S., Juwaheer, R. T., Dirpal, G., Sumodhee, N. M. Z. (2019). Assessing the impact of service quality dimensions on customer satisfaction in commercial banks of Mauritius. Studies in Business and Economics, 14(1), 259-270. https://doi.org/10.2478/sbe-2019-0020
Yarimoglu, E. K. (2014). A review on dimensions of service quality models. Journal of Marketing Management, 2(2), 79-93.
Yi, X., Haq, J. U., Ahmed, S. (2022). Impact of customer participation in value co-creation on customer wellbeing: A moderating role of service climate. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 1-12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.877083
Zhong, Y., Moon, H. C. (2020). What drives customer satisfaction, loyalty, and happiness in fast-food restaurants in China? Perceived price, service quality, food quality, physical environment quality, and the moderating role of gender. Foods, 9(4), 3-19. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods9040460
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Copyright (c) 2025 Modern Management Review