The impact of service quality on customer switching behavior in the telecommunications industry in Ghana

Abstract EN

This study sought to examine the switching behaviour of customers within the telecommunication industry as a result of the quality of service they receive from their respective network operators.

The study sought to analyze the critical factors of service quality that determine customer switching behaviour and as a result assess its impact on the telecommunication companies.

Questionnaires were used in carrying out this research.

The nature of the study required only persons who use mobile phones and as a result, patronize the services of telecommunication companies.

The second year students of Accra Polytechnic totaling 2791 constituted the population of the study.

A total of 220 respondents were used as the sample size for this study.

A two-stage approach was used in choosing the sample used.

First of all, the random selection technique was used and the second year group was selected among the three year groups, thus first, second and third.

The researcher then used the purposive non-probability sampling technique to select the respondents as a result of the intention to interview only students with mobile phones.

Out of the 220 respondents, 51 had ever ported or switched before, and out of the (51, 60.8 % N = 31) agreed that their decision to port or switch was as a result of their complaints not being resolved immediately by the network operator.

Additionally, when asked whether unreliable network service was one of the reasons accounting for their movements 62.7 % (N = 32) of these respondents agreed.

Out of the 51, 53 % blamed poor customer service from their mobile service providers.

Also, 68.6 % out of the 51 respondents agreed that “poor network coverage from old network” is one of the reasons accounting for their movement.

The study concludes that since it is more expensive to acquire a new customer as compared to retaining the old one, telecommunication companies should put in the necessary measures and structures in place to minimize or totally prevent customers from switching.