The Gaps Model of Service Quality
Dr. D. D. Swain
Objectives
of the session
The Gaps Model of Service Quality
Introduce a framework, called the gaps model of service quality.
Demonstrate that the gaps model is a useful framework for
understanding service quality in an organization.
Demonstrate that the most critical service quality gap to close is
the customer gap, the difference between customer
expectations and perceptions.
Show that four gaps that occur in companies, which we call
provider gaps, are responsible for the customer gap.
Identify the factors responsible for each of the four provider
gaps.
The Customer Gap
The Provider Gaps:
Gap 1 – not knowing what customers expect
Gap 2 – not having the right service designs and
standards
Gap 3 – not delivering to service standards
Gap 4 – not matching performance to promises
Putting It All Together: Closing the Gaps
The Customer Gap
Expected
service
Customer Gap
Perceived
service
Customer Expectations are standards or reference points that consumers
bring into the service experience. (should or will happen).
Customer Perceptions are subjective assessments of actual service
experiences.
Gaps Model of Service Quality
Customer Gap:
difference between customer expectations and perceptions
Provider Gap 1 (The Knowledge Gap):
not knowing what customers expect
Provider Gap 2 (The Service Design & Standards Gap):
not having the right service designs and standards
Provider Gap 3 (The Service Performance Gap):
not delivering to service standards
Provider Gap 4 (The Communication Gap):
not matching performance to promises
Key Factors Leading
to the Customer Gap
Customer
Customer Expectations
Gap
Provider Gap 1: Not knowing what customers expect
Provider Gap 2: Not selecting the right service designs and standards
Provider Gap 3: Not delivering to service standards
Provider Gap 4: Not matching performance to promises
Customer
Perceptions
Key Factors Leading to Provider Gap 1
Customer Expectations
Inadequate marketing research orientation
Gap Insufficient marketing research
Research not focused on service quality
1 Inadequate use of market research
Lack of upward communication
Lack of interaction between management and customers
Insufficient communication between contact employees and managers
Too many layers between contact personnel and top management
Insufficient relationship focus
Lack of market segmentation
Focus on transactions rather than relationships
Focus on new customers rather than relationship customers
Inadequate service recovery
Lack of encouragement to listen to customer complaints
Failure to make amends when things go wrong
No appropriate recovery mechanisms in place for service failures
Company Perceptions of
Customer Expectations
Key Factors Leading to Provider Gap 2
Customer-Driven Service
Designs and Standards
Gap Poor service design
Unsystematic new service development process
2 Vague, undefined service designs
Failure to connect service design to service positioning
Absence of customer-driven standards
Lack of customer-driven service standards
Absence of process management to focus on customer
requirements
Absence of formal process for setting service quality goals
Inappropriate physical evidence and servicescape
Failure to develop tangibles in line with customer expectations
Servicescape design that does not meet customer and
employee needs
Inadequate maintenance and updating of the servicescape
Management Perceptions of
Customer Expectations
Key Factors Leading to Provider Gap 3
Customer-Driven Service
Designs and Standards
Gap Deficiencies in human resource policies
Ineffective recruitment
3
Role ambiguity and role conflict
Poor employee-technology job fit
Inappropriate evaluation and compensation systems
Lack of empowerment, perceived control, and teamwork
Customers who do not fulfill roles
Customers who lack knowledge of their roles and responsibilities
Customers who negatively impact each other
Problems with service intermediaries
Channel conflict over objectives and performance
Difficulty controlling quality and consistency
Tension between empowerment and control
Failure to match supply and demand
Failure to smooth peaks and valleys of demand
Inappropriate customer mix
Overreliance on price to smooth demand
Service Delivery
Key Factors Leading to Provider Gap 4
Service Delivery
Lack of integrated services marketing communications
Gap Tendency to view each external communication as independent
Not including interactive marketing in communications plan
4 Absence of strong internal marketing program
Ineffective management of customer expectations
Absence of customer expectation management through all forms of
communication
Lack of adequate education for customers
Overpromising
Overpromising in advertising
Overpromising in personal selling
Overpromising through physical evidence cues
Inadequate horizontal communications
Insufficient communication between sales and operations
Insufficient communication between advertising and operations
Differences in policies and procedures across branches or units
External Communications to
Customers
Gaps Model of Service Quality
Expected
Service
CUSTOMER
Customer
Gap
Perceived
Service
External
COMPANY Service
Communications
Delivery Gap 4 to Customers
Gap 3
Gap 1 Customer-Driven
Service Designs and
Standards
Gap 2
Company Perceptions
of Consumer
Expectations
