Total Quality Management

Service Quality
 Service Quality

Difference between customer expectations of service and

perceived service

Most common method for measuring service

quality - SERVQUAL approach
 Model of Service Quality Gaps

Expected Service

Gap 5
Perceived Service
Customer

Company Gap 4
External
Service delivery
communications to
customers
Gap 1 Gap 3
Translation of perceptions
into service quality
specifications
Gap 2

Management perceptions
of consumer expectations
 Knowledge Gap
Expected Service

Gap 1: Not knowing what customers

Customer expect

Company

Gap 1

Management perceptions
of consumer expectations
 Standards Gap
Gap 2: Not having the right service
designs and standards

Customer

Company

Translation of perceptions
into service quality
specifications
Gap 2

Management perceptions
of consumer expectations
 Delivery Gap
Gap 3: Not delivering to service
standards

Customer

Company
Service delivery

Gap 3
Translation of perceptions
into service quality
specifications
 Communication Gap
Gap 4: Not matching performance to
promises

Customer

Company Gap 4
External
Service delivery
communications to
customers
 Customer Gap
Expected Service

Gap 5
Perceived Service
Customer

Company
Gap 5: Difference between customer
expectations and perceptions
 Closing the Gaps

Expected Service

Gap 5
Perceived Service
Customer

Company Gap 4
External
Service delivery
communications to
customers
Gap 1 Gap 3
Translation of perceptions
into service quality
specifications
Gap 2

Management perceptions
of consumer expectations
Closing Gap 1: Learn what customers expect

• Use research, complaint analysis, customer panels

• Increase direct interactions between managers and
customers
 Closing Gap 2: Establish the right service
quality standards
• Top management commitment to providing service quality
• Set, communicate, and reinforce customer-oriented service
standards
• Establish challenging and realistic service quality goals
• Train managers to be service quality leaders
• Be receptive to new ways to deliver service quality
• Standardise repetitive tasks
• Prioritise tasks
• Measure performance of service standards and provide
regular feedback
Closing Gap 3: Ensure that service performance
meets standards

• Attract the best employees

• Select the right employees
• Develop and support employees
 Closing Gap 4: Ensure that service delivery
matches promises
• Seek input from operations personnel on what can be
done
• Seek input from employees on advertising
• In advertising, focus on service characteristics that are
important to customers
• Tiered service options
– Offer different levels of service - user pays
 Dimensions of SERVQUAL
Tangibles

Empathy Reliability

Service Quality

Assurance Responsiveness