This study aims to measure the student loan service quality provided by the Finance Department at a University of Technology (UoT). Thus, this study applied the SERVQUAL model to measure the service quality provided by the finance department at UoT.
THE SCOPE OF THE RESEARCH
- INTRODUCTION AND MOTIVATION
- BACKGROUND OF THE RESEARCH PROBLEM
- RESEARCH PROBLEM STATEMENT
- RESEARCH QUESTIONS
- Primary research question
- Investigative research questions
- PRIMARY RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
- RESEARCH PROCESS
- FRAMEWORK FOR THE STUDY
- RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY
- Unit of analysis
- Sample size
- DATA COLLECTION DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY
- MEASUREMENT SCALES
- DATA VALIDITY AND RELIABILITY
- DATA ANALYSIS
- ETHICS
- RESEARCH ASSUMPTIONS
- RESEARCH CONSTRAINTS
- Research constraints and limitations
- SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PROPOSED RESEARCH
- CHAPTER AND CONTENT ANALYSIS
- SUMMARY
The research question that forms the basis of this research reads as follows: Is there a difference between student expectations and staff perceptions of the quality of service delivery provided by the Finance Department. This is because one of the objectives of this study is to measure service quality in the Finance Department and this will be validated using a statistical analytical procedure designed for the purpose.
A HOLISTIC OVERVIEW OF THE RESEARCH ENVIRONMENT
- INTRODUCTIONS AND BACKGROUND
- BRIEF OVERVIEW OF QUALITY IN FINANCE DEPARTMENTS
- THE POLICY FOR FINANCIAL AID
- Policy Statement
- CURRENT PROBLEMS FACED BY THE FINANCING DEPARTMENT
- CATEGORIES OF FUNDING
- Merit award
- Deans Merit award
- University Administered Funds
- National Student Financial Aid Scheme
- Extent of funding
- Service Quality Management
- FINANCE DEPARTMENT’S PROCESS FLOW
- Description of Finance Department process flow
- BENCHMARKING IN THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT
- Benchmarking between two Finance Departments
- STANDARD BANK STUDENT LOAN
- Student loan background
- The period of payback
- NEDBANK STUDENT LOAN
- The liability of students
- Nedbank items that are accessible to full-time students
- The period of payback
- SUMMARY
The Finance Department was one of the main support administrations at the UoT, and this emphasizes the importance of service quality. It is at the discretion of the finance department to assist further if necessary.
LITERATURE REVIEW
INTRODUCTION
SERVICE QUALITY DEFINED
QUALITY DEFINED
- Process approach
Hammer (1990) also presents a straightforward case, namely that the majority of work performed by the service delivery organization does not result in increased value for customers, and this work should be eliminated rather than automated in an attempt to make it more effectively. The finance department attempts to monitor the various elements that affect efficiency and viability by using the cause and effect process.
WHAT IS SERVICE?
- The Service Triangle
Furthermore, the customer's thoughts must be more important than the competitor's customer mind activity. Second, it is crucial that representatives are an integral part of the vital methodology, as they come into direct contact with the customers and will inevitably actualize the method of the customer's mind.
WHAT IS SERVQUAL?
- The Gap Models of SERVQUAL
In numerous associations, the judgment exists that customer, mind is only an obligation for cutting-edge line workers, or they trust that it is basically an example of taking note of the phone effectively and being respectful of guests, when in reality it is the consideration of the customer . the obligations of each individual in the company. A fundamental principle is that frameworks should be consistent with the service methodology used as opposed to service methodology being consistent with the framework used (Dorrian, 1996).
HISTORY OF SERVICE QUALITY
Continuous improvement is considered to be the main driving force behind the improvement effort, and the breakthrough improvement only serves to initiate a serious process. In order to ensure that customer satisfaction, service and quality take place, the continuous improvement must help to make the service quality better and improve at all times.
CARDINAL PRINCIPLES OF SERVICE QUALITY
IMPORTANCE AND BENEFITS OF SERVICE QUALITY
If used correctly, the SERVQUAL tool will provide managers with a starting point to see potential gaps in the service delivery process. At the point when the real result/implementation happens, the desires and the implementation in the buyer's brain are compared to a safe "identified rejection" which affects "subjective rejection".
THE 5 DIMENSIONS OF SERVQUAL DEFINED
The service quality reliability measure characterizes the extent to which the correct, exact and exceptional information and data comply and in addition perform the services guaranteed to customers. Empathy is characterized as the ability of the association to give individual attention and foresight to customers (Parasuraman et al amp; Yong 2000). The compassion measurement of service quality is characterized as indicating attention to the customer and giving individual attention to customers.
