MG301 MAJOR PROJECT RESEARCH

GROUP MEMBERS

NAME STUDENT ID
BACKGROUND OF THE ORGANIZATION

The Solomon Power organisation classify into different types of sectors that people depends
on in accessing quality services and benefits in their homes. In an organization, there are
managers and employers that responsible for the planning and analysing of programmes for
customer’s expectation. Organizations has divided in two sectors this are public and private
sectors that operates in our country. However the organizations that our group chosen is
Solomon Island Electricity Authority (SIEA) also known as Solomon power. This
organization was located in our main town Honiara the capital of Solomon islands. It became
one of the most important services valuable vital of quality Company that every day updates
and motivate the human perspectives of living in the country. This organization operated
around our country and in provinces for local people as well in terms of accessing power.
Solomon power perform their lifestyle in relevant support through implementing most active
services that people used and benefits them. Thus, this research major project will based
mainly on the Service Quality Gap Model (also known as the Customer Service Gap Model
or the four (4) Gap Model) is a framework for analysing customer satisfaction. When it
comes to meeting customer expectations, the model depicts the five primary satisfaction gaps
that businesses must solve. The Solomon power (SIEA) has the high ability in connected
their services throughout our country and in rural centre point that communities also access
the valuable services in their homes. And in daily serving for people expectations that best
suit the attention of managing and benefits in sustainable development that can direct each
human lives of using the services. Moreover by looking at this organizations, it requires
more quality equipment that can help the problems of customers, sometimes the staff or
managers in Solomon Power there is 3 levels of management. One is Middle Management
(Supervisors), the second is Senior Management and the highest one in Executive
Management. So suppose a customer has a concern, he or she will raise the concern with a
lower staff. If the staff could not resolve the customer’s concern, he or she will raise the
concern to her supervisor (Middle Management) to resolve the Solomon Power always
received customer complaints regarding connection, power disruption, lines and transmission
almost daily. There are customer telephone lines set in place where customer can raise their
concerns if they can’t come to SP’s front desk. These lines are operating on a 24/7 basis. As
such, the company do understand customers’ expectation very well. The similar approach
will be made until it reaches Executive Management level.
Brief history
The Solomon Islands electricity Authority (SIEA) was established and located in Honiara,
our main town. It operate and constituted under the electricity Act 1969(Cap 128) and
introducing on 1st January 1969 in Solomon Islands country. Solomon power became the
most empowerment organization that first established in our nation. This organization
continue to develop around the provinces and registered. Later on (in 2007), the government
has manage to put up another law that agree by the National Parliament of Solomon Islands,
called the State Owned Enterprises (SOE) Act 2007. Thus Solomon power regathered as one
of the SOE’s that professional operate amongst the business company in Solomon Islands.
Therefore the services activities which effectively progress in the surrounding and throughout
the country.

However, the services activities these organization Solomon Power had promote in profitable
and efficient as businesses marketing product was

 Wiring, installing cables in electricity supply systems in each household and

provinces here are ten locations that connected to electricity Honiara, Gizo, Noro,
Munda, Buala, Tulagi, Malu’u, Auki, Kirakira and lata. This offer a valuable
competitors in all services for customers.

 Sustainable developing and implementing capital investment plans, to promote the

quality service of electricity system performance at network coverage of catchment
areas that been installed already. There two new hybrids system power has been
installed in western province in Taro, Seghe community.

 Managing and seeking to increase efficient costs in all services provision around the
country.
 Improving the efficiency of services, whilst improving asset reliability and
availability.
 A good behaviourble employer characters that direct and maintaining a well-qualified
and improve the positions in accessing quality performance.
  A recruitments employees to plan and become motivated according to the staff
provision guidelines. And to strengthen the standard of business perspectives in
investment marketing product.

Mission

The main source of their mission is to provide the reliable quality services for customer’s
expectation through electricity supply power for in Solomon Islands and surround the capital.
And to fulfil the entire role management in all sectors of industries that operate in the
country.

Goals and Objectives

Solomon power (SIEA) goal is to set up the actual needs for customers and maintain the
values of delivering the positives aspects of each stakeholders to be received the outlets of
quality services. Also to promote the level of higher technical process in all working
department roles.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Research Design

In this research project, the main aim to focus on this course is to determine the types of gaps
model that we study relation to the organization Solomon power (SIEA). And to elaborate on
the quality services that perform in all sectors of physical services in the country Solomon
Islands. There are few resources that used to carry out the research project on accessing
information in different sources of learning platform.

