Electronic Queueing Management System and Customer Service in Commercial Banks in Kenya: a Case Study of Kenya Commercial Bank

Abstract

Service quality service a competitive advantage in this era where Bank services and products are increasingly less differentiated. Many service industry players and like banking institutions have struggled with queue management for a long time. The introduction of Queue Technology in hospitality sectors –airlines, hotels, hospitals etc. has realised some level of success. Kenyan banking institutions have in the past few years leveraged queue technology to try to resolve the unending congestion problem and poor customer service in the hope that this results in increased productivity. Owing to the newness of this technology in Kenya, little has been documented on the impact of the Electronic Queue Management System (EQMS) on customer service within the Banking industry. This particular study sought to determine the operational determinants for using the EQMS in Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB), the challenges that the KCB customers face or might have faced in the implementation of the EQMS and ultimately whether the technology has resulted in improved service levels. The researcher looked at independent variables namely ease of using the technology, the speed of obtaining service and the associated convenience of the EQMS and their impact on customer acceptance of the technology and the resulting satisfaction levels. A case study of KCB’s two bank branch outlets –Kipande and Rongai targeted the walk-in-customers visiting the branch outlets to transact. A sample of 52 respondents were chosen and questionnaires administered in addition to the researcher observing through a mystery shopping exercise. The resulting data was analysed using SPSS and Excel through descriptive and inferential analysis. The study findings opined that key operational determinants as ranked by the customers included the number of tellers availed, ease of use of the EQMS machine, floor management and support availed, availability of sitting space and alternative transacting channels. In regards to the challenges faced, the customers lamented on the level of support in using the new machine, unattended service points and inconsistent service speeds. The major findings as far as resulting impact on service level is concerned, the customers felt that the waiting time was still unacceptable which was corroborated by obtained data which indicates that the two branch outlets were still not achieving the service level agreements set by the bank in regards to wait time and service time. Ultimately, the study concludes that the customers have not optimally used the available complementing alternative channels of transactions that would remarkably reduce the number of customers within the banking hall at any one time. The study thus recommends that the bank educate its clientele on the new complementing technology in their quest to improve the customers’ experience. The study thus corroborates Jhala &Bhathawala (2016) finding that improvement in service is synonymous to reduced waiting time.