Measuring Retail Service Quality in Nigerian Departmental Stores

Abstract

The Nigerian economy is experiencing a boom in the retail sector of Departmental Stores. The sector is becoming increasingly competitive with the entry of foreign and multinational retail stores. Extant literature indicates that loyalty of the customers can be maintained with service quality. Consequently, the current study attempts to measure service quality among Nigerian departmental stores using Dabholkar, Thorpe & Renz (1996) Retail Service Quality Scale (RSQS) instrument to gauge customers’ satisfaction with the retail service quality in the Nigerian Retail sector. Four hundred and seventy eight customers of three major departmental stores in central Lagos, Nigeria were used for the study. Data generated was analyzed using factor analysis, correlation and hierarchical regression analysis to test the relationships of the ¿YHGLPHQVLRQVRI5646DQGFXVWRPHUVDWLVIDFWLRQ7KHVWXG\IRXQG5646WREHDXVHIXOWRRO for evaluating retail service quality in retail sector of departmental stores. Physical dimension, UHOLDELOLW\ SHUVRQDO LQWHUDFWLRQ DQG SUREOHP VROYLQJZHUH DOVR IRXQGWR VLJQL¿FDQWO\DIIHFW customers’ satisfaction, while policy was found not to have similar effect within the Nigerian environment.

Keywords5HWDLOLQJ6HUYLFHTXDOLW\5HWDLO6HUYLFH4XDOLW\6FDOH'HSDUWPHQWDO6WRUHV 5HOLDELOLW\&XVWRPHUV6DWLVIDFWLRQ3HUVRQDO,QWHUDFWLRQ6HUYLFH3HUIRUPDQFH6FDOH

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1. Introduction

Retail business in Nigeria is largely informal and fragmented. The informal retailing is growing faster in number and investment largely because of the seemingly reluctance of the populace to change from the traditional ways of trading and partly because growing number of unemployed youths taking to retailing as a means of survival. Consequently, Retailing has remained one of the easiest ways to be gainfully employed. However, in recent decades the Nigerian economy has been experiencing increasing relevance of formal retailing (departmental retail shops, chain stores and supermarkets). This can be inferred from several retail outlets coming into the competitive retail market including foreign retail outlets. Several retail outlets KDGVSUDQJXSLQWKHODVWGHFDGHHVSHFLDOO\DIWHUWKHIDLOXUHRIGHSDUWPHQWDOVWRUHVLQWKHV DQGV

MEASURING RETAIL SERVICE

QUALITY IN NIGERIAN

DEPARTMENTAL STORES

OMOTAYO OYENIYI, ABOLAJI JOACHIM ABIODUN

Covenant University, Nigeria

Today there are various types of retail outlets some of which are specialized outlets; general PHUFKDQWUHWDLORXWOHWVZKROO\LQGLJHQRXVUHWDLORXWOHWVDQGIRUHLJQRXWOHWV2IWKHPDMRU outlets (most of whom are chain stores) about a quarter of them are foreign retail stores. The Increasing importance of the departmental retail outlets may be attributed to increase in wages PLQLPXPZDJHVLQ1LJHULDKDVEHHQLQFUHDVHGVWDWXWRULO\IURP1WR1DPRQWK 1 LV HTXLYDOHQW WR  LQFUHDVH LQ QXPEHU RI ZRUNLQJ SDUHQWV SDUWLFXODUO\ ZRPHQ DQG the emergence of middle class within the Nigerian society. Despite the increase in number of retail outlets and their seemingly importance, consumer satisfaction of their service quality KDGQRWEHHQWHVWHGRUYHUL¿HGH[WHQVLYHO\LQ1LJHULD7KHDSSOLFDWLRQRIVHUYLFHTXDOLW\VFDOH 6(5948$/DQGVHUYLFHSHUIRUPDQFHVFDOH6(593(5)LQVWUXPHQWVDUHHVVHQWLDOO\OLPLWHG to developed countries with limited applications in retail outlets and developing countries particularly Nigeria. There are a few indications of measuring service quality in Nigerian retail EDQNV2JXQQDLNHWHOHFRPPXQLFDWLRQLQGXVWULHV2MREXWYHU\OLWWOHUHVHDUFK KDGEHHQGRQHLQUHWDLOLQJLQ1LJHULD7KHFXUUHQWVWXG\DWWHPSWVWR¿OOWKLVJDSLQOLWHUDWXUH

