Service organizations in today's globalized competitive business environment engaged in marketing strategies are geared toward responding to consumer needs and preferences and, at the same time, improve their competitive edge. Investigating the determinants of consumer preference is one of the important approaches to improving competitive edge of petrol station business. Despite significant studies on consumer behavior, especially factors that affect a new brand or products, there is limited empirical investigation on the premise of determinants of consumer preference particularly in petrol station business, thus creating a gap in this area. To this effect, this article intends to contribute in filling the knowledge gap by investigating the determinants of consumer preference and their impact on service station business in the Gambia. This article also identifies key marketing strategies that petrol station business can use to increase their market share. Using non-probability convenience sampling, data were collected from 200 customers of petrol stations using self-administered questionnaires. Descriptive statistics, correlation and regression analysis were applied to analyze data using IBM SPSS statistics Version 22. The results of regression analysis identify marketing program and additional services out of the eight variables (marketing program, additional services, petrol station image, location, price, product assortment, service quality and management of service station) as the major determinants of service station consumer preference in the Gambia. This implies that petrol station companies should engage key marketing program strategies such as sales promotion, innovative product advertising, event sponsorship or association besides the provision of additional services like windscreen cleaning, water and air pumping, convenience store, fuel and motor product accessories sales plus services in order to increase sales as well as retain a large number of buyers as loyal customers.
In a competitive market environment where goods and services are rendered to consumers, the quality of products has significant impact on its price. Competition in energy sector directly affects the nature and quality of service delivery to its consumers, thus the quality of service will greatly determine the level of satisfaction customers received from the quality of delivered service. To this effect, this study focus on the utility service industry through investing the determinants of service quality on customer satisfaction on the Gambian electricity service consumers – a case study of National Water and Electricity Company Limited (NAWEC). This paper also identifies key strategies that the utility service company can employ to increase its customer satisfaction. Using non-probability convenience sampling, data was collected from 250 domestic consumers of electricity in the Gambia using self-administered questionnaires. Descriptive statistics; Correlation and regression analysis were used to analyze the data through IBM SPSS statistics Version 20. The results of the regression analysis identify assurance, responsiveness and empathy as the top most consumer perceived service quality determinants of Gambian electricity consumers respectively. This implies that NAWEC should develop and implement excellent quality service delivery initiatives with much emphasis on service assurance, responsiveness and emotional empathy as well as business models and strategies gear towards consumerism, in addition to professional and competent staff recruitment and training. The result of which will significantly lead to an increase customer satisfaction for the corporation.
Demand Side Management (DSM) in electricity market is a tool that can improved energy efficiency as well as achieve socio-economic and environmental targets through controlled consumption. For the past two decade or more, DSM programs have registered significant results for many countries. However, detailed analysis of its real impact as observed by a large number of pilot studies suggest that such programs need to be fine-tuned to suit clearly identified energy mix conditions in different countries. This article aims to provide recommendations for the policy instruments to be used for prompt demand response with a view to maximizing energy and environmental efficiencies of The Gambia. This article suggests a DSM pilot model program that can be used in the generation mix of the country. Beside the natural increase electricity access benefits from IPPs and cross border interconnection, DSM’s fully implementation will improve the flexibility and reliability of the Gambia energy system. In recent years, we show fast increase demand for electricity access but a slow response in meeting generation capacity, simple DSM tools can be used to solve this ordeal
The downstream petroleum sector is a key contributor to the Gambian economy with the absence of upstream petroleum exploration. The growth of the industry is highly dependent on ensuring that imported refinery petroleum products are distributed consistently and timely to consumers through an effective and efficient supply chain system as well as adopting innovative marketing programs. This is the ideal situation yearned for by stakeholders of the sector. To this effect, this research aims to explore the perspectives of retail petroleum marketing as well as challenges of petroleum import, storage and sales in the Gambia’s downstream petroleum sector. A qualitative method was adopted for the study through in-depth interviews in a semi-questionnaire format. The study discovered that OMCs downstream marketing strategies, programs and activities shifted from undifferentiated commodity imported refinery products marketing (old/previous marketing scenario) to branded value added services differentiated petroleum products (present marketing scenario) marketing owing to increase in both downstream energy market liberalization and market competition. The study also revealed that industry players face many challenges ranging from inadequate legislation, government interference, limited fuel terminal tanks, supply chain and other operational difficulties, high import duties and lack of subsidy on imported petroleum products. The study recommends that OMCs should develop and implement marketing strategies, programs and activities in line with product differentiation, branding and value added services. This research equally recommend that the stakeholders in the industry should work on the amendments of downstream petroleum legislation, expand the fuel terminal tank storage facility, adopt and enforce national downstream petroleum quality standard in the daily operations and work towards realizing full deregulation in the sector.
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