Research Approach
1. Primary Research

 Questionnaires
Our group decide to distribute some questionnaires to other people and
answers it. This is one of the methods we used to collect information for our
 project. And the Solomon power staffs also help in providing relevant notes
according to the main research project.

 Interviews
Another resources used was the interviewed of customers face to face and put
down their responses concerning the organization Solomon power. There
were few customers that contribute their ideas in answering all the interviews
we did around the town. However in Solomon power we interviewed two staff
that employer in that organization name Audrey Manakako and Darwin
Maeriua.

2. Secondary research

 Internet search
Lastly the sources used was internet search in which we collect some
information online through web site. Through the Google scholar that helps in
references and cited in our research project. Most information which based on
the gaps model and the details of analysis the data and customers services.
MAIN DISCUSSION AND DATA ANALYSIS

Provide Gap 1. The Listening Gap

Listening gap is the difference between customer expectations of service and company
understanding of those expectation (Zeithaml et al, 1993). Customers have expectations about
what will happen if they use a product or service. Customers gather and evaluate information
about a product before making a purchase, which determines how they see the product and its
quality. Customers' anticipated outcomes from using a product may also be included in their
expectations. They may have high expectations for a product, for example, because they want
to appreciate it and they like the brand. According to Zeithaml (et al, 1993), customer service
expectations can be categorized into five overall dimensions, reliability, tangibles,
responsiveness, assurance and empathy. Increasing the customer’s expectation will result in
the accomplishment of the organizations service quality from the customer’s perspective thus
enable the organization to close the gap.

There some key factors that lead to provider gap 1: the listening gap. Refer to figure 1 below.
The figure shows the factors that cause the gap between the customers’ expectations and the
company understanding perceptions of those expectations.

Customers’ expectations
Figure1.

 Inadequate customer research orientation

 Lack of upward communication
 Insufficient relationship focuses
 Inadequate service recovery
 Company perceptions of customer expectations
Moreover, below is the analysis that describe the customer’s perceptions and the level of
services they faced at the Solomon power. It is important for the company (SIEA) to
understand the customer’s perceptions and expectations when it approaching any underlying
gap lies between the customer’s expectation and the company’s perception.

Customer Research Orientation.

This gap is widening when management or empowered employees do not have reliable
information about client expectations (Zeithaml et al, 1993). Through customer research,
formal and informal methods for capturing information about client expectations must be
devised. For instance, the Solomon power customers' major concerns, according to a formal
survey of customer expectations of service, are electrical reliability and pricing. Customers
want their electricity supply not to be disturbed (power outage) because it affects their
businesses and daily life. They are concerned about how quickly power may be provided to
their homes or businesses when they ask for a new connection, as well as the pricing.
Customers' desire for a reduced price is a prevalent worry. As a result, Management typically
sends operational reports to the Board for review on a monthly basis. The Board of Directors
is the highest decision-making body, and when there is a need to improve or expand services,
management will notify the Board of Directors with essential facts so that the Board can
make a decision. After that decision is made, management will put the service delivery plan
into action. Other services will be delivered by external consultants or contractors. As a
result, Solomon Power will select a candidate through a tender process. Thus, decisions are
made based on the facts available at the time.

Figure 2. Solomon power’s ability to conduct research

 Research marketing conduct by
Solomon power

15%

85%

YES NO

According to the above pie chart it shows that the Solomon power is very concern about the
customer’s expectation. Their surveys and research are very effective in collecting
information regarding customers’ expectations. As the 85% shows that its research marking
is very effective and sufficient for the organization and the customers as whole. Whereas only
15% implies that the Solomon power does not have the mechanism to conduct further surveys
or research concerning customers.

Upward communication

Another key factor related to listening gap is upward communication. Frontline employees
often know a great deal about customers if the management is not in contact with frontline
employees and does not understand what they know the gap widens (Zeithaml et al, 1993).
So, there are three levels of management in Solomon Power. Middle Management
(Supervisors) is the first level, followed by Senior Management, and finally Executive
Management. So, if a consumer has an issue, he or she will raise it with a lower-level
employee. If the staff is unable to remedy the customer's complaint, the employee will raise
the issue with her supervisor (Middle Management). Until it reaches Executive Management,
a similar method will be taken. Thus, customers interaction with the management at the
Solomon power is very effective.

