Effect of the Covid-19 Pandemic on Customer Service by Small And Medium Enterprises in Garissa Township Ward, Kenya

Abstract

Operating under the restrictions imposed by the Covid-19 was difficult for most firms. Challenges for SMEs were more severe than for other enterprises due to a considerable decline in demand for goods and services. Thus, the study examined the effect of the Covid 19 Pandemic on customer service by small and medium enterprises in Garissa Township Ward, Kenya. The study employed a descriptive research design with a sample size of 387 locals from Garissa County. Data was collected using questionnaires targeting locals owning SMEs in and key informant interviews from the County Government of Garissa. The findings indicated that customer service was one of the measures of performance affected by the pandemic. From the researchers, because of how contagious the virus was, the Kenyan government and other world governments instituted a social distancing policy that restricted customers from participating in in-person purchases. The study recommends that future researchers to conduct further research on the performance of SMEs years after COVID-19 to show their health as the economy stabilizes