EFFECT OF DURABILITY OF ELECTRIC POWER DISTRIBUTION MATERIALS ON CUSTOMER SATISFACTION AT THE KENYA POWER AND LIGHTING COMPANY, UASIN GISHU COUNTY, KENYA

Abstract

Contemporary business markets highly competitive, irrespective of the sector. Therefore, the demand for quality is the single most critical fact for companies to survive in the marketplace. The study investigated the influence of TQM implementation on customer satisfaction. Based on the study, this paper discusses the durability of materials used in the distribution of power and its connection to customer satisfaction in Uasin Gishu County. An exploratory study design was adopted. The study targeted employees of the Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC) (internal customers, 489) and customers being served by the KPLC (external customers, 32,750) in Uasin Gishu County. A sample of 30% of the employees was computed. This yielded 147 employees. The employees were then sampled using proportionate random sampling technique. To compute the sample of external customers, Reid andBoore‟s1991 formula (since the population is greater than 10,000) was used to get 395 respondents. External customers were sampled using proportionate sampling technique. Data were collected using questionnaire. After data collection, responses from questionnaire items were cross-checked to facilitate coding and processing for analysis using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) computer programme version 20.0. Responses to open-ended questions were analysed through coding themes and quotas that emerged. The themes emerging from secondary data were identified to augment primary data. Qualitative data were transcribed and organized into themes in order to check on their frequencies based on the research objectives. Analysed data were presented in form of cumulative frequency tables, percentages, charts and graphs. Although the respondents indicated that KPLC used durable materials in the supply of power, the same respondents indicated that power supply was generally ineffective. The study recommends that the company should establish quality management systems according to the requirement of ISO 9000 effectively for effective TQM implementation and for the success of the company.