THE IMPACT OF WATER UTILITIES INFORMATION SYSTEM (MajIS) IN ENHANCING CUSTOMER SERVICE DELIVERY BY WATER AND SANITATION AUTHORITIES IN TANZANIA

Abstract

ABSTRACT The study has examined the effect of MajIS on enhancing customer service delivery; usefulness of MajIS in providing vital information; main barriers affecting MajIS in improving water and sanitation customer service. The study was theoretically guided by the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and the Service Quality Model (SERVQUAL). The explanatory research design, survey strategy and mixed method approach were used. The population was 409 and sample size was made up 113 AUWSA staffs. Quantitative data was collected through questionnaire, and qualitative data through interview guide. Both probability and non-probability sampling techniques were used. Descriptive statistics and Pearson correlation analysis were used to analyse quantitative data, and content analysis was used to analyse qualitative data. The findings showed that MajIS have significant high effect in ensuring accessibility, availability quality, and reliability of water and sanitation services by AUWSA. It was also found that MajIS have significant usefulness in ensuring timely meter reading, correctness of meter reading, timely dissemination of water bills, timely notifications to customers, and in providing vital information for decision making by AUWSA. It was also established that poor network, internet, lack of implementation strategy and lack of technical support are main barrier that highly affects MajIS in improving water and sanitation services. It thus concluded that there is a moderate positive linear relationship between the level of customer satisfaction and accessibility of water and sanitation services, availability of water and sanitation services, quality of water and sanitation service, and reliability of water and sanitation services. It is also concluded that MajIS have significant usefulness in ensuring timely meter reading, correctness of metering readings and timely dissemination of water bills. MajIS is also significantly useful in ensuring timely notifications to customers on water and sanitation services; and on providing vital information for decision making by AUWSA on enhancing water and sanitation customer service deliver. It is also concluded that poor network, internet; lack of implementation strategy and lack of technical support are the main barrier that highly affects MajIS in improving water and sanitation services. Accordingly, it is recommended that AUWSA should develop effective implementation strategy to ensure effective use of MajIS into enhancing water and sanitation customer service delivery. Also, AUWSA should train and develop its technical team responsible with MajIS to ensure that it is capable of providing essential technical support to the MajIS. In addition, AUWSA should integrate the MajIS with its water and sanitation customers to allow direct interactive two-way communication between AUWSA and its customers to enhance delivery of customer service and allow customers to directly inform AUWSA of any problem including water/sewerage leaks in supply lines.