Influence Of Telecentre Platforms’ Initiative On Customer Satisfaction With Government Service Delivery: A Case Of Machakos County, Kenya

Abstract

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has opened a door for better communication and processing of information, faster and in cost effective ways than ever before. Huduma Centres or telecentres rolled out by Kenya ICT Board (KICTB) have become a relevant and essential part of people’s daily lives as they are meant to provide certain ICT training, education, and governmental services (e-Government). The main objective of this study was to determine the influence of telecentre platforms’ initiatives on customer satisfaction with government service delivery in Kenya focusing on Machakos County, Kenya. Specifically the study sought to; establish how types of services sought in telecentres influence customer satisfaction with government service delivery in Machakos County; establish how level of ICT development in telecentres influence customer satisfaction with government service delivery in Machakos County; determine how attitudes of the service provider in telecentres influence customer satisfaction with government service delivery in Machakos County; and to determine how characteristics of service providers in telecentres influence customer satisfaction with government service delivery in Machakos County. The study adopted a descriptive research design. The target population for this study included: Huduma telecentre customers’ in Machakos County, and staff of Huduma telecentres Machakos office. The study involved 120 sampled and randomly selected Huduma telecentre customers’ of Machakos County, and 36 staff members of Huduma telecentres Machakos office. The study relied on data collected through questionnaires structured to meet the objectives of the study and an interview guide. Responses were tabulated, coded and processed by use of a computer Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 20.0 programme to analyze the data. It is believed the study will be significant to the National and County Governments, especially to decision makers involved in implementation of ICT strategies for their Counties. Regulators and the policy makers can use the finding as reference for policy guidelines on development and management of ICT projects in the country. The study found that there exists a positive association between: influence of level of ICT development in Telecentres on customer satisfaction with Government Service delivery; influence of attitude as a service provider on customer satisfaction with Government Service delivery; and influence of server provider characteristics on customer satisfaction with Government Service delivery to influence of telecentre platforms’ initiatives on customer satisfaction with government service delivery in Kenya. This positive association suggests that when one increases, influence of telecentre platforms’ initiatives on customer satisfaction with government service delivery in Kenya increases. The study therefore concludes that type of service, level of ICT development, attitude as a service provider and server provider characteristics are factors influencing of telecentre platforms’ initiatives on customer satisfaction with government service delivery in Kenya. The study recommends that there is need for the telecentres to be open at hours when people want to use them; and Telecentre management should collaborate with organisations such as academic institutions in order to create localised content as this would partly solve the problem of lack of local content in the Telecentre which many users complained about and perhaps improve quality of government service delivery. The there is need to conduct a similar study which will attempt to find out the challenges facing implementation of telecentre platforms’ initiatives in