Service Quality in Public Sector

Flashcards for reviewing key vocabulary and definitions related to service quality in the public sector.

Service (Evans and Lindsay, 2008; Sharon Dobson, 2010)

Any primary or complementary activity that does not directly produce a physical product; a form of product that consists of activities, benefits, or satisfactions offered for sale that are essentially intangible and do not result in the ownership of anything.

Service Quality (Bitner, Booms and Mohr, 1994)

The consumer's overall impression of the relative inferiority/superiority of the organization and its services.

Service Quality (Parasuraman, Zeithaml and Berry, 1985)

A function of the differences between expectation and performance along the quality dimensions.

Moments of Truth / Service Encounters / Critical Incident (Lewis, 2007)

Any direct interaction between service providers and customers, which may take in various forms.

Service Quality (Parasuraman et al., 1990)

Commitment from the service provider to offer follow-up action that constitutes a continuous process for monitoring customers’ perceptions of service quality, identifying the causes of service quality shortfalls, and taking appropriate action to improve service quality.

Service Quality Summary

Meeting customer needs and requirements; matching the delivered service level to customer expectations; translating expectations into performance standards and specifications; customers' judgment and results based on comparing expected vs. actual service.

Intangibility

There is little or no tangible evidence to show once a service has been performed, making it difficult to evaluate prior to delivery.

Inseparability

Service cannot be separated from their providers, reflecting the interconnections among the service provider, the customer, and other customers sharing the same experience.

Heterogeneity/Variability

Service quality varies across service encounters; service encounter is the interaction between service employee and customer; people are central to service delivery.

Perishability

Services cannot be stored to meet fluctuations in demand; unused capacity cannot be reserved; and they cannot be inventoried.

Durability

The public will keep on using services provided by the public sector. However, the services may become obsolete quickly via changing customer demand and technology.

Tangibility

Appearance of physical facilities, equipment, personnel, and communication materials.

Assurance

Knowledge and courtesy of employees and their ability to inspire trust and confidence.

Empathy

Caring, individualized attention the firm provides its customers.

Reliability

Ability to perform the promised service dependably and accurately.

Responsiveness

Willingness to help customers and provide prompt service.