2. Literature Review

The use of service quality to gauge the level of consumers’ satisfaction with service provision has been on the increase in the last decades, particularly since the development of 6HUYLFH4XDOLW\6FDOH6(5948$/E\3DUDVXUDPDQ=HLWKDPO %HUU\6(5948$/ rests on measuring the difference between customer expectation and perceptions of service SHUIRUPDQFH7KLVLQVWUXPHQWKDGEHHQZLGHO\DSSOLHGLQVHYHUDOVHUYLFHGLPHQVLRQVKRVSLWDOV %DEDNXV 0DQJROGGHQWDOFOLQLFDQGEXVLQHVVVFKRROSODFHPHQW&DUPDQ XWLOLW\ FRPSDQ\ /DVVDU 0DQROLV :LQVRU   LQWHUQHW UHWDLOLQJ /RQJ  0F0HOORQ 'HVSLWHLWVZLGHDSSOLFDWLRQ6(5948$/KDVDOVRDWWUDFWHGVHYHUDOFULWLFLVPVRQLWV WKHRUHWLFDOIRXQGDWLRQ&URQLQ 7D\ORUXVHIXOQHVVDQGJHQHUDOLVDWLRQ6LX  &KHXQJ'HVSLWHWKHVHFULWLFLVPV6(5948$/KDVEHHQLGHQWL¿HGDVYHU\XVHIXOWRROLQ measuring service quality and in add value to customer and ensuring satisfaction (Das, Saha %DQLN2QHRIWKHZD\VWRHQVXUHFRQVXPHUOR\DOW\ZLWKDVHUYLFHLVWKURXJKVHUYLFH TXDOLW\:RQJ 6RKDO6HYHUDORWKHUEHQH¿WVRIVHUYLFHTXDOLW\KDGEHHQLGHQWL¿HG LQOLWHUDWXUHLQFOXGLQJFXVWRPHUVDWLVIDFWLRQ6LYDGDV %DNHU3UHZLWWSRVLWLRQLQJRI VHUYLFHLQDFRPSHWLWLYHHQYLURQPHQW0HKWD/DOZDQL +DQUHWHQWLRQDQGSDWURQDJH <DYDV%LOJLQ 6KHQZHOO+RZHYHULWLVGLI¿FXOWWRPHDVXUHVHUYLFHTXDOLW\LQQRQ SXUHVHUYLFHVHFWRUZLWKWKHXVHRI6(5948$/7KLVQHFHVVLWDWHGWKHGHYHORSPHQWRI5HWDLO 6HUYLFH4XDOLW\6FDOH5646E\'DEKRONDU7KRUSH 5HQ] 6HUYLFHTXDOLW\PHDVXUHPHQWLQUHWDLOLQJLVGLIIHUHQWIURPRWKHUVHUYLFHSURGXFWV0HKWD /DOZDQL +DQ)LQQWKLVLVDVDUHVXOWRILWVXQLTXHFKDUDFWHULVWLFV7KHUHIRUH measuring service quality in retail setting cannot be undertaken in similar ways as other service products. One major requirement of measuring service quality in retailing is the need to ascertain TXDOLW\IURPWKHSHUVSHFWLYHRIERWKJRRGVDQGVHUYLFHV0HKWD/DOZDQL +DQ

Service quality is an attempt to measure the gap between expectations and perceptions RIVHUYLFHSHUIRUPDQFH3DUDVXUDPDQ=HLWKDPODQG%HUU\6(5948$/FRQFHSWXDOO\ verify the gap i.e the extent to which service obtained is related to service expectations. Expectations and performance are expected to be measured to determine the gap. However, other researchers are of the opinion that measurement of performance is a more superior ZD\ RI REWDLQLQJ VHUYLFH TXDOLW\ &DUPDQ $QJXU 1DWDUDDMDQ  -DKHUD 7KLV

ODWHUDUJXPHQWOHGWRWKHGHYHORSPHQWRIVHUYLFHSHUIRUPDQFHVFDOH6(593(5)7KH UHODWLRQVKLSEHWZHHQWKHWZRVFDOHVFDQEHVXPPDUL]HGDVIROORZV:KLOH6(5948$/ PHDVXUHVWKHJDSEHWZHHQFRQVXPHUH[SHFWDWLRQVDQGSHUIRUPDQFH6(593(5)LVOLPLWHG to performance dimensions of service quality.

