An Exploration of Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company Facebook Reviews

Abstract

increased internet use, organizations have shifted to new media to reach more audiences, to build mutual relationships with them, and to create a positive corporate image and reputation. Over the years, organizations have focused on analysing quantitative factors on online reviews to identify the degree of satisfied and dissatisfied customers, and have failed to understand the emotional aspects behind customer complaints. This study sought to examine online reviews by Facebook reviewers of the Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company (NCWSC) to identify the nature and content of online reviews by NCWSC’s Facebook reviewers, the sentimentality score of NCWSC online reviews, and NCWSC online responsiveness. This case study implemented critical content analysis research design in analysing and interpreting the attributes and trends of recorded online reviews on the Facebook platform through NVIVO 11 software. Findings indicated that wrongful billing, poor water distribution and delivery, water shortage, poor scheduling on water supply in Nairobi, water vendors, and water disconnection, were the main emerging issues on NCWSC’s Facebook page from their Facebook reviewers. Findings also highlighted that there were more negative sentiments on NCWSC online reviews (24.09%) than positive online reviews (8.62%). Themes of online reviews revealed NCWSC’s incompetence towards performing according to their customers’ expectations. Findings also revealed that negative sentiments reflected the dissonance of NCWSC Facebook reviewers, in which negative sentiments—being more than positive sentiments—showed that they were more dissatisfied in NCWSC. Findings also revealed NCWSC’s poor online responsiveness towards online reviews on their Facebook page, which created a poor corporate image and reputation. This study also highlights the recommended policies and practices that NCWSC should implement towards ensuring improved customer responsiveness and engagement, as well as complaint management procedures. It was recommended that NCWSC implements social media strategies to effectively deal with the types and content of online reviews on NCWSC’s Facebook pages. It was also recommended that NCWSC should implement in-call centres to identify, monitor and evaluate sentiments of their customers. It was also recommended that NCWSC should implement chatbots and instant chat boxes to improve online responsiveness towards their Facebook reviewers. This study concluded by explaining that unresolved customer complaints not only destroyed the relationship that NCWSC had with its Facebook reviewers, but also created a poor image and reputation for the company. It would be prudent for NCWSC to implement effective online engagement and complaint handling management mechanisms to improve communication, maintain a mutual relationship with its online audiences, and build a positive corporate image and reputation.