Customer feedback and the business management practice in Tanzania a case of Imalaseko and TSN Supermarkets in Dar es Salaam City

The study focused on customer feedback and the business practices in Tanzania, with specific reference of Imalaseko and TSN supermarkets as case studies. The main target was to capture existence and practice of customer feedback in Tanzanian business practices. Positivist approach was used to shape the entire study and Imalaseko as well as TSN supermarkets were used as case studies to gather data. However, elements of qualitative research were used in order to explain quantitative data be generated. Information was from customers, employees and management through questionnaires, focus group discussion and interviews. Analysis of the findings of the study show that there exist customer feedback mechanisms and forums in the respective businesses in Tanzania and they were committed towards serving their customers. The managements of the two supermarkets were associated with customer feedback to the extent that the study showed that there was strong relationship in practice between customer feedback and management practices. This was acknowledged and declared by all samples sizes including customers as the external overseers and monitors. This study further identified that there is a relationship between four customer feedback factors (service quality, product quality, customer care and opinions and views and business management practices in Imalaseko and TSN supermarkets. Quality service and Opinions and views scored the highest out of four customer feedback factors. With that, the study suggested that although all four factors are important in supermarkets, they should put more focus on quality service and let the customers air their view and opinions in practices towards handling of the customer feedbacks to continue to produce positive impacts in the businesses as well as being recognized and accepted in terms of its relevance. The feedbacks must be evaluated and studied independently by consultants who are hired by companies to carter for actual dissemination of results and recommendations without bias, favoritism and nepotism. Like any other studies, this study has limitation that it was undertaken in Dar es salaam region only. Further studies should be undertaken in other regions like Arusha and Mwanza which also luck the same study, and may be the results will be different.