7KHYDULRXVDSSOLFDWLRQVRI6(5948$/KDYHQRWSURYHQLWVDSSURSULDWHQHVVIRUUHWDLOLQJ 7KH LQDGHTXDFLHV RI 6(5948$/ DQG 6(593(5) WR FDSWXUH SURSHUO\ VHUYLFH TXDOLW\ LQ UHWDLOLQJ OHG 'DEKRONDU7KRUSH  5HQW]  WR GHYHORS WKH UHWDLO VHUYLFH TXDOLW\ VFDOH 5646VSHFL¿FDOO\WRPHDVXUHVHUYLFHTXDOLW\LQUHWDLOLQJ'DEKRONDU7KRUSH 5HQ] 5646LVDKLHUDUFKLFDOIDFWRUVWUXFWXUHVFDOHZLWK¿YHGLPHQVLRQDOVWUXFWXUHQDPHO\SK\VLFDO aspect, reliability, personal interaction, problem-solving and policy. Three of these dimensions KDYHWZRVXEGLPHQVLRQVHDFK5646VFDOHKDGEHHQUHSOLFDWHGLQYDULRXVRWKHUVWXGLHVWR YHULI\DQGYDOLGDWHWKHVFDOH'DEKRONDU7KRUSH 5HQ]UHSOLFDWHGWKHLURZQVFDOHDQG GLVFRYHUHGWKDWDOOWKHGLPHQVLRQVRI5646DUHYDOLGZLWKLQWKH86HQYLURQPHQW,QDVLPLODU VWXG\E\0HKWD/DOZDQL +DQLQ6LQJDSRUHWKH5646VFDOHZDVDOVRYDOLGDWHGLQ WKDWHQYLURQPHQW,QDFRPSDUDWLYHVWXG\LQ86DQG.RUHD.LPDQG-LQIRXQGVXSSRUW IRUIRXURXWRI¿YHGLPHQVLRQVRI56465646VFDOHKDVDOVREHHQIRXQGWREHDSSURSULDWH LQGHSDUWPHQWDOVWRUHVLQ6RXWK$IULFD6LXDQG&KHXQJDSSOLHG5646LQGHSDUWPHQWDO UHWDLOVHWWLQJLQ+RQ.RQJDQGWKH¿YHGLPHQVLRQVZHUHIRXQGYDOLG$SSO\LQJWKH5646RQ K\SHUPDUNHWVKRSSHUV&KULVWR 7HUELDQFKHIRXQGUHDVRQDEOH¿WRIWKH¿YHGLPHQVLRQV RI5646VFDOHLQ6RXWK$IULFD+RZHYHU5646XVLQJFRQ¿UPDWRU\IDFWRUDQDO\VLVZDVQRW YDOLGLQ,QGLDUHWDLOVHWWLQJ.DXO,QDOORIWKHVHVWXGLHVQRQHKDGEHHQNQRZQWRFRYHU WKHDSSURSULDWHQHVVRIWKH5646ZLWKLQWKH1LJHULDQEXVLQHVVHQYLURQPHQW7KLVVWXG\DWWHPSWV WRYDOLGDWHWKH5646VFDOHZLWKLQWKH1LJHULDQEXVLQHVVHQYLURQPHQW

One of the ways by which customer satisfaction and retention can be achieved in retail VWRUHVLVVHUYLFHTXDOLW\7KHQPR]KL 'KDQSDO6LYDGDV %DNHU3UHZLWW0RUH LPSRUWDQWO\FXVWRPHUOR\DOW\LVFUXFLDOWRWKH¿QDQFLDOVXFFHVVDQGLQFUHDVHLQPDUNHWVKDUHRI PRVWUHWDLORXWOHWVDVVDWLV¿HGFXVWRPHUVZLOOQRWRQO\PDNHDUHSXUFKDVHEXWDOVRUHFRPPHQG WKHSURGXFWWRRWKHUV6LX &KHXQJ6ULQLYDVDQ$QGHUVRQ 3RQQDYROX$ORWRI retail stores in Nigeria strive for customers’ attention and increase market share.

