Service Encounters Journal

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BSAD 431

Prepared for Dr. Tom Mahaffey

Service Encounter Journal Form

Your name: Journal Entry Number: 1

Name of Firm: East Coast Dynamics Type of Service: Event Planning
Date of Encounter: Dec.31/Jan.1 Time of Encounter:10pm-5am

What specific circumstances led to this encounter (be brief)?

My friends and I were in need of a place to go for New Year’s Eve. We chose to buy tickets
for the Cunard Centre New Year’s Eve celebration, which was put on by East Coast
Dynamics because we had heard of other friends who would be attending. We compared the
search qualities for all New Year’s Events that we were considering. Our evaluation of
alternatives involved factors such as location, price, and entertainment offerings. In the end,
our information search led us to make our decision based on the input of our friends and
word of mouth about the event in question.

What did the firm/employee do or say (be brief)?

The firm’s communications with potential attendees to the event promised a formal event,
with a red carpet entrance, door prizes, give aways. Our expectations for such an event were
not only based on the communication that the firm had about the service, but was also based
on past experiences that members of the group had in similar service settings (bars, concerts,
etc.).

How would you rate your level of satisfaction with this encounter? (Scale of 1-7 where 1
is extremely dissatisfied and 7 is extremely satisfied)
I would rate this encounter as a 3

What exactly made you feel this way?

I think that from the beginning of the evening there was an obvious deficiency in interactive
marketing between the service staff and the customers. There appeared to be a lack of
concern for the quality of the service that attendants received. I felt that the service quality
that I perceived did not live up to my expectations. The event itself fell below m level of
adequate service. Also, situational factors, such as the weather leading to the fact that I could
not get a drive home, and none of the event staff seemed to be helping anyone just amplified
my frustration with the whole evening.

Assess the underlying service concepts that are at play in this encounter: You might
include issues such as your expectations, their sources, how you evaluated the service
quality, etc. If appropriate, use the GAPS Model in your analysis, the Services
Marketing Triangle, the expanded services marketing mix, etc.
In this encounter, I assumed that there would be adequate staff to serve the needs of the
attendants of the party, such as bar staff, coat check staff and security. I also expected that
there would not be an extremely long wait to get into the Cunard Centre as they would be
aware of how many people would be attending. As for experience qualities, I anticipated that
I would be able to get a drink of my choice without much difficulty, that there would be
music that I enjoyed and that I would probably be home around 2-3am. I had to lower my
expectations for the evening because of unforeseen events such as the weather. Getting to and
from the Cunard Centre proved to be much more difficult then I thought, which was not the
fault of the firm, but it was a situational factor that impacted my expectations of the event.
We could not get home until 5:00am, and were one of the fortunate few that the police were
willing to drive home. The cab companies were no longer running because of the weather. So
at 5:00, as many as 200 attendants were still at the event without a way home.
East Coast Dynamics, as an event planning agency should not have had such
difficulty with Gap 1, not knowing what the customers expect. My expectations were not
unreasonable, and any failures to meet those expectations could have been remedied with the
availability of additional staff. The main issue was that many of my friends lost their coats,
because the coat check area did not have sufficient staff to meet the needs of 3000 people. In
attending this event, I felt that there was more focus on the transaction, rather than
relationship building. There was no attempt by the organizers to make amends when it was
clear that many people were without a way home, and that many attendees had lost their
coats. Gap 2, resulting from poor service design and lack of service standards was also an
issue. Since the event was severely understaffed, very few customers received the service that
would be expected at any similar establishment. Establishing a ratio, of how many security
staff, bar staff, and coat check staff should have been needed per 100 people would have been
a sufficient way to ensure customer needs were met. Gap 3 could also be seen as a problem
here as there was a failure to match supply and demand, and customers who negatively
impacted each other resulted in bad situations. The compatibility of service customers played
a large role in the difficulties that arose at this event. People were impatient with understaffed
services, and became more agitated as the night continued. The coat check, which was
eventually over run by the customers at the end of the night, was a result of a combination of
too few staff, and too many intolerant people. As for Gap 4, what the customers were
promised was not exactly performed. But for the most part, they did offer the services that
they had outlined in communications, just not to the desired level that customers were
expecting.
The firm did a poor job of internal marketing, as employees were not enabled to do
their job efficiently and effectively. Bartenders were not trained well, and were not given
adequate support staff, or stocks of liquor. The right people were not hired. In one instance, I
had to open the beer, and poor it myself. Something that was not in my schema of expected
customer roles that would have to be fulfilled. This poor internal marketing in turn led to
poor interactive marketing between employees and customers. East Coast Dynamics was
seen as sloppy, unprepared, and unprofessional.

