THE EFFECT OF SERVICE QUALITY ON CUSTOMER SATISFACTION: THE CASE OF SHEGER MASS TRANSPORT

Abstract

A mass transportation system facilitates movement of society with less costly in the developing country. It provides a different type of public transportation services with the flexibility to serve a variety of access-needs. It services the public with fair price, with less amount of fuel, more safely and environmental friendly as compared to the private cars, small and mini bus taxi. In context of transportation, customer satisfaction is created by the comparison of pre-travel expectations and post-travel experiences. Briefly, when experiences of a passenger compared to the expectation results in feeling of gratification, then satisfaction is created. in described that Service Quality and Customer Satisfaction have been conceptualized as a distinct, but closely related constructs. The main aim of this study was to examine the effect of service quality on customer satisfaction: the case of sheger mass transport. Methods used in collecting required information for the study were questionnaires, interview and observation. The data were analyzed using descriptive, correlation and regression analysis. The results confirm that there is a good relationship between service quality dimensions and customer satisfaction. One main finding reported that customers are satisfied yet with public transport service. Safety, availability acceptability, sustainability and accessibility have a significant positive effect on the customer satisfaction. This research result also stressed safety with strongest impact on customer satisfaction(r=.595). The way company Willingness to help passengers, handling passengers problems, using nearest stop for the customer where they live, increase availability of seat on the travel time, maintain the bus which are out of service with few technical problem are the areas that need agent action towards improvement. This study will help the management of the organization to take the corrective action that need to be improved as far as satisfying customer, for the policy makers to make comprehensive planning and strategy how to serve mass transport better; it will also help for the overall Sheger bus mass transportation service.