The Effect of Service Quality on Customer Satisfaction in Jimma University: The Case of Registrar Services

Abstract

Recently higher institutions are widely expanding in Ethiopia to contribute towards the holistic development of the country. Office of the registrar of higher institution is the initial entrance to the services provided by the institution in the teaching-learning processes. The services that the office of registrar provides to the students and the employees need to be to the standard acceptable to service takers. The main purpose of the study is to investigate the effect of service quality on customer satisfaction in Jimma University the case of registrar services. Hence, cross sectional study was conducted and a stratified simple random sampling technique was employed to enable select the respondents from the eight strata (College) of Jimma University. Close ended questionnaire were used to collect data from respondents selected from students, and from academic staffs. Three hundred and fifty nine 359, participants were selected through convenience sampling technique. The SPSS statistical packages were used to analyze data. Multiple linear regression models were used to determine how well the service quality, dimensions such as the tangibility, reliability, responsiveness, assurance and empathy significantly predict the variance in the CSa of the registrar. The assumptions for linear regression model analysis were met. The finding of this study also indicates that customers were most satisfied with the assurance dimensions of service quality. On the contrary, customers were less satisfied with tangibility dimensions of service quality. The study concluded that, the correlation between the CSa and the dimensions were positive and statistically significant. Based on the results of this study, it is recommended that the Office of the Registrar should prioritize the SQ dimensions to provide quality service on customer satisfaction