What could the employee/firm have done to make you more satisfied with the
encounter? With the issue in general?
Making sure that there were more staff in place, or selling a smaller number of tickets could
have simply fixed most of the issues that were encountered at the Cunard Centre. There was a
disconnect between the demand and supply. The experience qualities of the event were far
below my personal expectations, and the feeling of most people I talked to was that this event
failed their expectations as well.
There was also little to no attempt at service recovery. Messages that I have sent have
gone unanswered, and the only available reimbursement is tickets to another East Coast
Dynamics event that many people, including myself, have no interest in.

How likely is it that you will go back to this firm? (Scale of 1-7 where 1 if very unlikely
and 7 is very likely).
On a scale of 1 to 7, I would rate the chances of me returning to an East Coast Dynamics
event as a 2.
Service Encounter Journal Form

Your name Journal Entry Number 2

Name of Firm: Aldo Type of Service: Service Recovery
Date of Encounter: January 9-16 Time of Encounter: Various

What specific circumstances led to this encounter?

I ordered a pair of boots from Aldo, and when they arrived I realized I had ordered the wrong
size. To return the boots, I went to their online service, and requested the return slip be sent
to my email. When I entered my order number and my postal code, they said they would send
all the documentation needed to return my boots to my email. Three days later, I had received
no email and was no longer able to use the return feature online as it had already been used
for my particular order number. I then proceeded to call for assistance.

Exactly what did the firm/employee do or say?

The firm initially communicated that the return could be done easily through online
responses. This was one of my first experiences with Aldo’s online store front, and based on
my previous experiences with Aldo sales staff and associates, I had formed reasonable
expectations that my request would be dealt with quickly and efficiently. When these
expectations were not met in the initial online service encounter, I was surprised, but even so,
this encounter did not alter my zone of tolerance. The first call I made was met with a 15
minute wait on hold. The recording said that there was higher than normal call volume. This
was still above the level of adequate service as it was after the holidays and Boxing Day
sales, and the only perceived service alternatives were to go in person to the Aldo store in
Halifax to obtain a refund, and that was not an option. I finally spoke to a gentleman who
took my order number and email and said that I would receive an email shortly with the
return documentation needed. I still did not receive an email. I called again, a couple of days
later, and explained the difficulties I was having. She then said she would immediately send
the email, and to wait on the line to ensure I had received it. I received the email, and hung
up the phone. When I tried to open the return documents, they would not work. I then had to
call back again, with another 10 minute wait, and spoke to someone who referred to my
previous operator, and said he would send me an email later that night. I never received an
email that night, and when I called again two days later, I never even had the chance to speak
to a real operator. I was requested to leave a message with my problem and my call would be
returned. I left my message, and finally two days later I received an email with working
documentation. I then printed off the return slip and called UPS to arrange the pick up. My
purchase was refunded two weeks later.

How would you rate your level of satisfaction with this encounter? (scale of 1-7 where 1 is
extremely dissatisfied and 7 is extremely satisfied)
I would rate the overall encounter as a 3.

What exactly made you feel this way?

I felt that this was a simple request that should have been fulfilled by the company much
sooner than it was. After I was able to return the boots, I was not happy with the amount of
time it had taken to go through the process, but I was even more unhappy when the same
thing happened to my roommate. She had to contact the company no less than three times to
get a return. It seems like they didn’t want us to return the product. But by making it so
difficult, it impacts my decision to use their online purchasing feature in the future.

