۱- Introduction

۲- Theoretical and literature review

۳- Methods

۴- Results and discussions

۵- Conclusions

۶- Practical implications

۷- Theoretical implications

۸- Limitations and direction for future research

References

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to ascertain how perceived service quality mediates employees’ customer orientation and customer satisfaction in the public utility sector. Design/methodology/approach – The study focused on the commercial customers (small and medium-scale enterprises– (SMEs)) of Electricity Company of Ghana Ltd. There were 350 SMEs sampled for the study, and each had no more than 99 employees. Respondents were either owner-managers or employee-managers. Structural equation model (SEM) was used in estimating the effects among the variables studied.
Findings – Most public institutions have a built-in customer base, and therefore places less emphasis on employees’ customer orientation. This notwithstanding, findings revealed that employees’ customer orientation behaviors significantly impacted customers’ perceived service quality and satisfaction toward public institutions. Similarly, customers’ perceived service quality influenced their satisfaction toward public institutions. SMEs serve as an engine for economic growth in an economy, and therefore public institutions must consider their peculiar needs in the delivery of service to them.
Originality/value – This study pointed out that, employees’ customer orientation behaviors of public institutions have an influence on customers’ perceived service quality and satisfaction. Previous studies on these concepts have largely focused on the private sector, where there are lots of competition. This study also specifically studied commercial customers (SMEs) of public institution, which is quite novel, especially in relation to the concepts studied. And the contribution of SMEs to economic growth makes their study even much more important.

Introduction

Customer orientation forms part of the broader service quality concept, which is influenced directly by human factor dimensions (Drury, 2000). The human factor dimensions relate to the attitude and behavior of employees toward customers, and this has been of interest to researchers in services marketing. Studies have therefore looked at customer orientation of service employees (COSE) in relation to satisfaction, consumers’ affective commitment and loyalty (Dean, 2007; Korunka et al., 2007; Hennig-Thurau, 2004) and service quality (Rafaeli et al., 2008; Atuahene-Gima and Ko, 2001). Donavan and Hocutt (2001) also studied customer evaluation of service employees’ customer orientation. However, studies measuring the influence of employees’ customer orientation on service quality and customer satisfaction in the public utility sector, from the perspective of small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) is very limited. SMEs are however very important for the economic growth of every nation, and offering them an improved service quality goes a long way to help the general economy.