Relationship focuses

Provider gap 1 is less likely to emerge when a firm has a close relationship with its clients.
Relationship marketing differs from transactional marketing, which focuses on recruiting new
customers rather than keeping existing ones. As a result, Solomon Power received nearly
daily consumer complaints about connection, power outages, lines, and transmission. If a
consumer is unable to visit SP's front desk, there are telephone lines set up where they can
voice their complaints. These lines are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. As a
result, the organization has a thorough understanding of customer expectations.

Service recovery

It is critical for an organization to understand the importance of service delivery. The

Solomon Power is constantly ready to respond to any outages. There are telephone lines open
24 hours a day, 7 days a week, waiting for clients to call. Operational personnel are working
and waiting to help with the calls. Solomon Power makes sure that all of the resources and
equipment needed to help with service breakdowns are always on hand. As a result, when an
item's minimum stock level is reached, new orders are placed to replenish the item. Staff is
well-trained to assist in the event of an electrical outage.

Provider Gap2. The service Design and Standard Gap

The effectiveness of service design guidelines and specifications in matching management's

(business) view of customer expectations is measured by the Provider Gap 2. This gap
indicates management's erroneous translation of the service policy into staff norms and
guidelines. Some businesses struggle to translate customer expectations into precise service
quality performance. This can be due to a lack of uniformity, bad service design, or a failure
to maintain and consistently enhance their offering of effective customer service. Because of
this chasm, customers may go for a similar product with superior service elsewhere. Service
companies have a design and standard gap for a variety of reasons. Customers' expectations
are sometimes unfair or unrealistic, according to those in charge of setting standards,
typically management. Therefore, the following are the keys factors that contribute to
provider gap 2.

Systematic service design

In recent years, Solomon Power has been involved in a number of significant innovations
relating to its service delivery. The company has completed network extensions in and around
Honiara, as well as in the provinces' major towns, as well as new customer connections under
the OBA program, which is less expensive than traditional customer connections. This was
done to help clients who are low-income earners, who makes up more than half of the
population of SI. Solomon Power is currently working on solar hybrid power plants. By
2022, four additional hybrid stations will be completed in Kirakira, Tulagi, Maluu, and
Munda, with two already completed and stationed in Taro and Seghe in 2016. A 1MW solar
farm will be erected at Henderson, and four more hybrid stations will be established in
Kirakira, Tulagi, Maluu, and Munda. As a result, Solomon Power has made significant
progress in recent years in terms of development. However, because to Covid-19, things are
moving slowly at the moment because some of the contractors working on these projects are
situated overseas and hence unable to come to SI. Hopefully, if the borders are opened, things
will improve.

Customer-defined standard

Presence of customer defined Very effective or not effective

standard
The company’ service standard effective

Process of setting and tracking service Very effective

quality goal.
Figure 3

The above table implies the customer defined standards. It shows that the company’s service
standard is effective in the distribution of its services to the customers. It also indicates that
the process the organization go through in setting and tracking of the services quality goal is
very effective and sufficient for the employees and the customers as whole.

Appropriate physical evidence and services cape

Solomon Power owns solar farms at Henderson, Taro, Seghe, Tulagi, Munda, Kirakira, and
Maluu, as well as generators (of various sizes) in Honiara (Lunga and Honiara Power
stations). Solomon Power also owns all transmission lines (both overhead and underground)
in Honiara and the provincial capitals. Solomon Power has a fleet of vehicles that are utilized
to assist with activities in Honiara and the provinces.
 Physical evidence & services cape Rating (effective or not effective)

Effectiveness of store layout design and Very Effective

placement of equipment
Suitability and appropriateness of the Effective
facilities and equipment used by the
company
Figure 4.

The table above indicates the physical evidence and service scope of Solomon power.
According to the table it shows that the company’s physical facilities, equipment and other
tangibles are appropriate to the service offerings. The layout design and placement of
equipment are very effective as well as the used of the equipment’s by the employees.