Assess the underlying service concepts that are at play in this encounter: You might
include issues such as your expectations, their sources, how you evaluated the service
quality, etc. If appropriate, use the GAPS Model in your analysis, the Services
Marketing Triangle, the expanded services marketing mix, etc.
I felt that the self perceived service role in this return request was high, which made
my zone of tolerance wider. I knew that I had to initiate the return, and package up the
product as well as call the UPS driver, so I believed Aldo could do what little had to be done
to accept my return. I also had no other options for return as I would not be going to an Aldo
outlet within the exchange time. My desired service was determined by previous online
returns I had made with other firms, because I knew what was generally possible, and in what
time period. I hoped that I would receive the return documentation the day I requested it first,
and I had also hoped that they could arrange the pickup time with UPS. I expected that I
would have to call UPS myself however, so that did not fall below adequate service.
Provider Gap 1 was seen, as there was no effort to make amends when the return
system failed. I never once received an apology for the slow response time that the email was
taking, or the fact that I had to wait at least 10 minutes on the phone each time I called. I did
however receive a promotional code for free shipping on my next order. This did little to
improve the situation because two days later, the mailing list for Aldo also received a code
for free shipping and most online shoe stores offer free shipping anyway. Provider Gap 4
could also be a problem here as there was obviously a lack of communication between the
external communications to the customer, and the service delivery. Because of what I was
told by the website, and service representatives, I had no reason to think that I would not
receive the emails promised.
My experience with external marketing with Aldo, has typically been positive. I
enjoy their seasonal sales, and their product styles. My in store experience with the service
attendant has been friendly and courteous. This interactive marketing experience however
with the service recovery employees has been negative, and left me with the impression that
Aldo is inefficient and lazy. It appears that customer service at Aldo does not have a service
culture at heart, and perhaps needs improved internal marketing to better enable employees,
and make them understand the importance of service.

What could the employee/firm have done to make you more satisfied with the
encounter? With the issue in general?
If I could have received the documents needed to return the package when I put my order
information in the website that would have made me satisfied. Wasting all that time on the
phone just to get an email sent was what really led to my dissatisfaction with the service.

How likely is it that you will go back to this firm? (scale of 1-7 where 1 if very unlikely
and 7 is very likely).
3 for the online store, and 5 for the actual outlet.
Service Encounter Journal Form

Your name Journal Entry Number 3

Name of Firm: Henry’s Esso Service Type of Service Car Repair
Date of Encounter: February 20, 2009 Time of Encounter 3pm

What specific circumstances led to this encounter (be brief)?

On my way home from Antigonish to Cape Breton, my car’s radiator overheated and smoke
started pouring from my engine. I pulled off to the side of the road and called home. On the
recommendation of my mechanic from home in Cape Breton, I was told to call Henry’s Esso.
My roommate picked us up, and we called the tow truck to pick up the car.

What did the firm/employee do or say (be brief)?

The employee, Mike, was the mechanic that looked at my car. When I went in to talk to him,
he was extremely helpful and took down my information. He asked all the necessary
questions, and had his tow truck driver pick up the car. He said that he would call on Monday
to tell me what was wrong with the car, which he did. He then waited until I gave him the go
ahead to perform the work, but had the parts already ordered so that he would be prepared.
He said they should have the work complete by Wednesday, which they did, and they called
me to let me know I could pick up the car. I called to ask if there was any way I could get out
there to pick up my car, and the lady that answered the phone told me she could pick me up.
She was the wife of Henry, the owner, and she was pleasant and more than happy to
accommodate me. They allowed me to pay for the work with a cheque, and my car works
better than ever now.

How would you rate your level of satisfaction with this encounter? (scale of 1-7 where 1
is extremely dissatisfied and 7 is extremely satisfied)
I would rate this encounter as a 6, being satisfied because they were very accommodating, the
only thing that I can’t really be 100% satisfied with is the price, and I am in no position to
judge that accurately.

What exactly made you feel this way?

Temporary service intensifiers and situational factors obviously lowered my adequate service
expectations. I was distraught, and concerned about the state of my car. The employee, Mike,
did a good job of reassuring me that it was likely something that would be easily fixed, and
he followed through, contacting me when he said he would. Regardless of my level of
adequate service, they exceeded those expectations and were well within my zone of
tolerance.

