Logistical Support and the Performance of Customer Service Staff A Case Study of Kampala Water and Sewerage Service Area

ABSTRACT 

The study examined logistical support and the performance of customer service staff of Kampala water and sewerage service area. While the National Water and Sewerage Service (NWSC) standard for customer care is effective response to customer complaints within 30hours, there seemed to be a difficulty in meeting this standard due to constraints in logistical support. The study focused on what customer service staff felt about the logistics support that was provided for their work. Through literature review, the key concepts of logistics management and customer service were defined and explained. The components of logistics support were also defined. Customer service was defined from the perspective of internal and external customers, the relationship support and the performance of service staff was described in terms of facilitating the capacity of the staff output as well as motivating in their performance. The research design was the case study of Kampala Water and Sewerage Service Area (KWSSA) water distribution service. Self-administered questionnaire and the review of written documents were the data collection methods used in the study. Both qualitative and quantitative data was collected and analyzed. Most of the data was presented in form of tables and some was presented in form of charts. The study population was the staff of KWSSA and the target population was the water distribution staff. The study revealed the logistical support had a strong impact on the performance of customer service staff. Problems related to logistical support had an adverse effect on the performance of customer staff in terms of both their output/productivity and motivation. Some of the key items of logistical support seemed inadequate for effective customer service. Efficiency of the use of available support seemed too high because they rarely remained ideal. Lack of logistical support reduced staff morale and productivity and caused them to abandon work until they got a solution from their supervisors. Several measures were recommended and suggested to reduce bottlenecks in logistical support and there by improve the performance of water distribution staff.

TABLF OF CONTENTS

Title page ............................................................................................. 1

Declaration.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ............................................... .ii

Dedication... . ...................................................................................... .iii

Acknowledge ment. ................................................................................ .iv

Table of contents ..................................................................................... v

List of tables ...................................................................................... .ix

List of figure· ........................................................................................ xi

List of acronyms ................................................................................... xiii

Abstract. ........................................................................................... xiv

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION .......................................................... 1

1.1 Background ....................................................................................... 1

1.2 Statement of the Problem ........................................................................ 3

1.3 Study Purpose .................................................................................... 3

1.3.1 Specific Objectives ........................................................................... .4

1.4 Research Questions ............................................................................. 4

1.5 Significance of the Study ....................................................................... 4

1.6 Conceptual Framework .......................................................................... 5

CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW ................................................. 8

2.1 Overview .......................................................................................... 8 

2.2 Key Cone ept: Logistic Management and Customer Service ............................... 8

2.2.1 Logistics Managen1ent ........................................................................ 8

2.2.2 Custon1,::r Service ........................................................................... .10

2.2.3 Internal Customers verses External Customers ........................................ .. 11

2.3 The Relationship between Logistics Support and Staff Performance ............... ... .11

2.3 .1 Logistics Support and Performance of Customer Service Staff .................... .... 11

2.3.2 Logistics Support and Staff Motivation ................................................... 14

CHAPTER THREE: MEl'HODOLOGY .................................................... 18

3.0 Introduction ................................................................................. .... 18

3 .1 Research Design ................................................................................ 18

3.2 Study Population and Sample ................................................................ .20

3 .3 Instrun1en ts ...................................................................................... 21

3.4 Data Analysis ................................................................................... 22

CHAPTER FOUR: DATA PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF FINDINGS ......................................................... 24

4.0 Overview ........................................................................................ 24

4.1 General Characteristics of the Respondents ................................................ 24

4.1.1 Job Title ....................................................................................... 24

4.1.2 Gender . ......................25

4.1.3 Age Group ..................................................................................... 26

4.1.4 Length of Service with KWSSA ............................................................ 26 

4.2 Logistics bottlenecks experienced by the water distribution staff .............................. 28

4.2.1 Adequacy of logistics provided for water distribution work ................................... 29

4.3 Accessibility of the persons responsible for providing logistics support ................... 34

4.3.1 Priority levels oflogistics support components in terms of the seriousness of existing bottlenecks ..................... 38

4.3.2 Opportunities to make suggestions to a responsible person about required logistics support .............................. 39

4.4.1 How often available items remained idle/unused .................................................... 41

4.4.2 Reasons why available items were idle/unused ....................................................... 42

4.4.3 How often the various means of communication were used for water distribution work .................................... 42

4.5. How often the various means of transport were used for water distribution work .... 49

4.5 Performance appraisal of staff .................................................................................... 54

4.5.1 Reasons for appraisal results .................................................................................... 55

4.6 How lack oflogistics support affected that water distribution staff.. ......................... 55

4.6.1 The effect of lack of logistics support needed for water distribution work on the concerned staff .................. 56

4.6.2 Respondents' description of what the concerned staff did when items needed for water distribution work were unavailable ...................... 56

4. 7 .2 Suggestions for improving means of communication for water distribution work . 5 8

4. 7 .3 Recommendations on the most frequently used means of transport ........................ 59

4.7.4 Suggestions for improving means of transport for water distribution ..................... 60

4. 7. 7 Other requirements for water distribution work ...................................................... 62

4. 7 .8 Priority levels of logistics support components in terms of the urgency of need for solutions to existing bottlenecks ............. 63 

4.8 Findings from KWSSA Workshops on logistics support bott:enecks and strategies for addressing them .................... 64

4.9 Review .......................................................................................... 65

CHAPTER FIVE: DISCUSSION, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS .................................................. 66

5.0 Overview ........................................................................................ 66

5.1 Discussion ....................................................................................... 66

5.2 Conclusions ..................................................................................... 67

5.3 Recon1mendations ............................................................................. 70

5.4 Suggestions for Further Research ............................................................ 70

ES ......................................................................••...•........• 72

l: Findings from KWSSA workshops on logistics support bottlenecks and strategies for addressing them (October 2003) ...................... 75

APPENDIX [I: Logistics support bottknecks/constraints and improvement strategiesfrom

the secc 1d workshop of March /April 2004 ............................................... 76

APPENDIX [II: Questionnaire for respondents ................................................ 78

APPENDIX [V: Recommendation Letter ...................................................... 82