The Relationship between Business Intelligence Systems and Customer Satisfaction in Higher Education Institutions in Kenya

Abstract

Superior customer satisfaction is key in running a successful higher education business today in the world. This requires that managers are aware of their surrounding environment and its effects on their company’s operations. The purpose of this study was to establish the role of business intelligence in achieving customer satisfaction in higher education institutions in Kenya. The primary focus of this research was to investigate the extent of business intelligence system use to shape a collective judgement in respect to customer satisfaction. In this context, the research was establishing the intensity business intelligence system use, identify the extent of business intelligence system use and Establish Embeddedness of Business intelligence systems in delivering customer care services and ensuring customer satisfaction in higher education institutions in Kenya This study used descriptive research design. The target populations of this study was 8200 that included students, members of staff and faculty of United States International University. This study adopted random sampling method. This involved the selection of 269 women using simple random sampling. The sample size of this study was therefore 269 respondents. This study used primary data that was collected using semi-structured questionnaires. Content analysis was used to analyze qualitative data and the findings were then presented in a prose form. On the other hand, inferential and descriptive statistics were used to analyze the quantitative data using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS version 24). Descriptive statistics included mean, standard deviation, frequency and percentages. In relation to inferential statistics, the study used correlation analysis to establish the relationship between the independent and the dependent variables. The results were then presented in tables. The intensity of use of business intelligence systems was critically reviewed, as well as the extent of use of business intelligence systems in achieving customer satisfaction in higher education institutions in Kenya. Further, the embeddedness of use of business intelligence systems was also critically reviewed. As such, the research contributed with an in-depth account of how business intelligence system used in the process of achieving customer satisfaction in higher education institutions in Kenya. In particular, the core contributions lie in extending the business intelligence systems literature by identifying administrative and symbolic uses of business intelligence in addition to the informational uses.

The study established that majority the universities in Kenya use BIS as part of their routine jobs, in creating and harnessing opportunities, to improve customer service and to predict the future. The study also found out that higher education institutions in Kenya have greatly increased the use of BIS, to serve its internal and external customers, to increase quality of customer service and to predict opportunities that come in the future along with dynamic consumer behaviors. The study also found out that majority of higher education institutions in Kenya, greatly use BIS in identifying and solving problems, in decision making processes and rationalizing judgements of management. The study also revealed that higher education institutions use BIS in shaping their decision processes and to increase efficiency and effectiveness in the organization. Moreover, majority of higher education institutions in higher learning use BIS to coordinate activities between workgroups and in managing divisional objectives. The study also revealed that these institutions use BIS in organizational both internal and external communication. The study also found out that majority of the organizations use BIS in business process execution, decision making routines of the organization, and in business strategy formulation process that led to the alignment of BIS to the overall corporate strategy. Also, the research found out that the process of information for analytical decision making is carried without interruption due the use of BIS greatly. The study recommended that management should provide full support of the business intelligence system by ensuring that all the required resources are availed for the sustainability of the business intelligence system. New employees should be inducted into the business intelligence system in order to understand how to use the system and its benefits. All employees should also be trained on BI and be incorporated into the team that is in direct touch with the business intelligence systems. The researcher recommended further research on cost benefit analysis of Business Intelligence (BI) systems since the study focused on the strategy value of BI approach only.