A Customer Service Enquiry Into The Activities Of Institute of Chartered Accountants, Ghana (ICAG)

This study examines the concept of customer satisfaction within the context of Higher Institutions of Learning (HIL) with a focus on the Institute of Chartered Accountants, Ghana (ICAG). The study initially explores the perspective of management of ICAG on the concept of students’ satisfaction, their views on dominant predictors of satisfaction and further examines the key initiatives to improve students’ satisfaction over time. Subsequently, we assessed the level of students’ satisfaction with the Institute, the predictors of students’ satisfaction and the effect of students’ satisfaction on loyalty. Adopting a mixed method approach, key personnel of the Institute were first engaged through face-to-face interviews to appreciate their perspective on the subject matter while the views of students were solicited via a survey using a structured questionnaire. Data from the interviews was analysed using thematic analysis while the Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Modelling technique was employed to analyze the survey data. A total of 257 valid responses from students were included in our analysis. We observed from our interactions with management that significant effort has been made to position the Institute as student-centred organization backed by policy reforms to enhance students learning experience over time. Analysis of students’ views indicate high level of satisfaction with the service quality of the Institute and we find from our structural model results that staff knowledge, the provision of useful learning materials as well as support systems and facilities by the Institute to enhance students learning experience are key predictors of students’ satisfaction. Our findings also indicate satisfaction is positively related to loyalty, an indication that higher level of satisfaction among students promotes strong sense of attachment to the Institute.