6.3 Supporting institutions
6.3.6 Service satisfaction
95 procedures to follow for such entrepreneurs as SEDA does not offer funds”
(Intervener 2, in-depth interview, 2015).
The Municipality claimed that anyone who is willing and capable of starting a business, qualifies for the services that the Municipality offers. Still with funding, the Municipality does not provide any funds, however, SMMEs are linked with relevant financial institutions (Intervener 2a, in- depth interview, 2015).
Absa validated that anyone who is willing to start a business qualifies for Absa services. Such SMMEs first register with Absa, then they are assisted with any kind of assistance they need (Intervener 2b, in-depth interview, 2015). The interviewee from DEDTEA asserted that everyone who is willing to start a business qualifies for DEDTEA services. The needs of the SMMEs are firstly assessed, then they are referred to the relevant financial institutions (Intervener 2c, in-depth interview, 2015). The BSC emphasised that there is no criteria used and no procedure to follow, therefore any SMME qualifies for BSC services. However, the BSC does not provide funds (Intervener 2d, in-depth interview, 2015). On the other hand, to qualify for PCB services, the entrepreneur has to join as a member and be active in business. The Chamber is not an avenue for funding, therefore, SMMEs are referred to SEDA or BSC which will link them with the relevant financial institutions (Intervener 2e, in-depth interview, 2015).
96 has equipped entrepreneurs with, is an indication that MSMEs are satisfied with services provided to them (Intervener 1a, in-depth interview, 2015).
Entrepreneurs give their opinions about the Lesotho Post Bank services in the suggestion box.
Through the feedback the Post Bank gets from their clients, they are able to generally say their clients are satisfied with their services. Referrals made by their clients indicate how much these clients are satisfied with the services the Lesotho Post Bank provides (Intervener 1b, in-depth interview, 2015). The Chamber on the other hand measures satisfaction of MSMEs by the increasing number of members. The indication that entrepreneurs are satisfied is that they always show appreciation of the services provided by the Chamber (Intervener 1c, in-depth interview, 2015).
The Ministry of Trade asserted that entrepreneurs put their views in the suggestion box and it is through these that the Ministry is able to measure the satisfaction of MSMEs. The increasing number of registered MSMEs is an indication that entrepreneurs are satisfied with the MTICM services (Intervener 1d, in-depth interview, 2015). Conversely, renewal of membership on an annual basis is a clear sign that entrepreneurs are satisfied with the services the PSFL provides.
Participation of members in the exhibition indicates that MSMEs are satisfied with what the PSFL is doing (Intervener 1e, in-depth interview, 2015).
On the other hand, in Pietermaritzburg, SEDA conducts customer satisfaction survey to find out if SMMEs’ owners received positive assistance or not.
“We measure service satisfaction by conducting customer satisfaction survey, which indicates to us as to whether SMMEs owners are satisfied or not. Entrepreneurs’
opinions on how SEDA can improve are also sought from SMMEs. Customer satisfaction survey and the improvement assessment SEDA conducts, indicate that entrepreneurs are satisfied with SEDA services” (Intervener 2, in-depth interview, 2015).
Equally, the Municipality conducts monitoring and evaluation sessions where feedback from entrepreneurs about the Municipality services is received. The increasing number of SMMEs’
owners that return to the Municipality for services, referral of their colleagues and letters of appreciation the Municipality receives, indicate that SMMEs’ owners are satisfied with services provided to them (Intervener 2a, in-depth interview, 2015).
97 Absa measures SMMEs’ satisfaction by their activeness, which reflects the success of Absa’s intervention. Entrepreneurs’ success and continuity of using Absa services indicate that SMMEs are satisfied with services provided to them (Intervener 2b, in-depth interview, 2015). By way of contrast, DEDTEA holds gatherings where they interact with entrepreneurs to find out whether they are satisfied or not about the services provided to them. There is also a survey box where SMMEs put their opinions. A monitoring and evaluation section measures the performance of the department every month. The increase in start-up and the growth of the existing businesses, is an indication that SMMEs are satisfied with the services provided to by DEDTEA (Intervener 2c, in-depth interview, 2015).
