Bill payment behaviour in urban water services: empirical data from Uganda (2004)

Research Article| August 01 2004 Bill payment behaviour in urban water services: empirical data from Uganda Sam Kayaga; Sam Kayaga 1Water Engineering and Development Centre, Loughborough University, Loughborough, LE1 1TU, UK Tel: +44-(0)1509-228743 Fax: +44-(0)1509-211079; E-mail: s.m.kayaga@lboro.ac.uk; Website: www.lboro.ac.uk/wedc/ Search for other works by this author on: This Site PubMed Google Scholar Richard Franceys; Richard Franceys 2Institute of Water and Environment, Cranfield University, Silsoe, Bedfordshire, MK45 4DT, UK Search for other works by this author on: This Site PubMed Google Scholar Kevin Sansom Kevin Sansom 1Water Engineering and Development Centre, Loughborough University, Loughborough, LE1 1TU, UK Search for other works by this author on: This Site PubMed Google Scholar Journal of Water Supply: Research and Technology-Aqua (2004) 53 (5): 339–349. https://doi.org/10.2166/aqua.2004.0027 Views Icon Views Article contents Figures & tables Video Audio Supplementary Data Share Icon Share Twitter LinkedIn Tools Icon Tools Cite Icon Cite Permissions Search Site Search nav search search input Search input auto suggest search filter All ContentAll JournalsThis Journal Search Advanced Search Citation Sam Kayaga, Richard Franceys, Kevin Sansom; Bill payment behaviour in urban water services: empirical data from Uganda. Journal of Water Supply: Research and Technology-Aqua 1 August 2004; 53 (5): 339–349. doi: https://doi.org/10.2166/aqua.2004.0027 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Reference Manager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex Previous research has shown that, despite the low-income levels in developing countries, cost recovery is a prerequisite for sustainability of urban water services. The challenge for service improvement is continually growing, as it is projected that 88% of the increase in global population will live in urban centres of low-income countries by the year 2015. Yet bill collection efficiency in some African urban water utilities is lower than 50%. In order to improve cost recovery levels, the new public managerialism paradigm suggests that water utility managers need to change their business philosophy from being supply-driven to engendering customer focus. This study used empirical data, obtained through a cross-sectional survey in 11 major towns in Uganda to establish customer perceptions that influence bill payment behaviour of water utility customers. Regression analysis of data obtained showed that service value and customer satisfaction contribute about 20% of the variation in customer loyalty, which in turn significantly influences bill payment behaviour. Therefore, in order to improve cost recovery, utility managers have to work towards improving customer satisfaction and perceived value of the services delivered. The effect of corporate image, of significance in high-income countries, was not found to be relevant in Uganda. bill payment behaviour, corporate image, customer satisfaction, loyalty, service quality, service value This content is only available as a PDF. © IWA Publishing 2004 You do not currently have access to this content.