Road Infrastructure and Matatu Crew Character on Customer Satisfaction in VUCA Public Road Transport Sector in Kenya

Abstract

Rapid innovation is an important tool to maintain leadership in a volatile environment. VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous) world examples have shown how challengers within an organization must be developed and encouraged to create disruptive services and products that can replace existing ones. In road transport sector, customer satisfaction has been recognized as the most powerful competitive weapon that many leading service organizations possess .While this is so many public transport companies have not addressed the factors that affect customer satisfaction in the VUCA public transport sector.The study objectives were to determine how road infrastructure and matatu crew character affect customer satisfaction in the ever changing public road transport sector in Kenya with reference to Nairobi County. The study employed a descriptive research design. A sample size of 148 respondents were selected out of the target population of 344 that included the County Transport Department Staff, the Traffic Officers and the Matatu Owners Association and Matatu Crew that operate at various city stations and dropping and picking points. Data was collected through a semi-structured questionnaire. Descriptive analysis were used to analyze the collected data and were presented through charts, frequency tables and graphs. Conclusions and recommendations were drawn from the findings.The findings of the study showed that road infrastructure and matatu crew character all affected customer satisfaction in road transport sector in Kenya.The study recommended that there is need for improved road connectivity across the city especially in areas that are under serviced and connectivity is poor; and that it is necessary to enhance existing disciplinary procedures for offenders as this is appropriate in achieving high levels of customer satisfaction. Also, there is need to improve personal conduct of the sector players as some Matatu Crew behave in a manner that does not appeal to customers and that where the SACOOs do not have an existing code of conduct for matatu crew, there is need to develop one in order to provide guidelines on the matatu crew conduct. The study recommended further research on effect of training on matatu crew conduct in the Public Transport in Kenya.