A framework to explore factors influencing customer services within South African retailers

Abstract: Background on customer service quality of retailer shops in South Africa is discussed and motivation for the study is justified. Trends and statistics were presented to provide evidence of the recent and current state of customer service in South Africa. Literature and scholarly evidence explored different aspects of customer services in general as well as in the retail industries in the contemporary global scenario. The current business environment in the retail sector of South Africa as a whole was explored, thereby exploring the customer service aspects and nature of the organizations operating in this industry. For the study’s purpose, Deductive approach was utilized. This paper adopted a positivism paradigm and quantitative data was gathered. The study was cross-sectional and close-ended questionnaire was prepared to aid in the process of data collection from 385 respondents. SPSS is the statistical tool that was adopted for the function of data analysis based on both descriptive s and factor analysis. Cronbach’s Alpha Reliability Test was checked at 0.69, and Kyser- Meyer Olkin (KMO) and Barllet’s Test was checked at 0.77. Factors influencing quality of customer service, determinants as well as barriers of service quality were determined using component factor analysis. Recommendations to marketing managers, customers, website designers and future researchers.Ph.D. (Operations Management