SERVQUAL BENEFITS
Reliable services within an educational institution are characterized by the fact that the degree of learning and the data learned are exactly matched. Measuring tangible things in the quality of service refers to the significant condition and offices in UoT. Kitchroen (2004), referring to Sasser, Olsen, and Wyckoff (1978), recorded seven service characteristics that they believe adequately understand the idea of service quality.
DEVELOPING SCALES IN SERVQUAL
KEY ELEMENTS FOR SERVQUAL IMPLEMENTATION
KEY FACTORS THAT AFFECT THE QUALITY OF SERVQUAL
HOW TO QUOTA SERVICE QUALITY (SERVQUAL)
As a study found a lot of theory that the authors recommended that "the SERVQUAL instrument could be used to measure internal service quality". This is highlighted by Chaston (1994), who adjusted the wording of SERVQUAL items to obligate the particular qualities of the sample, but the author did not adjust the items to examine the intrinsic service quality. This model depends on the extent and the way forward of the gaps in service quality related to the delivery of service quality in the department.
THE CUSTOMER SATISFACTION MEASUREMENT INSERVICE QUALITY
It is most important in any case, it involves some qualitative research; strategies and for example conceptualization can be helpful. Five essential inquiries are identified with the assumption of a customer fulfillment assessment: rate, repetition, criticality, execution, and overall standard measure. A few inspection methods can be used in this step; quadrant dissection stands out among the most widely recognized.
CUSTOMER SATISFACTION AND LOYALTY
CORE PRINCIPLES OF CUSTOMER SERVICE
STUDENTS AS CUSTOMERS
THE BALANCE SCORECARD
SERVICE QUALITY AND ITS IMPACT AT THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT
In contract, poor service will result in many consequential costs and damages, including low customer satisfaction, relatively high customer defection, lost business sales opportunities, and reduced customer retention and excess costs due to of attracting new customers and overcoming an injury. corporate image says Chaisomphol (2004) citing (Stuart & Tax,1996). According to the study conducted by Johns, (1998), the service is seen differently by the provider and the customer, for the provider, the service is seen as a process that contains elements of essential delivery, service operation, personal attention and interpersonal performance which are managed differently in departments different. While the customer sees it as a phenomenon which means that he sees it as part of the life experience, which consists of elements of essential need, choice and emotional content which are present in various service outputs and face and affect each individual's experience differently.
THE VALUE DISCIPLINE MODEL
- Model explained in detail
Product or item leadership is used to describe a situation where items or a service are exceptionally valued by customers. The standards of an item service are: stimulating development, risky management style and distinctiveness. It means that we particularly understand individual customers and exceed expectations in terms of customer friendliness and customer service.
VALUE PROPOSITION OF THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT
ALIGNING SERVICE CONCEPT AND SERVICE DELIVERY SYSTEM DESIGN
The service method triad emphasizes that the service idea is created to meet the requirements of a target business sector, and the stipulations of the service idea. Every moment of truth is an interaction between a customer and a service provider; each has a role to play in an environment staged by the service organization”. The service encounter triad shown captures the relationships between the three parties in the service encounter and suggests potential sources of conflict.
CONTINUAL QUALITY IMPROVEMENT
Heskett (1987), clarifies the relationship between technique and service outline and offers that it consists of distinguishing the target business sector, creating a service idea for the focused segment, establishing a system of operations to support the service idea, and outlining of a service. tracking framework to help work method. According to Business Adopting the Service Strategy Triad by James Fitzsimmons and Mona Fitzsimmons (2010), “One of the unique characteristics of services is the active participation of the customer in the service production process. The customer perceives the quality of a service depending on the competence of the staff to handle their relationship with customers.
DIFFICULTIES TO QUALITY IMPROVEMENT
TOTAL QUALITY MAINTENANCE (TQM)
SIX SIGMA THE WAY OF IMPROVEMENT QUALITY
DEMING’S 14- POINT PHILOSOPHY ON QUALITY
- Deming’s 14 points of management
SERVICE QUALITY REVOLUTION
Intangibility is the fundamental characteristic difference between products and services universally cited (Regan 1963, Drucker 1974, Sasser 1976, Berry 1980, Zeithaml et al., 1985). Finally, service providers can emphasize the tangible artifacts that support service by focusing on the physical appearance of service personnel and their equipment (e.g., the care shown in service delivery by well-dressed and well-groomed cleaning personnel). regular). Intangibility is seen as the critical product-service distinction from which all other distinctions emerge (Bateson 1977 & Zeithaml et al., 1985).