Retail service quality dimensions are measured through reliability, validity and component VWUXFWXUHVRIWKHVFDOH5646LVKLHUDUFKLFDOPRGHOUHTXLULQJWKUHHOHYHOVRIHYDOXDWLRQ

7KH¿UVWRUGHUGLPHQVLRQVRI5646DUHSK\VLFDODVSHFWVUHOLDELOLW\SHUVRQDOLQWHUDFWLRQ problem solving and policy. The measurement of physical facilities is done using appearance of the physical facilities and convenience the layout of the physical facilities provides. Customers of retail shops place a high premium on store appearance as well as convenience of the physical IDFLOLWLHV%DNHU'KUXY 3DUDVXUDPDQ+XPPHO 6DYLWW7KLVH[SODLQVZK\ appearance and convenience are physical aspects sub-dimensions. Reliability is the extent to which customers can rely on promises made by the retail outlet and whether merchandise will be available when they are required by the consumers (Dabholkar, Thorpe & Rentz, 7KHUHIRUHWKHVXEGLPHQVLRQVQHHGHGWRJDXJHUHOLDELOLW\DUHSURPLVHVDQGGRLQJLW right. The third dimension is personal interaction which covers such variables as friendliness, FRXUWHV\EHLQJKHOSIXO7KHHVVHQFHLVWRFDSWXUHWKHFRQVXPHUFRQ¿GHQFHDQGSURYLGLQJDQ environment of shopping without pressurized. The sub-dimensions for this measurement are LQVSLULQJFRQ¿GHQFHDQGFRXUWHRXVDQGKHOSIXOQHVV3UREOHPVROYLQJLVWKHIRXUWKGLPHQVLRQV RI56466HUYLFHIDLOXUHDQGLWVUHFRYHU\DUHHVVHQWLDOSDUWVRIVHUYLFHTXDOLW\4XDOLW\FDQ

be improved as customers are noted to be sensitive to how service providers attend to service IDLOXUHDQGFRPSODLQWV.HOOH\ 'DYLV7KLV'LPHQVLRQKDVQRVXEGLPHQVLRQ7KH last dimension is policy which is related directly to management policy of the store. This will include policy on convenience hours of shopping, credit facilities, and availability of parking VSDFH.DXO

3. Methods and Material

7KLVVWXG\WHVWVWKHDSSOLFDWLRQRI5646LQWKH1LJHULDQUHWDLOLQGXVWU\IRUWKHGHWHUPLQDWLRQ of service quality. The study was conducted in Lagos. Lagos has emerged as Nigeria’s largest DQG PRVW LPSRUWDQW FRPPHUFLDO FLW\ DFFRXQWLQJ IRU PRUH WKDQ  RI WKH FRXQWU\ *URVV 'RPHVWLF3URGXFW*'3OHVVSHWUROHXP/DJRVLVDOVRDPRQJWKH¿UVWFLWLHVZKHUHODUJHIRUPDO departmental stores were established and as such it is expected to have a greater degree of customer expectation of service quality than other cities.

The population of the study comprises of all retail shoppers of the sampled organizations, WKLVLVLQOLQHZLWKKRZ'DEKRONDU7KRUSH 5HQ]DQG.LP -LQGH¿QHGVXFK population. The sample organizations were selected partly because of their relative size (they are in terms of sales the largest departmental stores in Lagos) and partly of their locations (they are located in the choice areas of Lagos city and as such attract large numbers of patronage) and lastly because they are one of the oldest of the new stock of departmental stores that sprang up in recent years.

4XRWDVDPSOLQJWHFKQLTXHZDVXVHGEDVHGRQFXVWRPHU¶VDJHLQFRPHDQGJHQGHU7KHVH variables had been noted in literature to impact positively on the perception of service quality E\FXVWRPHUV*DJOLDQR +RWKFROH.DXO7KHVDPSOHLVGLYLGHGDPRQJVSHFL¿F LQFRPHJURXSLH111 DQG1LJHULDQPLQLPXPZDJHLV1 DPRQWKJHQGHUPHQDQGZRPHQDQGDJHJURXS\HDUV(LJKWHHQ\HDUVLVVWDWXWRU\ regarded in Nigeria as adults and mature enough to undertake his own shopping with little or QRSDUHQWDOJXLGDQFHRULQÀXHQFH7KHRWKHUDJHJURXSLVDQGDERYH7KHDYHUDJHDJHRID 1LJHULDQJUDGXDWHLVEHWZHHQDQG\HDUV$W\HDUVDOOWKLQJVEHLQJHTXDOKHLVH[SHFWHG WREHZRUNLQJLQGHSHQGHQW¿QDQFLDOO\DQGPDNHLQGHSHQGHQWVKRSSLQJGHFLVLRQV