The Provider Gap 3: Service Performance Gap

Gap three is the service performance gap, this gap show the difference between the customers
desired service standard and the actual delivery of service by employees. In any company,
service performance may be affected due to factors as; company failing to address service
standards, lack of empowering and encouraging employees, poor selection of skilled
employees and customers fails to understand their responsibilities which result to customer’s
expectation not meet and having gap with the service offered .
Similarly our researched based company, the Solomon Islands Electrical Authority (SIEA)
may also having this gap regarding how their service is being performed and delivered if they
fail to address factors mention above.
Figure 1: The provider gap 3: service performance model

Above is a diagram for the provider gap 3, relaying the factors that tends to increase the
service performance gap between the service design and standard driven by customer and the
actual service perform by the company and their employed staff. The figure above has four
main factors that cause the gap to widen and with that it is very important for a company to
consider and address factors in enabling them to close gap 3.

 Effectiveness of human resource policies

Recruitment Training Compansation

SIEA do recruitment by
internal promotion and hired
from outside
2 months for recuitment
processs
A training budget for various
departmental staff
train target staff at lower
level
payed to third party or
individually
SIEA repects and pay
compenation whenever at
fault

Figure 2: recruitment, training and compensation policies for SIEA

The above table outline the process and policy SIEA Company has in place to deal with its
recruitment, training and compensation that the company might gone through with its
operation. The company do recruitment for qualified individual to fill specific vacant position
by internal promoting of their employee and by employing new applicants outside the
organisation to fill the position. As part of upgrading and improving employer’s skills the
company has training target aim to train low level staff at all departments, so that when staff
is qualified there is no hesitation to be promoted to higher level when a position is vacant.
And lastly when there is a fault caused by the company, SIEA has a policy to respect and pay
compensation to the victim.

Figure 3: how consistent the service offered with staff to customer.

service consistence between employees

The graph above represents the outcome of the survey carried out with 10 SIEA customer
regarding, the consistency of service provided by different employee of the company. And
from the result shown above, six participants agreed that despite being served by different
employee service is always consistent, another three respond that service is often consistent
and only one participant respond to the question as service is not the same when different
employee provides it. By analysing graph SIEAs human resources policies is very effective
despite there is a little gap depicted, yet majority of the customer agreed that service is
always Consistent, only few disagreed. Therefore a little supervising, training and
encouraging of staff by the company would improve the informality for the company service.

 Role fulfilment by customer

 SIEA customers who knows their responibilit -
ies.
Aware of reponsibilitie
Not awareof responsibility

The graph above depict that eight out of the ten participant doing the survey have understood
they responsibilities as customers of SIEA and two others are not aware of their
responsibilities a customer.

 Service quality provided by employee to customer

Consistency of srevice at different outlet

Not consistent; 2; 1; 10%

Consistent
Often consistent
Not consistent
Often consistent; 2; 3; 30% Consis-
tent; 2; 6;
60%

Figure 4: The consistency of service at different oulets.

The pie chart above indicates the consistency of service provided at the various outlets of
SIEA Company. And from the chart 60 percent of customers indicate that service provided at
various outlets are the same and consistent throughout, another 30 percent indicate that
service is consistent often not all the time with different outlet at times and 10 percent
indicate that at different outlets of the company service being provided is not the same or
consistent.

 Effective alignment with service intermediaries

How well does company’s service meets the customer demand

Quantity
 Service provided by the company meet the customers demand very well 9
Service provided by the company often meet customers demand 1
services provided by the company do not meet the customers demand at 0
all

According to past experiences of the 10 participants doing the survey as SIEA customer, the
above table shows the results of how well service produced and provided by the company
meets their demand. Therefore out of the 10 participants 9 of them indicate that the service
provided have very well meet their demand and only 1 indicate that demand is often meet.
Thus conclusion can be drawn from the table that service provided goes well with the
customer’s expectation and desire.

Provider Gap 4: The Communication Gap

In gap 4, it base on mainly in delivery of services with customers perspectives of high

performance of services. SIEA (Solomon power) has potential of alternatives values of
services which provided for people. Sometimes the communication cannot relevant to
customer’s expectation in accessing proper services. For instant external communication that
influence the habits of customers to be corporate with quality services of delivery in the
country. Moreover there some impacts and challenges within this communication gap, as lack
of managements in marketing services for the competitive for customers’ expectations. And
the overpromising in delivery the actual advertising all their products in social media or
through communication. However the communication gap has the effects on customers in
terms of pricing services. As nowadays the demand for sevices delivery more expensive in
compared to the past prices of services.
Figure 5, It indicate the service delivery for customers and the communication that can
influence the quality services in the marketing process of advertising products. And also the
factors that affects the quality aspects of communication in operation of values investments
of the organizations.

