Unit 3: Service
Quality and
Measurement
(15%)
● What is Service Quality?
● The Gaps Model (5 Gaps)
● Service Quality Dimensions (SERVQUAL)
DEFINITION / MEANING OF SERVICE QUALITY
Zeithmal & Bitner states that:
"Service quality is an evaluation that reflects the customer's perception of
specific dimensions of service: reliability, responsiveness, assurance,
empathy, tangibles”.
SERVICE QUALITY DIMENSIONS / COMPONENTS
Parasuram, Zeithmal and Berry have identified the following five dimensions of service quality
1.Reliability :
• Consumer perceives service quality on the basis of Reliability.
• Reliability means the ability to perform the promised service dependably and accurately
every time.
• Reliability has the highest influence on consumer perception of service quality.
Example: airlines
2. Responsiveness :
• Responsiveness means the willingness of the service staff to help customers and to provide
them with prompt (fast and immediate) service.
• It is the willingness to help the customer or willingness to go that extra distance that is
responsiveness.
• Each customer may have queries, special requests, complaints, problems etc. If the service staff
is responsive, then it will quickly respond to these issues of customers.
Example:
3. Assurance:
• Assurance is defined as the ability of the company to inspire trust and confidence in the
service delivery.
• It refers to knowledge and courtesy of the service firm’s employees and their ability to inspire
trust and confidence in the customer toward the company.
• This dimension is considered very important for services that involve high risk as the customers
are not sure about the result of the services and hence they consider it very risky.
Example: Medical services, Property developers
4. Empathy:
Empathy means caring and special individualized attention provided by the service firms to
each customer.
When service provider thinks from customer’s point of view, they will get a better idea about what
each customer wants.
When customers feel that the service provider is making his best effort to understand him, it may
be good for the service provider.
Customers will buy services from those service providers who are caring and paying special
attention to the needs and wants of the customers.
Example:
5. Tangibles :
Tangibles refer to physical facilities, equipment, and appearance of a service firm’s employees.
The job of the tangible and physical evidence of a service is very important.
Example:
SERVICE QUALITY GAPS MODEL (SERVQUAL Model)
The GAPS model
determines two
different types of
gaps in service
business, the
customer gap and the
service provider
gaps.
Gap1: KNOWLEDGE GAP – Customer’s Expectations VS Management Perceptions:
The Knowledge Gap occurs when an organization fails to understand the expectations of
customers accurately. It is considered as Knowledge Gap.
knowledge gap is the difference between management’s perception of customer’s expectation and
the actual expectation of consumers.
STRATEGIES TO REMOVE THIS GAP:
• Learn what customers expect
• Understand customer expectations through research.
• Improve communication between frontline staff and management
• Try to get regular feedback from the service provided
Gap2: STANDARDS GAP - Management perceptions versus Service Specifications
It occurs when there is a difference between management’s perception toward consumer’s
expectations and the actual service specification designed by the management.
This variation takes place because of complexity faced by the management to clearly understand
how to fulfill the expectations of the customers.
For example, If a company sets the benchmark for service quality in quantity, then it would be
easy to measure the result. Dominos has set the benchmark of their service in quantity to deliver
the pizza in 30 minutes.
STRATEGIES TO REMOVE THIS GAP:
• Specify Service Quality standards that meets customer expectations
• Set, communicate, and reinforce customer-oriented service standards for all work units
• Measure performance and provide regular feedback
• Reward managers and employees
Gap3: DELIVERY GAP - Service specifications versus service delivery
Delivery Gap is the difference between actual service which is being delivered to customers and
service standard specification.
It is also considered as Service Performance Gap.
The extent of this gap depends on service providers.
STRATEGIES TO REMOVE THIS GAP:
• Ensure service performance meets standards Employee roles must be made very clear.
• Train employees in time management.
• Eliminate role conflict among employees.
• Develop good reward system for better performance.
Gap4: COMMUNICATION GAP - Service delivery versus external communication
Communication means to interact with customers keeping them informed in a language which is
easily understandable for consumers and create awareness among customers about service and
product through advertising, sale promotion, personal selling and word of mouth.
It also includes listening to customers.
If there is a difference between the promises given in the advertisement (communication)
and the service delivered, then it results into gap. This gap is known as Communication Gap.
STRATEGIES TO REMOVE THIS GAP:
• Ensure that communications promises are realistic Try to obtain comments from frontline
employees and operations personnel about proposed advertising campaigns.
• Involve operations staff in meeting with the sales staff.
• Make sure that advertisements do not over-promise to the customers
Gap5: PERCEPTION GAP - The difference between customer expectations and their
perceptions of the service delivered
This gap occurs as a result of the influences exerted from the customer side and the shortfalls
(gaps) on the part of the service provider.
In this case, customer expectations are influenced by the extent of personal needs, word of mouth
recommendation and past service experiences.
STRATEGIES TO REMOVE THIS GAP:
• Educate customers to see reality of service quality delivered Keep customers informed
during service delivery
• Provide physical evidence
Gap6: The discrepancy between customer expectations and employees’ perceptions
This gap occurs as a result of the differences in the understanding of customer expectations
by front-line service providers.
STRATEGIES TO REMOVE THIS GAP:
• Front-line employees must be experienced.
• Training to frontline staff in understanding customer needs
Gap7: INTERNAL COMMUNICATION GAP: The discrepancy between employee’s
perceptions and management perceptions
This gap occurs as a result of the differences in the understanding of customer expectations
between managers and service providers.
STRATEGIES TO REMOVE THIS GAP:
Employee training to communicate the expectations of the customers
IMPORTANCE OF GAPS MODEL:
1. GAPS model gives detail understanding regarding customer’s perception of service
quality
2. It helps the service provider in predicting the important factors for delivering good
service quality
3. It helps the service provider in creating a better quality service.
4. It helps in identifying the important gaps that result in service delivery.
5. It helps in understanding the importance of customers in service delivery.
Thank you