Assess the underlying service concepts that are at play in this encounter: You might
include issues such as your expectations, their sources, how you evaluated the service
quality, etc. If appropriate, use the GAPS Model in your analysis, the Services
Marketing Triangle, the expanded services marketing mix, etc.
The employees of Henry’s Esso did a good job of minimizing Gap 1. They knew I expected
the work done in a certain amount of time, and that they would check with me before they
went ahead with the work. I also saw signs of significant upward communication. The owner,
Henry, had his son working there, and I heard employees calling on his wife, Barb, to clarify
customer requests. This minimized organizational structure allows employees to quickly and
easily meet the demands of customers. The servicescape was a bit confusing. They had one
area to pay for gas and convenience items, and another area to pay for work done to the car.
Nothing was marked really clearly, and the variety of snacks and other items made the
waiting area to pay congested and difficult to maneuver. As well, when the mechanic took
my information, he did so using a mini cooler as a desk because the other areas of the station
were in use. Although this was informal, and a little chaotic, it did get the job done.
As for delivering to service standards, they performed the work when they said they
would, but I cannot accurately attest to whether or not standards were met on the work
because this experience is so high in credence qualities. My car did stop making the weird
squealing sound that it had been making previously, so I can say they did something right. I
have to take the word of the mechanic that the job was done well. They completed the job in
the time promised, so they lived up to my expectations.
My zone of tolerance for this encounter was fairly flexible as I had nowhere I needed
to drive, and I was able to get home for a couple of days while they did the work. They
exceeded my adequate expectations when they offered to come pick me up to get my car. I
had hoped that they would do this, but was unsure if this was a reasonable expectation. They
also allowed us to leave the keys in the car so that we could go retrieve items we left in the
car, and we didn’t have to return to the service station to drop off the keys. My predicted and
desired service may have been influenced by the fact that Charles, a family friend,
recommended this mechanic, and said that he did very good work.
My choice to use this service was based heavily on word of mouth communication
and recommendations from a family friend. I didn’t have a long search time for this service
because I needed to make a decision as to what I was going to do quite quickly. This service
was convenient, and came well recommended, so I went ahead with the purchase decision.
My post experience evaluation is minimal because of the high credence qualities, but since
the car did stop making the noise it had been making for so long, I am satisfied.

What could the employee/firm have done to make you more satisfied with the
encounter? With the issue in general?
The only thing that the employees could have done better was more accurately explain what
went wrong with my car, and attempt to show me what they changed. Because mechanic
services are so high in credence qualities, I would have appreciated an attempt to more
accurately explain what was done.
The company could have perhaps enabled the employees with greater decision
making power, but since this was a small operation, contacting management to make
decisions was not very time consuming. The servicescape could have been improved, as it
was not very conducive to conducting business other than payment for gas.

How likely is it that you will go back to this firm? (scale of 1-7 where 1 if very unlikely
and 7 is very likely).
Although I hope I don’t have to, I would rate my chances of going back to this firm as a 6. I
might choose somewhere closer in the future.
Service Encounter Journal Form

Your name Journal Entry Number 4

Name of Firm: Purolator & Forever21.com Type of Service Courier
Date of Encounter: February 27, 2009 Time of Encounter Afternoon

What specific circumstances led to this encounter (be brief)?

I ordered clothes from Forever21.com, who use Purolator as their delivery service provider.
Because there was no one home at my house on the Friday that they attempted to make the
delivery, I had to call Purolator to make arrangements to deliver the package at a time that I
would be home. Therefore, it was not my choice to use this service provider because the
company I had purchased the clothes from had made the selection.

What did the firm/employee do or say (be brief)?

I received a call on Monday, March 2 with a voice mail message saying that they had
attempted to deliver a package to my house, but I was not home, so I had to contact the
company to arrange for another delivery time. When I called Purolator to schedule a new
drop off time, I had to go through three rounds of selections on their phone system, only to be
directed to a customer service agent in the end. It was approximately 10 minutes before I was
able to speak to someone. I had to have the package number, which was left on the voicemail,
in order to locate my package. I had to give a significant amount of information that should
have been included under the package number already. The whole process of contacting the
company to schedule a new drop off took approximately 20 minutes. The drop off date was
Wednesday, and the package was delivered shortly after 1:00pm. I needed to make sure that
someone would be home between 8am and 5pm on the day of the delivery.

