Relationship Between Customer Satisfaction Levels And Service Quality In Tanzania, The Case Of Households Connected With Natural Gases In Dar Es Salaam.

Abstract

The main objective of this study was to examine the relationship between levels of customers’ satisfaction and service quality in Tanzania, taking households connected to natural gas service in Dar es salaam as a case study. Questionnaires were used in data collection from natural gas customers in 146 houses connected to natural gas service, all residing in Dar es salaam in a following distribution; 65 natural gas customers residing at TPDC housing estates (Mikocheni) and other nearby estates which include Twiga flats that accommodate 24 residents and government officials’ estates (Mawaziri Estates) having 47 residents and 10 houses at Survey Street. Additionally, interview was conducted with TPDC staff from gas business department to solicit more information about natural gas sector. Data were analysed using SPSS software; Pearson correlation analysis were used to deduce the relationship between customer satisfaction and service quality while Cronbarch’s Alpha were used to determine reliability of data collected. The findings revealed that in most cases service quality delivered equals the level of customers’ expectations which lead to customers’ satisfaction. Furthermore, there is significant strong relationship between customers’ satisfaction and all dimensions of service quality (tangible, responsiveness, reliability, empathy and assurance). However, service provider empathy showed highest correlational coefficient of all other dimensions. Since there is just a small Tanzanian population enjoying domestic supply of natural gas such that delivered service equals to their expectation, a researcher calls for speeding up the connection of more households to service, this should go together with improving bills payment systems through installation of pre-paid meters.