Effect of Complaints Handling in Tanzania Water Authorities on Customers’ Satisfaction: A Case of Mwanza Water Supply and Sanitation Authority (Mwauwasa)

Abstract

Achievement of customers’ satisfaction is attributed to various factors, including but not limited to good complaints handling. The literature emphasizes the management of customer relationships for the optimal mutual benefit of all business parties. This study has centered itself on examining the impact of objection handling on customers’ satisfaction in the Tanzania water sector taking Mwanza Water Supply and Sanitation Authority (MWAUWASA) as a case study.

Specifically, this study aimed at achieving three objectives: One; determining the effect of customer accessibility to objections treatment desk on customers’ satisfaction, Two; determining the impact of the complaints treatment process on customers’ satisfaction and Three; determining the effect of customer's perception on employees’ responsiveness to complaints handling on customer’s satisfaction.

A quantitative research approach was applied for this research, where the target population was 701 customers residing in the Nyakato ward who reported complaints about billing issues in the year 2021/2022. Data were collected from a sample of 254 respondents. SPSS was used in analyzing field data; where inferential statistics were used to establish correlation amongst the variables.

The research found that there is a positive strong correlation between complaints handling and customers’ satisfaction.

According to the study results, it is recommended that water authorities should invest in the proper handling of complaints to enhance customers’ satisfaction. This will leads to higher revenues and the delightfulness of customers.