THE EFFECT OF VOUCHER CARD SELLING SERVICE OUTSOURCING PRACTICES OF DISTRIBUTORS ON SERVICE QUALITY: FROM EMPLOYEES’ PERSPECTIVE OF ETHIO TELECOM

Abstract

Telecom service providers heavily depend on customer perceptions and expectations of quality, a challenging metric to gauge accurately. Surveys are widely employed to gather customer feedback on service quality, with SERVQUAL being a recognized tool in this domain. Research consistently links improved service quality to higher customer satisfaction. Previous studies have explored service quality across various industries, focusing notably on the telecom sector. This study specifically examines the impact of distributor outsourcing practices in voucher card sales on service quality, as perceived by Ethio Telecom employees, using an explanatory research design. Quantitative methods guided by SPSS software were employed, utilizing descriptive statistics such as mean and standard deviation, alongside correlation matrices and multiple regression analysis. The study encompassed 324 randomly selected individuals from Ethio Telecom, achieving a remarkable 100% response rate with 179 completed self-administered surveys from sampled employees. Findings underscored a robust, positive correlation between cost efficiency, responsiveness, reliability, empathy, certainty, and user satisfaction. The study concludes that optimizing telecom service cost-effectiveness while preserving core aspects like reliability, empathy, and responsiveness significantly enhances service quality and thereby boosts customer satisfaction. It advocates for the integration of advanced service quality management approaches tailored to telecom industry standards and effective, quality-focused service protocols