SERVQUAL

SERVICE QUALITY

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Intangible and Tangible of
a Service Package

intangible
tangible

intangible

a service package
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 Good and Service

The distinction between a good and a

service is difficult to make,
because the purchase of a good is
accompanied by some facilitating service
(e.g., installation at hotel) and the purchase
of a service often includes facilitating
goods (e.g., food at a restaurant)

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 Five Categories of Services

1. Customer Participation in the Service Process

2. Simultaneity
3. Perishability
4. Intangibility
5. Heterogeneity

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1. Customer Participation in the Service Process

• For the customer, service is an experience

occuring in the front office of the sevice
facility, and the quality of service is enhanced
if the service facility is designed from the
customer’s perspective.
• The customer can play active part in the
process
• The knowledge, experience, motivation, and
even honesty of the customer all directly affect
the performance of the service system
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1. Customer Participation in the Service Process...

• Fast food restaurants that have significantly

reduced the typical number of serving (the
customer places the order directly from limited
menu) and cleaning personnel (expected to
clear the table after the meal)
– Fewer personnel who require supervision (the
customer acts like a temporary employee)
– The customer provides the labor just at the
moment it is required (arriving just when needed
to perform duties to augment the work of the
service staff)
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 2. Simultaneity

• The fact that services are created and

consumed simultaneously and, thus, cannot be
stored.
• Eliminates many opportunities for quality-
control intervention

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 3. Perishability

• Because a service cannot be stored, it is lost

forever when not used.
• Very cyclic behavior over short periods of time
(variation between the peaks and valleys)
– The custom of eating lunch between noon and 1pm
places a burden on restaurants to accommodate the
noon rush
– For recreational and transportation services,
seasonal variation in demand creates surges in
activity

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 4. Intangibility

• Services are ideas and concepts; goods are

things.
• Service innovations are not patentable
• Customer must rely on the reputation of the
service firm.

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 5. Heteregoneity
• The combination of intangibility nature of services
and the customer as a participant results in variation
of service from customer to customer
• The interaction between customer and employee,
creates the possibility of a more satisfying human
work experience
• Oriented toward people rather than toward things.
• Exception:
– for services that process information or customers’ property
(brockerage services)
– Self-service technology (reduction of labor intensiveness)

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Dimensions of Service Quality

• Reliability
• Responsiveness
• Assurance
• Empathy
• Tangibles

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 Dimensions of Service Quality
• Reliability: Perform promised service
dependably and accurately. Example: receive
mail at same time each day.
• Responsiveness: Willingness to help
customers promptly. Example: avoid keeping
customers waiting for no apparent reason.

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 Dimensions of Service Quality

• Assurance: Ability to convey trust and

confidence. Example: being polite and
showing respect for customer.
• Empathy: Ability to be approachable.
Example: being a good listener.
• Tangibles: Physical facilities and facilitating
goods. Example: cleanliness.

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 Perceived Service Quality

Word of Personal Past

mouth needs experience

Service Quality Expected Service Quality Assessment

Dimensions service 1. Expectations exceeded
Reliability ES<PS (Quality surprise)
Responsiveness 2. Expectations met
Assurance Perceived ES~PS (Satisfactory quality)
Empathy service 3. Expectations not met
Tangibles ES>PS (Unacceptable quality)

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 Service Quality Gap Model

Customer Customer Satisfaction Customer

GAP 5
Perceptions Expectations

Managing the Customer / Understanding

Evidence Marketing Research the Customer
Communication
GAP 4 GAP 1

Management
Service
Perceptions
Delivery of Customer
Expectations
Conformance
Design GAP 2
GAP 3
Conformance Service Design
Service
Standards
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