Part 1

FOCUS ON THE
CUSTOMER

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 Gaps Model of Service Quality

CUSTOMER Expected
Service

Customer
Gap
Perceived
Service

External
COMPANY Service Delivery Communications
GAP 4 to Customers
GAP 1 GAP 3
Customer-Driven Service
Designs and Standards

GAP 2
Part 1 Opener Company Perceptions of
Consumer Expectations
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 Gaps Model of Service Quality
• Customer Gap:
– difference between expectations and perceptions
• Provider Gap 1:
– not knowing what customers expect
• Provider Gap 2:
– not having the right service designs and standards
• Provider Gap 3:
– not delivering to service standards
• Provider Gap 4:
Part 1 Opener – not matching performance to promises
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 The Customer Gap

Expected
Service

GAP

Perceived
Service

Part 1 Opener

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Chapter

2 Consumer Behavior
in Services
• Services: Search versus Experience
versus Credence Properties?
• Services: Categories in the Decision-
making Process and Framework of the
Chapter
• The Role of Culture in Services

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 Objectives for Chapter 2:
Consumer Behavior in Services
• Overview the generic differences in consumer behavior
between services and goods.
• Introduce the aspects of consumer behavior that a
marketer must understand in five categories of consumer
behavior:
– Need recognition.
– Information search.
– Evaluation of service alternatives.
– Service purchase and consumption.
– Postpurchase evaluation.
• Understand the roles of culture and group consumer
behavior in services
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 Consumer Evaluation
Processes for Services
• Search Qualities
– attributes a consumer can determine prior to purchase
of a product
• Experience Qualities
– attributes a consumer can determine after purchase (or
during consumption) of a product
• Credence Qualities
– characteristics that may be impossible to evaluate even
after purchase and consumption

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 Figure 2.2
Continuum of Evaluation for Different
Types of Products

Most Most
Goods Services

Easy to evaluate
Difficult to evaluate
Clothing

Jewelry

Furniture

Houses

Automobiles

Restaurant meals

Vacations

Haircuts

Child care

Television repair

Legal services

Root canals

Auto repair

Medical diagnosis
{
{
{
High in search High in experience High in credence
qualities qualities qualities
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 Figure 2.3
Stages in Consumer Decision Making
and Evaluation of Services

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 Categories in Consumer Decision-
Making and Evaluation of Services
Information Evaluation of
Search Alternatives
 Use of personal sources  Evoked set
 Perceived risk  Emotion and mood

Purchase and Post-Purchase

Consumption Evaluation
 Service provision as drama  Attribution of dissatisfaction
 Service roles and scripts  Innovation diffusion
 Compatibility of customers  Brand loyalty

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 Categories in Consumer Decision-
Making and Evaluation of Services
Information Evaluation of
Search Alternatives
 Use of personal sources  Evoked set
 Perceived risk  Emotion and mood

Culture
 Values and attitudes
 Manners and customs
 Material culture
 Aesthetics
 Educational and social
institutions

Purchase and Post-Purchase

Consumption Evaluation
 Service provision as drama  Attribution of dissatisfaction
 Service roles and scripts  Innovation diffusion
 Compatibility of customers  Brand loyalty

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 Global Feature: Differences in the
Service Experience in the U.S. and Japan
• Authenticity
• Caring
• Control Courtesy
• Formality
• Friendliness
• Personalization
• Promptness

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