How would you rate your level of satisfaction with this encounter? (scale of 1-7 where 1
is extremely dissatisfied and 7 is extremely satisfied)
I would rate my level of satisfaction with this service encounter as a 4.

What exactly made you feel this way?

I did not expect my own personal role to be as extensive as it was in this service encounter. It
was my previous experience with courier services that led me to believe it was more so the
courier services job to ensure that I received the package. The voice mail informed me that if
I did not contact Purolator within 5 days, my order would be returned to the sender. I feel that
they should have made greater attempts to contact me, rather then just a voice mail, and that
they should not expect the customer to give up an entire day to wait for the package.

Assess the underlying service concepts that are at play in this encounter: You might
include issues such as your expectations, their sources, how you evaluated the service
quality, etc. If appropriate, use the GAPS Model in your analysis, the Services
Marketing Triangle, the expanded services marketing mix, etc.
This service encounter was not below my adequate level of expected service, but was
at the lower end of my zone of tolerance. The most effort I had to invest in my purchasing
situation was spent on ensuring that I received the delivery. I had to give up most of my day
to make sure that I would be home when they came to make the delivery. I think that the
company is making a big assumption about the customer’s level of involvement in the service
situation. Gap 3 is definitely present in this situation because I was not aware of the role I
would be required to fulfill as a customer, and I think that the company should have taken
more responsibility to make the delivery.
Gap 2 was also evident because the voicemail seemed to be an inadequate way to
inform the customer that there was a failed delivery attempt. I needed to listen to the
voicemail 2 or 3 times to ensure that I had heard the package ID number correctly. Their
choice of technology to deliver the service was not sufficient. Sending an email or leaving a
notification at the door, or even both would have been a better method of communication.
My roommates have had encounters with Purolator, and their experiences influenced
my level of adequate service that I expected. They have had similar occurrences of having to
contact the company directly, so I was more understanding of having to spend time on the
phone with a representative.
Because I am not familiar with the service promises, or standards that Purolator has
in place, my zone of tolerance was wider than it would have been with a company that I have
had more experience with. My experience with other delivery services such as FedEx, and
Canada Post however, did influence my expectations from Purolator. With Canada Post, if a
delivery cannot be made at the door, you can pick up your package at a central location at
your convenience, which I think should have be an option for me.
I believe that the company could do a better job of internal marketing, by enabling
their employees to contact the recipient of a package through more than one medium. It
should be possible to send an email, since electronic confirmation is needed when the
package is delivered, and integration of those systems must be online. I am not familiar with
any of Purolator’s external marketing, but for the most part, any direct contact I have ever
had with a service employee has been positive. The interactive marketing experience has
been generally friendly.

What could the employee/firm have done to make you more satisfied with the
encounter? With the issue in general?
Indirectly, I suppose some of the dissatisfaction that I felt could have been resolved by
greater communication between Forever21, the company I ordered from, and Purolator.
There is no reason that I should have had to give my personal information twice in order to
get the delivery. I think that if I had the confirmation number for the package that should
have been sufficient to recall the delivery specs. I think there should have been an alternative
method to contact me as well. If I had not received the phone call, or had voice mail, there
would have been no way for me to know that Purolator had tried to deliver the package. I
expected to receive a note on the door, or an email notification, which would have been a lot
more tangible, and it would have made it easier for me to get the package identification
number. I was also unable to enter the package number online, or through the phone system,
so it was necessary for me to talk to a customer service representative. I was never offered
the option to have delivery when I’m not home, which would have made the whole encounter
a whole lot more convenient. If they were able to reduce the customer involvement needed to
make the delivery, I would have been more satisfied.

How likely is it that you will go back to this firm? (scale of 1-7 where 1 if very unlikely
and 7 is very likely).
I would rate my chances of using this firm in the future as a 7, because I love the clothes
from Forever21, and as long as their choice of courier is Purolator, I will be forced to deal
with them.

Service Encounter Journal Form

Your name Journal Entry Number: 5

Name of Firm: Bras D’Or Yacht Club (BYC) Type of Service: Bar
Date of Encounter: March 20, 2009 Time of Encounter: 11PM

What specific circumstances led to this encounter (be brief)?

