Lecture 10 - Service Quality, Feedback and Complain

What is the definition of service quality?

The high standard of performance that consistently meets or exceeds customer expectations.

Why is service quality harder to evaluate than product quality?

Because services are intangible, variable, and often co-produced with the customer.

What are the 2 components used to evaluate service quality?

1. The process of service delivery

2. The outcome of the service.

Define service productivity.

The ratio of output produced relative to the input used in service operations.

Name 3 generic strategies to improve service productivity

Use of technology, employee training, and process redesign.

What is the Gaps Model in service quality?

A framework identifying discrepancies between customer expectations and perceptions of service delivery.

What is Gap 1 in the Gaps Model?

Knowledge gap – the difference between what management thinks customers expect and what they actually expect.

What is Gap 6 in the Gaps Model?

The service quality gap – the difference between what customers expect and what they perceive was delivered.

What does SERVQUAL measure?

5 dimensions of service quality:

1. reliability,

2. assurance,

3. tangibles,

4. empathy,

5. responsiveness.

What are soft service quality measures?

Measures based on customer perceptions and feedback, e.g., satisfaction surveys.

What are hard service quality measures?

Quantifiable data like error rates, wait times, or service completion rates.

What is the Fishbone Diagram used for in service marketing?

Identifying and categorising root causes of service failures.

What does Pareto Analysis suggest in service failure diagnosis?

80% of problems stem from 20% of the root causes.

What is blueprinting in service marketing?

A tool to visualise the entire service delivery process and locate fail points.

What are the key goals of customer feedback systems?

Benchmarking, organisational learning, and fostering a customer-centric culture.

Name 3 customer feedback collection tools.

1. Surveys

2. Focus Groups

3. Online Reviews

What are the 3 types of customer responses to service failure?

1. Public action (complaining)

2. private action (switching)

3. no action

What are the 3 dimensions of fairness in service recovery?

1. Procedural justice

2. Interactional justice

3. outcome justice.

What is the Service Recovery Paradox?

When a well-handled service failure leads to higher satisfaction than if no failure occurred.

Why is complaint handling essential in service marketing?

It retains customers, prevents negative word-of-mouth, and provides data for improvement.