Role of Stock Control in Enhancing and Maintaining Customers’ Satisfaction in Small Scale Business Enterprises in Lodwar Town, Kenya

Abstract

Stock control is the provision of goods and services at the appropriate time and in the proper quantity. Many small businesses do not survive after start-up due to failure to control stock properly. Due to the relative size of inventories maintained by the majority of organizations, a sizeable portion of their funding is committed to them because they make up the largest portion of their current assets. The main purpose of the study was to determine the role of stock control in enhancing and maintaining customer satisfaction in Lodwar town small scale business enterprises. The study adopted descriptive survey design. The target population was 300 small-scale businesses within Lodwar Town. The main instrument of data collection used in the study is questionnaire. Data was analyzed and presented in tables and figures for easier interpretation. The main findings of study indicate that, stock control improves order fulfillment which leads to customer satisfaction. The study concludes that stock control leads to customer satisfaction and stabilization of small-scale business enterprises. The study also recommends that forecasting on the customer needs and demands means the business is able to stock enough, hence meeting customer needs. Therefore, understanding the essence of stock control in the business goes a long way in ensuring that customers’ needs are met in a timely fashion. Finally, the findings of this study would assist owners /managers of Small-scale business to come up with strategies to enhance stock control.