4. Service Quality

Question 1

Most popular way of measuring service quality?

Answer 1

• SERVQUAL. Abbreviation of the words service quality.

Question 2

Who designed the model SERVQUAL?

Answer 2

Zeithaml, Parasuraman and Berry in the 1970’s.

Question 3

Most common parts of SERVQUAL has 5 parts that make up RATER, what is RATER an abbreviation for?

Answer 3

Reliability
Assurance
Tangibles
Empathy
Responsiveness

Question 4

What is reliability? (3)

Answer 4

1. Consistency
2. Doing things right first time
3. Deliver on promises made to customer

Question 5

What is an example of reliability? (2)

Answer 5

1. Meeting deadlines - calling cust back within agreed timescale
2. Maintaining full & accurate records of claim and customers details

Question 6

What is assurance? (2)

Answer 6

1.When customers have confidence in firm to provide the service they expect.
2. Employees are knowledgeable about their job and can answer customer queries

Question 7

What is an example of assurance?

Answer 7

Assurance can be provided when customers basic queries about their insurance policy are answered by their claims handler in a concise and easy to understand manner

Question 8

What are tangibles? (5)

Answer 8

1. Physical items that can be seen and touched
2. Company facilities when seen by consumer (eg where you work)
3. Paperwork issued (letters, contracts) - easy to understand?
4. Influences a lot about organisation & you
5. Influences whether customer feels positive & negative about you and organisation

Question 9

What is empathy? (3)

Answer 9

1. Having customers best interest at heart
2. Stepping into shoes of customer to understand from their point
3. SERVICE CONTEXT - how well company understands their needs & how it responds, treating every customer individually

Question 10

What is an example of empathy?

Answer 10

Staff that listen to customers problems & try to provide a solution

Question 11

What is responsiveness?

Answer 11

Timeliness & willingness to help

Question 12

What is an example of responsiveness?

Answer 12

Time taken to answer calls, or time taken to confirm details in an email or letter

Question 13

How does SERVQUAL (the gap model) identify the gaps in customer service?

Answer 13

Identifies a gap between service quality the customer expects to receive & the service quality they think they have received

Question 14

How is SERVQUAL usually implemented?

Answer 14

Using a survey consisting of each RATER item, diving each section into 3-5 questions & customer is asked to rate the service provided.

Question 15

How are RATER questions usually asked?

Answer 15

3 times;
1. Expectation Q
2. Perception Q
3. Importance Q
Score taken for each, then customer expectation Q score is subtracted from Perceptions Q score

Question 16

Where perceptions are equal to exceptions?

Answer 16

Satisfied customer

Question 17

Where perceptions exceed exceptions?

Answer 17

Delighted customer

Question 18

Where exceptions exceed perceptions?

Answer 18

Dissatisfied customer

Question 19

What do firms need benchmarking for?

Answer 19

To help them put their scores into perspective

Question 20

What are the three examples of benchmarking?

Answer 20

1. Overtime - SERVQUAL scores can be compared over time to check improvement. Important where firm makes changes, check if worked.
2. Different organisational units - Compare SERQUAL across the firm, positive effect by internal competition & raising quality standards
3. Competition - compare SERVQUAL with competitors. Difficult to do, but not impossible. Commission research agencies to conduct research on their behalf