The perception of people on shopping malls satisfaction and utilisation in Ngaka Modiri Molema region
Abstract
The shopping malls are growing rapidly in South Africa. The success of a shopping mall is measured by the ability of the service provider to attract traffic and satisfy its numerous customers. Yet, it is unfortunate that shopping mall service quality does not meet the visitors’ expectations and preferences. Superior service quality is a major factor that is neglected by many shopping mall management. Quality attributes present both utilitarian and hedonic values which culminate in customer satisfaction. The purpose of this study was to get an in-depth understanding of customer experiences on how each shopping mall’s attributes influence satisfaction.
The constructivism philosophical approach, which is associated with the qualitative research approach, was suitable for this study. The empirical study collected data from 20 participants within Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality in the North West province, South Africa. Semi-structured interview and open-ended questionnaires were used to gather data from four major shopping malls, the likes of Mega City, New Mall, The Crossing, North-West Mall and Mafikeng Mall. The data was then linked to the research questions as stated in this study. Non-probability, purposive convenient sampling method was adopted for this study. This study adopted a descriptive cross-sectional survey design while the data for this study was analysed through ATLAS.ti and thematic analysis.
The results from the analyses showed that cleanliness and architectural structure of the mall, shopping mall convenience, extended hours of operation of the shopping mall, sectionalisation of the mall, safety and security, service quality and customer expectation are the determinant factors for customer satisfaction and utilisation of shopping malls. The results of this study further showed that all the shopping malls in Ngaka Modiri Molema district are challenged by one issue or the other and also, the majority of the participants observed that there was nothing appealing about all the shopping malls in the district. In their opinions, all the shopping malls lack appealing attributes.
Therefore, it is recommended that shopping malls and stores should endeavour to provide shoppers with positive shopping experience that will always remain with the customers based on assorted brands and quality products, aesthetic appeal and eco- natural environments that offer hedonic gains as well as utilitarian benefits. Lastly, further research should progress and adopt empirical approaches to study larger samples across the North-West province and South Africa at large to generalise these findings.