(VWDEOLVKHG5646GHYHORSHGE\'DEKRONDU7KRUSH 5HQW]ZDVXVHGZLWKVRPH PRGL¿FDWLRQV WR VXLW WKH 1LJHULDQ HQYLURQPHQW$ JHQHUDO UHYLHZ RI 'DEKRONDU7KRUSH  5HQW]  VKRZV WZR TXHVWLRQV WKDW DUH QRW UHODWHG WR 1LJHULDQ EXVLQHVV HQYLURQPHQW 7KHVHDUHLWHPVXQGHUSROLF\GLPHQVLRQVDFFHSWDQFHRIFUHGLWFDUGVDQGRIIHULQJRIFUHGLW cards by the stores. The use of credit card and offering of credit through credit cards as a mean RIH[FKDQJHLVLWVLQIDQF\VWDJH$VVXFKWKHVHWZRLWHPVDUHUHPRYHGLQWKH¿QDOGUDIWRI instrument being used. The second item deleted from the scale is ‘telephonic interaction with customers’. Cost of telephone despite the use of mobile phone is high in Nigeria and there is low tele-interaction with customers as this not really used in Nigeria. This indicates that other LWHPVLQWKH5646DUHDGRSWHGIRUWKHSXUSRVHRIWKLVVWXG\

7KHLWHPVZHUHPHDVXUHGRQD¿YHSRLQW/LNHUWVFDOHIURP³VWURQJO\DJUHH´WR³VWURQJO\ GLVDJUHH 'DEKRONDU 7KRUSH  5HQ]  SURSRVHG ¿YH GLPHQVLRQV SK\VLFDO DVSHFWV UHOLDELOLW\SHUVRQDOLQWHUDFWLRQSUREOHPVROYLQJDQGSROLF\7KH¿UVWWKUHHGLPHQVLRQVDOVR KDYHVXEGLPHQVLRQVSK\VLFDODVSHFWVDSSHDUDQFHDQGFRQYHQLHQFHUHOLDELOLW\SURPLVHVDQG GRLQJLWULJKWDQGSHUVRQDOLQWHUDFWLRQVLQVSLULQJDQGFRXUWHV\3K\VLFDODSSHDUDQFHLQGLFDWHV physical facilities, convenience of the store layout as well as the aesthetic beauty of the store

WKDWPD\EHYDOXHGE\WKHFXVWRPHUV3DULNVNK7KHUHOLDELOLW\GLPHQVLRQVDWWHPSWV to capture how reliable are the promises made by the outlet and whether merchandise UHTXLUHGFDQEHIRXQGLQWKHVWRUH'DEKRONDU7KRUSH 5HQ]7KHWKLUGGLPHQVLRQ measures the relationships that exist or should exist between employees and the workers. It VXEGLPHQVLRQ LQFOXGH ZKHWKHU WKH ZRUNHUV LQVSLUH FRQ¿GHQFH DQG DUH FRXUWHRXV 3UREOHP solving deals with how complaints, goods returned and exchanges are handled. This dimension actually involves service recovery which is also an indication of service quality. The last dimension captures store policy in terms of opening hours, it convenience and whether the policy is responsive to customer’s desire.