While I was home in Cape Breton over the weekend of the 20 th, I attended a celebration for
the 100th anniversary of the flight of the Silver Dart in Baddeck, at the Bras D’Or Yacht Club.
Many of my friends that were away at university were on Spring Break, and happened to be
home for the weekend as well, so this event was a good opportunity to meet up with friends
from home.

What did the firm/employee do or say (be brief)?

The Yacht Club charged $6 for an evening of entertainment. The band that was playing was
from an hour away, and many of the attendants of the event were unfamiliar with them. There
was a buffet like offering of finger food, and the bar had been decorated to highlight the
aviation history that was being celebrated. The bar was being run by two of the usual
bartenders who were as friendly and as courteous as ever.

How would you rate your level of satisfaction with this encounter? (scale of 1-7 where 1
is extremely dissatisfied and 7 is extremely satisfied)
I would rate this service encounter as a 6.

What exactly made you feel this way?

My level of adequate service was raised because of situational factors, such as the
celebrations going on in the town. Perceived service alternatives however ensured that the
BYC could deliver to at least a level of adequate service. My own role in the situation, as
well as the role of other customers, led to my satisfaction rating of 6. My previous
experiences at the BYC, which I would rate as a 7 typically, take place in the summer, during
sailing races, and when friends from away are home. These particular service encounters are
rated so highly because of situational factors that cannot be recreated in the dead of winter.

Assess the underlying service concepts that are at play in this encounter: You might
include issues such as your expectations, their sources, how you evaluated the service
quality, etc. If appropriate, use the GAPS Model in your analysis, the Services
Marketing Triangle, the expanded services marketing mix, etc.
I think that as a regular attendant of events at the BYC I did not expect to be charged for a
Friday night, because there is usually entertainment without a charge. But because there was
an event going on in the village, I expected that they would try and take advantage of the
increased tourist traffic. I think there was a strong connection between the expectations of
customers, and the service delivery of the BYC. There was music, access to food and drink,
and a friendly environment of both old and new faces. Therefore, Gap 1 was minimized. Gap
2, was not evident, because standards were met, the servicescape was clean well organized,
and eclectically decorated for the unique event. It was easy to get access to snacks, as well as
bar services. There may have been some evidence of Gap 3, because at times the bar was
crowded because there may have been an underestimation of the demand for seating and bar
services. However, the venue did deliver on their service promises, and even though it was
crowded, the wait time for a drink, or to navigate around the bar was not overwhelming
enough that it fell below my zone of tolerance.
The role of other customers in this service encounter contributed significantly to my
overall satisfaction. My previous service encounters with the BYC which have been the most
positive have been so because of the other patrons, (friends and acquaintances who I have not
seen in a long time). Although it is difficult for the organization to ensure attendance of
people that will improve the service experience, they may be able to increase the chances, by
putting on events on well thought out weekends, such as this weekend which happened to fall
on the Spring Break of many of the universities.
The service delivery by those collecting the admission, and the bartenders was pretty
much at my level of desired service. Everyone knew my name and was extremely friendly
and happy to see my friends and I. Thus, interactive marketing definitely leads to a positive
image for the BYC. Perceived service alternatives were low, so my level of adequate service
was fairly low. Adequate service was also dependent on my own role in the situation, as I
knew my satisfaction would be influenced by the social interactions that I partook in. Overall,
the experience definitely exceeded adequate expectations and just fell short of my desired
service.

What could the employee/firm have done to make you more satisfied with the
encounter? With the issue in general?
I was fairly satisfied with this service encounter, and any dissatisfaction I experienced with
the experience probably could not have been solved by the BYC. Many of my previous
experiences with the BYC have been overwhelmingly positive because the events have been
held in the summer. Therefore, when the patio is closed, it changes the overall servicescape
of the venue. It would be next to impossible to open the patio in the middle of the winter, but
I mainly wanted somewhere to escape from the loud music. If the amplifiers had been turned
down a bit, or there had been another bar set up downstairs, the loud music might not have
been as evident to me. Also, I didn’t really enjoy the type of music. If the musical selection
had been more suited to my own personal preference, I might have not minded the volume
level as much. Overall however, I was very satisfied with the service encounter.

How likely is it that you will go back to this firm? (scale of 1-7 where 1 if very unlikely
and 7 is very likely).
It is very likely that I will return to the BYC. 7