1. Chapter 13 DEFINING AND MEASURING SERVICE QUALITY

2. Government measures of service quality improvements
GNP does not recognize improvements in service quality
based on output measures
GNP may actually increase due to poor service quality
complaining customers spend $ on
phone calls
return shipping, etc.

3. THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CUSTOMER SATISFACTION AND SERVICE QUALITY
short-run, transaction specific measure
Service Quality
long-run overall evaluation of the firm’s performance
looks at how firms should perform
measures a higher standard of service delivery
expectations drive service quality perceptions

4. Management perceptions
Conceptual Model of Service Quality
Customer
expectations
Knowledge Gap
Management perceptions
of customer
expectations
Standards Gap
Retailer
communications
about services
Standards specifying
service to be
delivered
Service Gap
Delivery Gap
Communication Gap
Actual
service
delivered
Customer
perception of
service
Source: Adapted from A. Parasuraman, Valerie Zeithaml, and Leonard Berry, “A Conceptual Model of Service Quality and Its Implications for Service Quality Research,” Journal of Marketing 49
(Fall 1985), pp

5. DIAGNOSING FAILURE GAPS IN SERVICE QUALITY
Gap 1: The Knowledge Gap
research orientation
upward communication
levels of management

6. DIAGNOSING FAILURE GAPS IN SERVICE QUALITY
Gap 2: The Standards Gap
perceptions of feasibility
commitment to service quality vs.
cost reduction and short-term profits
No culture or goal setting for services
timeliness, accuracy, responsiveness

7. DIAGNOSING FAILURE GAPS IN SERVICE QUALITY
Gap 3: The Delivery Gap
unable or unwilling to perform service
employee/job fit
role conflict
role ambiguity
dispersion of control
Learned helplessness
inadequate support

8. DIAGNOSING FAILURE GAPS IN SERVICE QUALITY
Gap 4: The Communication Gap
exaggerated promises
attempts to acquire new business
attempts to beat the competition
absence of horizontal communication

9. DIAGNOSING FAILURE GAPS IN SERVICE QUALITY
Gap 5: The Service Gap
expectations compared to perceptions
Gap 5 = f(Gaps )

10. MEASURING SERVICE QUALITY: SERVQUAL
Diagnostic tool used to determine “gap scores”
The larger the gap, the lower the service quality evaluation
44 Item Scale the Compares “Should” to Perceptions
SQ consists of five dimensions
Tangibles Reliability
Responsiveness Assurance
Empathy

11. THE TANGIBLES DIMENSION
Two-dimensional construct
Equipment and facilities
Personnel and communication materials
E1: Excellent companies will have modern looking equipment
P1: XYZ has modern looking equipment
E2: The physical facilities at excellent companies will be visually appealing.

12. THE TANGIBLES DIMENSION
E3: Employees of excellent companies will be neat-appearing.
E4: Materials associated with the service (such as pamphlets or statements) will be visually appealing in an excellent company.

13. THE RELIABILITY DIMENSION
Reflects the consistency and dependability of the firm’s performance
E5: When excellent companies promise to do something by a certain time, they will do so.
E6: When customers have a problem, excellent companies will show a sincere interest in solving it.

14. THE RELIABILITY DIMENSION
E7: Excellent companies will perform the service right the first time.
E8: Excellent companies will provide their services at the time they promised to do so.
E9: Excellent companies will insist on error-free records.

15. THE RESPONSIVENESS DIMENSION
The willingness or readiness of employees to provide the service
E10: Employees of excellent companies will tell customers exactly what services will be performed.
E11: Employees of excellent companies will give prompt service to customers.

16. THE RESPONSIVENESS DIMENSION
E12: Employees of excellent companies will always be willing to help customers.
E13: Employees of excellent companies will never be too busy to respond to customer requests.

17. THE ASSURANCE DIMENSION
Reflects the competence of the firm, the courtesy extended to its customers, and the security of its operations
E14: The behavior of employees of excellent companies will instill confidence in customers.

18. THE ASSURANCE DIMENSION
E15: Customers of excellent companies will feel safe in their transactions.
E16: Employees of excellent companies will be consistently courteous with customers.
E17: Employees of excellent companies will have the knowledge to answer customer questions.

19. THE EMPATHY DIMENSION
The ability to experience another’s feelings as one’s own
E18: Excellent companies will give customers individual attention.
E19: Excellent companies will have operating hours convenient to all their customers.

20. THE EMPATHY DIMENSION
E20: Excellent companies will have employees who give customers personal attention.
E21: Excellent companies will have the customer’s best interest at heart.
E22: The employees of excellent companies will understand the specific needs of their customers.

21. Expectation and perception questions seem redundant
SERVQUAL CRITICISMS
Expectation and perception questions seem redundant
what’s the value of including the expectation set?
compromises have been developed
Questions need to be adjusted to fit specific industry under examination
Measurement issues

22. THE DIAGNOSTIC ADVANTAGE
OF SERVQUAL SCORES

23. SERVICE QUALITY INFORMATION SYSTEMS
Solicitation of customer complaints
Identify unhappy customers
Identify weaknesses in the firm’s service delivery system
After-sale surveys
More active approach than above

24. SERVICE QUALITY INFORMATION SYSTEMS
Customer focus group interviews
Group interaction provides ideas
Other forms of research are needed to confirm the group’s ideas
Mystery shopping
Measures individual employee behavior
Aids in coaching, training, and evaluating

25. SERVICE QUALITY INFORMATION SYSTEMS
Employee surveys
Employee satisfaction is directly related to customer satisfaction
Employee surveys should examine morale, attitudes, and perceived obstacles
Total market service quality surveys
Assesses the firm’s and its competitors’ satisfaction ratings

26. KEY COMPONENTS: SERVICE QUALITY INFORMATION SYSTEMS
Listening
quality is defined by the customer
expectations are a rising bar
Reliability
little else matters when the service is unreliable
Basic service
deliver the basics first, the frills can come later

27. KEY COMPONENTS: SERVICE QUALITY INFORMATION SYSTEMS
Service design
design flaws hinder the basic service
Recovery
firms that do not respond to customer complaints escalate the service failure
Surprising customers
develops customers satisfaction into customer “delightment”

28. KEY COMPONENTS: SERVICE QUALITY INFORMATION SYSTEMS
Fair play
be careful of the “squeaky wheel”
Teamwork
service team building should not be left to chance
customer service is everyone’s responsibility
Employee research
employee needs are as important as customer needs

29. KEY COMPONENTS: SERVICE QUALITY INFORMATION SYSTEMS
Servant leadership
leadership must serve the servers
inspiring AND
enabling