Customer satisfaction in the marketing of electricity in Ghana: A case study of western region

Conventional marketing wisdom holds that a effective customer service provides a company with a better understanding of its customers, competitors, and environment, which subsequently leads to customer satisfaction and eventually, superior firm performance. While researchers have explored the relationship between customer satisfaction and positive customer behaviour in different organizations, such studies in Electricity Company of Ghana has been scarce. This study investigated potential effects of customer satisfaction on customer behaviour – which translates into organization performance. In order to arrive at a valid and convergent conclusion about customer satisfaction and how it relates to factors and customer behaviour, both qualitative and quantitative research methods were used. Quantitative survey data was obtained from customers of the Electricity Company in the western region. 2000 customers were used to provide data for the study; and 1989 usable questionnaires were received. Descriptive statistics was used to test the hypotheses. The findings of the study supported some of the hypotheses and confirmed the proposed factors of customer satisfaction, but failed to support the fact that customers of the company are satisfied. The findings of the study confirmed that power supply, disconnection management, billing processing, services connection efficiency, customer service and information generation were the major determinants of satisfaction by electricity customers. Again, customers of the company were found to be dissatisfied with the company’s services. The findings also established a positive relationship between the level of customer satisfaction and customer behaviour. As indicated by the results, satisfied customers are more likely to pay all their bills, with less resistance; complain less; appreciate genuine difficulties faced by ECG; advertise the company through word-of-mouth and be ready to pay economic tariff. The managerial implications were discussed.