The questionnaire was self-administered with the assistance of research assistant, who has been trained and instructed on what to do and are also expected to help the shoppers to properly ¿OOWKHTXHVWLRQQDLUH5HVSRQGHQWVDUHDSSURDFKHGDQGH[SHFWHGWR¿OOWKHTXHVWLRQQDLUH7KH choice of this method is based on the fact that shoppers evaluate service quality easily in WKHVKRSSLQJHQYLURQPHQWWKDQHOVHZKHUH'DEKRONDU7KRUSH 5HQ])LYHKXQGUHG  FRSLHV RI TXHVWLRQQDLUH ZHUH DGPLQLVWHUHG ZKLOH  ZHUH UHWXUQHG SURSHUO\ ¿OOHG Three departmental stores were chosen labeled A, B and C. Store A in an indigenously owned top brand, while store B and store C are notable foreign owned departmental stores. The TXHVWLRQQDLUHZDVVWUXFWXUHGDQGFRQVLVWHGRIWZRSDUWV7KHSUR¿OHRIWKHUHVSRQGHQWVZDV captured in section A and section B consists of items that were meant to evaluate service quality LQWKHUHWDLOLQJLQGXVWU\5HVHDUFK$VVLVWDQWVZHUHXVHGDGGLWLRQDOO\WRDVVLVWVKRSSHUVWR¿OOWKH TXHVWLRQQDLUH7KLVZDVPDGHSRVVLEOHZLWKWKHSULRUSHUPLVVLRQRIWKH0DQDJHUVEHIRUHWKH commencement of the distribution.

4. Data Analysis

7KHUHOLDELOLW\WHVWIRUWKHLQVWUXPHQWZDVFRQGXFWHGXVLQJ&URQEDFK¶V$OSKDFRHI¿FLHQW Į7KHUHVXOWRIWKHUHOLDELOLW\WHVWLVVKRZQLQ7DEOH7KHUHVXOWVKRZVWKHRYHUDOOUHOLDELOLW\  ZKLFK IDOOV ZLWKLQ DFFHSWDEOH OLPLWV RI  1XQQDOO\  7KH LWHP E\ LWHP &URQEDFK¶V$OSKD VKRZV VLJQL¿FDQW OHYHO RI UHOLDELOLW\ DQG LW UDQJHV IURP  WR  +RZHYHUDQXPEHURIWKHGLPHQVLRQVKDYH&URQEDFK¶V$OSKDRIOHVVWKDQ)RUH[DPSOH SUREOHPVROYLQJDOSKD DQGSROLF\DOSKD 7KHVXEGLPHQVLRQVRIUHOLDELOLW\ GRLQJLWULJKWKDGDOSKDRI7KHVHUHVXOWVFRPSDUHGWRWKRVHRI%RVKRII 7HUEODQFKH DQG0HKWDHWDO%RVKRII 7HUEODQFKHDQG'DV6DKD %DQLN IRXQGRYHUDOODOSKDRIDQGUHVSHFWLYHO\

Table 1 – Cronbach’s Alpha for RQSC Dimensions and its Sub-dimensions

Dimensions Items Į Sub-Dimensions Items Į

Overall   3K\VLFDO$VSHFW   1.1 Appearance 1.2 Convenience 4 2   2. Reliability   3URPLVHV 2.2 Doing-it-right 2   3HUVRQDO,QWHUDFWLRQV   &RQ¿GHQFH &RXUWHRXVQHVV   3UREOHPVROYLQJ   Customer Satisfaction  

)XUWKHUPRUH'DV6DKD %DQLNDOSKDIRUUHOLDELOLW\LVDQGLWVVXEGLPHQVLRQ SURPLVHVDQGGRLQJLWULJKW,QVLPLODUPDQQHU0HKWD/DOZDQL +DQ &URQEDFK¶V$OSKDIRUUHOLDELOLW\SUREOHPVROYLQJDQGSROLF\GLPHQVLRQVDUHDQG UHVSHFWLYHO\

Table 2 – Question Items Cronbach’s Alpha Results 4XHVWLRQ

Item

Cronbach’s Alpha

Į 4XHVWLRQItem

Cronbach’s

$OSKDĮ 4XHVWLRQ,WHP Cronbach’s Alpha Į 2YHUDOO&URQEDFK¶V$OSKD  4  4  4  4  4  4  4  4  4  4  4  4  4  4  4  4  4  4  4  4  4  4  4  4  4  4 