QUALITY VERSUS SATISFACTION
Their clarification of the distinction between the two is that service quality is a long-term general assessment while buyer satisfaction is a transaction-specific measure, Parasuraman et al. 1994) argued that the non-affirmation of recognition less wants conceptualization of service quality is supported by various specialists, e.g. Parasuraman et al. 1988, Bolton and Drew 1991b, Parasuraman et al. 1991). As stated earlier, Parasuraman et al. 1988) hypothesized that service quality is a result of the examination of discretion with desires.
SUMMARY
Accordingly, Bolton and Drew (1991b) concluded in their exploration that the gap between execution and desires is a key determinant of overall service quality. In the same article, however, Bolton and Drew also stated that "a buyer's assessment of overall service quality is directly influenced by the impression of performance levels." Bolton and Drew (1991) asserted that confusing views of service quality to structure the actual impression of service quality is not a way forward to implementing quality, there must be a focus to begin work, something with which a finance department.
RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY
- INTRODUCTION
- RESEARCH TECHNIQUE USED
- DATA COLLECTION TYPES
- RESEARCH APPROACH
- Qualitative research approach
- Quantitative research approach
- RESEARCH POPULATION
- SAMPLE DESIGN AND METHOD USED IN THIS RESEARCH
- Probability Sampling
- Non-probability Sampling
- Sample size
- STATISTICAL METHODS USED
- DESIGN OF QUESTIONNAIRE
- TESTING OF THE QUESTIONNAIRE
- Sample questionnaire
- VALIDITY AND RELIABILITY
- ETHICS APPLIED ON DATA COLLECTION
- SUMMARY
Leedy and Ormrod (2010) distinguished the characteristics of qualitative and quantitative research paradigms in Table 4.1. In this study, the population was the students of the Western Cape University of Technology (UoT) and the basic target population was 43 customers and 15 staff members of the finance department. If the sample is sufficient, it will have the same properties as the population Zikmund (2003) and findings are usually used to make decisions about the population (Fiel, 2009).
DATA ANALYSIS AND RESULTS INTERPRETATION
- INTRODUCTION
- RESPONSE RATE
- MEASUREMENT SCALE
- DESCRIPTIVE STATISTICS
- Service Quality Analysis
- Statements used based on Likert scale results
- RATING INTERPRETATION
- Descriptive analysis
- RESPONSES FROM INTERVIEWS
- RELIABILITY TESTING
- SUMMARY
ST19: The department delivers the services when they promise. EXP: The department will provide the services when they promise. Staff C: "Yes, the department has sufficient equipment and technology with all the resources necessary for a good service".
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
INTRODUCTION
RESEARCH BACKGROUND REVISED
Chakrapani (1998) explains that measuring the wrong factors and measuring in the wrong way are the most common problems in trying to measure customer satisfaction. Finding the right way to measure customer satisfaction is important because they want to know what customers think, what they want and what they expect from the service. To start with the right methodology, they want to have a little background on what the customer wants in general.
RESEARCH PROBLEM REVISED
RESEARCH QUESTION REVISED
RESEARCH OBJECTIVES REVISED
Assurance as employees' knowledge and courtesy and the ability of the department and its employees to convey trust and confidence. It is clearly proven that the use of service quality will increase the standard of the finance department as the questionnaire results show. In light of the fact that customer service and quality are applied, it is only rational that core characteristics of service quality exist.
RECOMMENDATIONS
- Recommendations based on interviews
- Recommendations from questionnaires based on GAP model of SERVQUAL
It was also noted that the quality of service offered is decent. Several service quality participants agree that expectations are very important in the evaluation of service by customers. If the perception of the service exceeds consumer expectations, the quality of the service is considered good.
CONCLUSION
Some factors involving other techniques will be the appropriate ones to have the right method to measure customer satisfaction. It has been a problem for them to find the right scale and the right way to measure customer satisfaction. Based on analytics, I think once they figure out how to use the complete methodology, they'll be able to measure customer satisfaction and they'll have the right way to scale the surveys; or how to get the right feedback from the phone calls.
FUTUREWORK
However, these methods do not provide any information about the current quality or the customer satisfaction and this is explained in the findings. Regarding the empirical findings and the theory collected, it is difficult to have the TQM principle and a Six Sigma methodology as part of the measurement of the customer satisfaction. Even when they use these steps, the information is not enough and needs to be clarified to analyze the customers and how to measure the customers' satisfaction.
SUMMARY