The Business Support Centre has forums where entrepreneurs express their views and from these, the BSC can determine whether SMMEs’ owners are satisfied with services provided to them or not. The indication that SMMEs’ owners are satisfied with the BSC services is that SMMEs’
owners are continually making use of the BSC services (Intervener 2d, in-depth interview, 2015).
The Chamber measures SMMEs’ satisfaction through the constant use of the PCB services by the members and the rate of their businesses’ growth. For them being members of the Chamber for a longer period indicates their satisfaction with the services provided to them (Intervener 2e, in- depth interview, 2015).
6.3.6.2 Prompt assistance and delivering promised support
This sub-section also answers research questions 6 of this study. In Maseru, BEDCO is willing to help MSMEs’ owner-managers when they need prompt assistance. According to one participant:
“We are willing to help MSMEs owner-managers when they need prompt assistance.
We are also able to perform the promised support to MSMEs dependably and accurately” (Intervener 1, in-depth interview, 2015).
Equally, SMME Support Network-Lesotho is willing to help MSMEs with prompt assistance, especially if they have funds to pay for the services. SMME Support Network-Lesotho is also able to perform the promised support to MSMEs dependably and accurately (Intervener 1a, in- depth interview, 2015).
The Lesotho Post Bank is willing to help MSMEs’ owner-managers when they need prompt assistance. The Post Bank provides services to the formal and informal sectors equally, and the
98 institution is able to perform the promised support to MSMEs dependably and accurately (Intervener 1b, in-depth interview, 2015). On the other hand, the Chamber helps MSMEs’ owner- managers when they need prompt assistance. The Chamber is able to perform the promised support to MSMEs dependably and accurately (Intervener 1c, in-depth interview, 2015). The Ministry of Trade assists MSMEs’ owner-managers if they need prompt assistance. The Ministry is also dependably and accurately providing promised support to MSMEs (Intervener 1d, in-depth interview, 2015). The Private Sector Foundation of Lesotho is willing to help MSMEs’ owner- managers when they need prompt assistance. To some extent, the PSFL provides promised support which is due to some limitations the PSFL still encounters (Intervener 1e, in-depth interview, 2015).
On the other hand, in Pietermaritzburg, SEDA attested that they are willing to offer prompt assistance when SMMEs’ owner-managers need it.
“We are willing to promptly assist SMMEs if the need arises. Furthermore, we are able to perform the promised support to SMMEs dependably and accurately”
(Intervener 2, in-depth interview, 2015).
Similarly, the Municipality is willing to help SMMEs’ owner-managers when they need prompt assistance. Not only entrepreneurs who come to the office are helped, but even the ones who are unable to come, are assisted by the Municipality who goes to their places and provide them with the necessary information they need. To some extent, however, the Municipality is trying to make use of all the available social networks so that the best quality services can be delivered to the Municipality’s clients (Intervener 2a, in-depth interview, 2015).
Absa is willing to help SMMEs’ owner-managers if they need prompt assistance. In addition, Absa is able to perform the promised support to SMMEs dependably and accurately (Intervener 2b, in-depth interview, 2015). Likewise, DEDTEA is willing to help SMMEs’ owner-managers when they need prompt assistance. The department is also able to perform the promised support to SMMEs dependably and accurately (Intervener 2c, in-depth interview, 2015). By way of contrast, the BSC cannot say SMMEs are given prompt assistance, as it is circumstantial, and it depends on the circumstances at that time. “For instance, if we are in a meeting it would not be possible for me to walk out of the meeting and go attend to the entrepreneurs.” It is difficult to say whether we are able to perform the promised support to SMMEs dependably and accurately or not (Intervener 2d, in-depth interview, 2015). On the other hand, the PCB is willing to help SMMEs’ owner-managers when they need prompt assistance. It depends on the situation and if
99 it is a referral the PCB can do that but they cannot provide funding (Intervener 2e, in-depth interview, 2015).