The content validity of the instrument is assured as the instrument is adopted from previous study where it was developed through extensive review of literature. The instrument was HYDOXDWHGIRULWIDFHYDOLGLW\E\WZRDFDGHPLFVWKDWDUHYHU\NQRZOHGJHDEOHLQWKHDUHD3DUWRI their suggestions led to the removal of two question items from the original scale under the policy GLPHQVLRQ$GHTXDF\RIIDFWRUDQDO\VLVIRUWKHGDWDLVWHVWHGZLWK.DLVHU0H\HU2ONLQ.02 0HDVXUHRI6DPSOLQJ$GHTXDF\DQG%DUOHWW¶V7HVWRI6SKHULFLW\%RWK.02DQG%DUOHWW¶V7HVW RI6KHULFLW\IDOOZLWKLQDFFHSWDEOHOLPLWV.02•DQG%DUOHWW¶V7HVWRI6SKHULFLW\” 7KHUHVXOWRIWKLVVWXG\LV.02 DQG%DUOHWW¶V7HVWRI6SKHULFLW\ 7KHUHODWLRQVKLSV DPRQJWKHYDULRXVGLPHQVLRQVRI5646ZHUHPHDVXUHGZLWKFRUUHODWLRQDQDO\VLVVHH7DEOH Table 3 – Correlations 1 2  4   3K\VLFDO 1 Reliability  1 3HUVRQDO   1 3UREOHP    1 3ROLF\     1 Customer Satisfaction      1 &RUUHODWLRQLVVLJQL¿FDQWDWWKHOHYHOWDLOHG

A review of the table shows reasonable level of relationships among the dimension and the FXVWRPHUVDWLVIDFWLRQLQGH[&RUUHODWLRQYDOXHVUYDULHVEHWZHHQDQGS  which are within acceptable limit.

7KHLPSDFWRI5646RQFXVWRPHUVDWLVIDFWLRQZDVPHDVXUHGXVLQJKLHUDUFKLFDOPXOWLSOH regression analysis. The results of the multiple regression is shown in Table 4.

Table 4 – Hierarchical Multiple Regression Results 5646 Dimensions R R2 Adjusted R2 R2 Change F Change ȕ t-Statistics ANOVA (F) VIF 3 3K\VLFDO Aspect           Reliability           3HUVRQDO interactions           3UREOHP Solving           3ROLF\          

+LHUDUFKLFDO UHJUHVVLRQ ZDV HPSOR\HG WR GHWHUPLQH WKH UHODWLYH LPSRUWDQFH RI WKH  GLPHQVLRQVRI5646RQFXVWRPHUVDWLVIDFWLRQ7KHUHVXOWZDVWUDQVIRUPHGWRUHGXFHWKHOHYHO of outliers, and improves normality and linearity of residuals. As such no outliers among the cases ZHUHLGHQWL¿HG1RFDVHVKDGPLVVLQJGDWDDQGQRVXSSUHVVRUYDULDEOHVZHUHIRXQG1 7KH VLJQL¿FDQFHRIWKHELYDULDWHUHODWLRQVKLSEHWZHHQFXVWRPHUVDWLVIDFWLRQDQGSK\VLFDODVSHFWLV assessed at the end of step one of the hierarchical regression F p 7KHELYDULDWHFRUUHODWLRQLVDFFRXQWLQJIRUYDULDQFH5HOLDELOLW\GLPHQVLRQLQSXW LVLQGLFDWHGDV) S3HUVRQDOLQWHUDFWLRQYDOXHVDUHF  p+RZHYHUWKHYDOXHVRISROLF\DQGSUREOHPVROYLQJGLPHQVLRQVDUHDQRWVLJQL¿FDQW are such may be interpreted as positively affecting customer satisfaction. Table 4 shows the results of R, R2_{, and adjusted R}2DIWHUHQWU\RIWKH¿YHGLPHQVLRQVLQGHSHQGHQWYDULDEOHV 5 ZDV VLJQL¿FDQWO\ GLIIHUHQW IURP ]HUR DW WKH HQG RI HDFK VWHS$IWHU WKH HQWU\ RI WKH ODVW independent variable (policy) R2 ZKLOHWKHDGMXVWHG52RILVDQLQGLFDWLRQWKDW more than half of customer satisfaction in sampled departmental stores can be attributed to the level of retail service quality practiced by the organizations, after taking cognizance of the non-VLJQL¿FDQWOHYHORISUREOHPVROYLQJDQGSROLF\7KHUHDUHVLJQL¿FDQWLQFUHPHQWVLQWKHOHYHORI R2DVHDFKGLPHQVLRQLVLQFOXGHGLQWKHKLHUDUFKLFDOPRGHOIRUH[DPSOHSK\VLFDODVSHFW  UHOLDELOLW\ SHUVRQDOLQWHUDFWLRQV DQGSUREOHPVROYLQJ 7KHDGGLWLRQRI policy did not really improve R2_{. The pattern suggests an improvement in the level of customer} satisfaction by the level of physical aspects available in the departmental stores, how reliable is the promises made to the customers, the level of personal interaction with the customers and prompt response to customers’ problems.

