In today's fast-moving and digitalized consumer world, consumer concerns and complaints are increasingly directed at services rather than as opposed to goods. According to CONSENT’s Quarter One Complaints Report a total of 1,851 consumers collectively recorded 4023 complaints of which 3202 were on services while 821 on goods. The consumers were free to register their complaints on either one or both of the categories. This raises a crucial question, why are services generating more dissatisfaction than the goods?
The answer lies in the complexity and the total number of services that a good must pass through before reaching the consumer. Consider the journey of something as simple as food ordered online. Before you even think about what to eat, you have to grab your phone to place an order. But what if your data is low, and the network is poor? You might need to step out to a nearby mobile money agent to buy more data, requiring you to call a boda boda to avoid traffic jams. In this seemingly straightforward task, you’ve already interacted with the telecommunications, transport, and digital finance sectors – all are under the service industries.
Take the case of Mr. Lugolobi Nethan, a resident of Kyanja, who relies heavily on delivery services. As a single man, he has mastered the art of using these services, knowing exactly which ones are quickest, cheapest, and most reliable. For him, these services make life easier, enabling him to order everything online from food to medicine. However, the convenience comes with its own set of challenges. He has experienced delays, poor network issues, and even mechanical problems with delivery bikes. Each of these hiccups represents a potential complaint.
Another colleague, who depends entirely on deliveries of shopped food, medical needs, and laundry echoes the same sentiments. He explains that before food reaches his table, it must pass through a series of services. He embraces a cashless economy, ensuring that his mobile money accounts are always replenished or loaded. Yet, despite his careful planning, things can go wrong – due poor network coverage as it might prevent a transaction, or a delivery rider's bike might break down. These disruptions in service can quickly turn from a convenient system into a source of frustrations.
The reality is that every good goes through a series of services before it reaches the consumer. Whether it’s the communication network you rely on to place an order, the transportation that delivers it to your door, or the financial services that processes your payment, each step involves a service that can fail, leading to consumer dissatisfaction as in quality of experience.
Experience and exposure show that education and awareness play a key role on part of consumers, especially those who may not be tech-savvy, navigating these services can be daunting. For example, if someone isn’t familiar with how to use mobile money or order food online, the process can become overwhelming, leading to mistakes and, consequently, complaints.
This scenario is not limited to those who order food online. Even consumers who buy food directly from the market must navigate a system of services to get that food to their table. From ensuring that the water used in cooking is clean, to understanding market prices, these are all services that contribute to the final product. When any of these services fail, it directly impacts the consumer’s experience, leading to complaints.
In conclusion, the high number of complaints in the service sectors compared to goods sector is not surprising when we consider the intricate web of services that support goods delivery. Every good we consume is, in essence, a culmination of multiple services. When any of these services falter, it reflects poorly on the entire consumer experience. Therefore, understanding and improving these services is crucial to enhancing consumer satisfaction and reducing complaints.