Services marketing and customer expectations

SIEA marketing services for

customers delivery

40; 40%
60; 60%

Figure 6 indicates the customers delivers in 40 % was a bill disruption that the staff cannot
assists the customer values. And 60% performance of the supervision in Solomon power
has the quality services in which responsible for the delivery the effective’s values for
customers. . There is a staff Association in place to represent staff concerns to working
condition and always, management listens to these concerns without hesitation. As mentioned
earlier, communication between customers and employees is very effective.

Conclusion

To sum up our research project, Solomon power has play a significant role in applying the
quality services and planning all the connected agent marketing product. The customers and
the service delivery was the main obstacle that performance in directing the main source of
design expectations. However gap 1 is the listening gap that stated the customer’s product
depends on the high expectation of product quality. Sometimes the listing gap leads to
distraction along the values of services polices in an organization. Thus it has strong
determination of relationship between the authority and the customers’ expectations. Most of
the quality services was delivery for the business stakeholders throughout the country. In
addition gap 2 the service design and standards indicates the less access of customers’
expectations in providing the superior services for the people. The standard design of the
correspond customers requirement reflects the services design in the organization.

Furthermore, in gap 3 the service performance gap effectively in high service quality that
customers expect in delivery of products. This gap needed an actual guidelines for setting the
standard achievement for employees. Thus there are challenges associated with customer’s
influences in relation to quality services in company. Also the employees who lack of
empowerment and teamwork. And the last provider gap 4, which is communication gap. The
Solomon power communication services delivery is the most critical assurance that
frequently in manage and advertising the standard of unique procedures product. Moreover
the communication gap involves in online marketing strategy that support the customer’s
external communication and service delivery. And Solomon power to be manage all
communications to customers by promoting and increasing the price level of services.
Therefore Solomon power (SIEA) offer the profitability and effectives services within the
country that design to provide the customers’ expectations through various sectors. And
employee’s performance to be improve and compile with the organization ability
requirements. Solomon power Association in place to represent staff concerns to working
condition and always, management listens to these concerns without hesitation. As mentioned
earlier, communication between customers and employees is very effective in all aspects of
delivery services. The managing process of Solomon power has positively become a
marketing product for customers and the employees. This support a lot in every stakeholders
both public and private sectors services.

Recommendations
From the information collected and discussed above, these following recommendations were put
together for the improvement of Solomon Island electricity authority’s service delivery

 SIEA service should be reliable and trusted at all times, few customer have complains to rise
regarding the power cut out and outage experienced at times unexpectedly. Such sudden power
cut-off causes disruption and inconveniency to business, daily lives and activities. Thus it is
recommended that the company should inform customer or give warning a head of time before
actual cut out. Doing so may help build customer’s trust towards the SIEA as service provider.
 From the survey some customers indicates that service is not very effective. Power installment
and connection to their homes and business is so slow. SIEA should have few standby teams of
people doing the installation task helping each other out instead of keeping customer waiting.

 The consistency of service offered by different employee of the company is often not consistent
and staffs are not friendly and courteous all the time as expected, we cannot blame them they
might have they own problem that cause them to pull out such behavior to clients. So it is
recommended that the management should taken sometime at giving encouragement, counseling
giving advises to those with problem and motivating to offer better service to customer.

 From the discussion SIEA has a better human resource policy for employee development, like it
has a set training budget for its entire staff at various areas of their departments and also priority is
for low level skilled employee as a must to train. That is an important policy that will help
develop employees to better performing of their job and rendering service.

 And lastly, a lot of complain and dissatisfaction may arise due to lack of communication and
understanding the customer. Therefore a recommended way to go about it is through collecting
more feedback from customers and manager take time observing and communicating with
employee.

Bibliography

Expectations of Service. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 21(1), pp.1-12.

Manakako, A, Solomon power, 2022, interviewed, 20 May

Maeriua, D, Solomon power, 2022, interviewed, 24 May

Nargunde, D. A. S., 2016. Service gaps. International Journal of Management, 7(5), pp. 123
- 131.

SIEA, Annual Report, 2018

Zeithaml, V. A., Bitner, M. J. & Gremler, D. D., 2017. Service Marketing. 7th ed. New York:
McGraw-Hill Education.