5. Conclusions and managerial implications

The measurement of service quality has become useful tool in gauging the level of FRPSHWLWLYHDGYDQWDJHWKDWFDQEHDWWDLQHGE\DVHUYLFLQJRUJDQL]DWLRQ0RUHLPSRUWDQWO\LV the measurement of service quality in the not too pure service context (retailing). The study attempts to further the frontier of application of retail service quality scale particularly its scanty application in a developing country like Nigeria. The results of the study showed that FRQFHSWXDOO\5646LVDXVHIXOWRROLQPHDVXULQJVHUYLFHTXDOLW\LQUHWDLOVHWWLQJ2YHUDOO5646 VFDOHFRQ¿UPHGWKDWVHUYLFHTXDOLW\DIIHFWFXVWRPHUVDWLVIDFWLRQ+RZHYHUKLHUDUFKLFDOUHJUHVVLRQ RIGLPHQVLRQE\GLPHQVLRQDQDO\VLVRIWKHHIIHFWRIHDFKVKRZHGUHPDUNDEOHLQÀXHQFHRIIRXU

of the dimensions on customer satisfaction. As within the Nigerian cultural setting managers RIUHWDLORXWOHWVVKRXOGSD\DWWHQWLRQWRVHUYLFHTXDOLW\GLPHQVLRQWKDWFRQWLQXDOO\LQÀXHQFH consumers’ satisfaction.

7KH UHWDLO VHUYLFH TXDOLW\ GLPHQVLRQ RI SK\VLFDO DVSHFW KDV WKH PRVW VLJQL¿FDQW HIIHFW RQFXVWRPHUV¶VDWLVIDFWLRQ0DQDJHUVKRXOGHQGHDYRXUWRHPSKDVLVSK\VLFDOIDFLOLWLHVRIWKH VWRUHVHQVXUHFRQYHQLHQFHOD\RXWRIWKHÀRRUVDQGVWRUHDSSHDUDQFH,QHQVXULQJFXVWRPHUV¶ satisfaction manager should ensure high level of reliability on the promises made to customers in terms of doing the right things and ensuring that what is promised is delivered. The level of training that is offered to the staff in terms of their dispositions to the customer is an important \DUGVWLFNLQPHDVXULQJSHUVRQDOLQWHUDFWLRQV7KHFXUUHQWVWXG\FRQ¿UPV'DEKRONDU7KRUSH 5HQ]RULJLQDO¿QGLQJVRIWKHLPSRUWDQFHRIVWDIIIULHQGOLQHVVFRXUWHV\DQGDELOLW\WR provide helps to needy customers.

The respondents’ reactions to problem solving dimension is an indication to managers of retail outlets to develop appropriate strategies in service failure recovery. This is because customers are sensitive to how complaints and problems arising from transactions are handled. Service failure recovery strategies are not only necessary to ensure satisfaction they are equally LPSRUWDQW DV UHWHQWLRQ VWUDWHJ\ 7KH GLPHQVLRQ WKDW LV QRW VLJQL¿FDQW LV SROLF\ &XVWRPHUV¶ response to this dimension indicate that within the Nigerian retail cultural setting issues such as parking space, opening at convenient hours and the use of credit cards and credit facilities are not too valued. Not surprisingly, this response is in line with practical reality of the Nigerian EXVLQHVVHQYLURQPHQW0RVWUHWDLORXWOHWVLQ1LJHULDRSHUDWHZLWKLQWKHJHQHUDOO\DFFHSWDEOH KRXUVRIEXVLQHVVRSHUDWLRQ1LJHULDLHEHWZHHQDPDQGODWHVWSP7KLVLVSDUWO\ due to security issues in Nigeria and partly because as a developing country business operating RQ  KRXUV RU ³RGG´ KRXUV LV QRW FRPPRQ EHFDXVH RI LQDGHTXDWH IDFLOLWLHV DQG VHFXULW\ implications of such practices.

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