SERVQUAL for IT Services
SERVQUAL stands for SERVice QUALity. SERVQUAL is the most effective analysis tool available to service industries for studying the difference between customer expectations from service and perceptions of service quality.
For any service industry, it is essential that customer expectations are properly understood, measured from the customers’ perspective, and any gaps in service quality are identified. SERVQUAL identifies various service quality gaps that may exist in the system of service process. Major attention is paid to gaps associated with external customer services but the model can be extended to other major gaps associated with internal customers
Model of Service Quality Gaps
There are seven gaps identified in the SERVQUAL model.
Gap 1: Customers’ expectations versus management perceptions:
Gap 2: Management perceptions versus service specifications:
Gap 3: Service specifications versus service delivery:
Gap 4: Service delivery versus external communication:
Gap 5: The discrepancy between customer expectations and their perceptions of the service delivered:
Gap 6: The discrepancy between customer expectations and employees’ perceptions:
Gap 7: The discrepancy between employee’s perceptions and management perceptions:
The model stated five dimensions or factors:
- Tangibles: Appearance of Physical facilities, equipment, and personnel
- Reliability: Ability to perform the promised service dependably and accurately
- Responsiveness: Willingness to help customers and provide prompt service
- Assurance: Knowledge and courtesy of employees and their ability to inspire trust and confidence
- Empathy: Caring and individualized attention that the firm provides to its customers
How It Works
The major concern of SERVQUAL is Gap 5 and before starting measurement of it, nature of service expectation needs to be understood. Customer expectation follows into two levels: Desired Service and Adequate service.
Desired Service Level is the degree of service quality, that customer believes, can or should be delivered. Whereas, Adequate Service Level is the degree of service quality that customer is willing to accept. The difference between these two levels of service quality is called Zone of Tolerance.
Using these two levels of expectations, we have two measures of Gap 5.
Measure of Service Adequacy (MSA) = Perceived Service - Adequate Service
Measure of Service Superiority (MSS) = Perceived Service - Desired Service
Mode of Collecting Data
There can be any mode of marketing research. Following are few methods I know.
SERVQUAL model has been extended for e-Business industries, named as e-SQ (e-Service Quality) Model . The e-SQ can be defined as the extent to which a Website facilitates efficient and effective shopping, purchasing and delivery of products and services.
The e-SQ redefines dimensions for measurement of service quality in context of e-business industry. The e-SQ model states two dimensions: Core Dimensions and Recovery Dimensions.
e-SQ Model : Core Services
e-Service Quality is more than a state of art website. e-SQ has lot to be evolved and to be explored. We will hope to see more of e-SQ as IT grows exponentially in global market.
References
SERVQUAL and Model of Service Quality Gap
New Way to listen to the library Users - University of Miami
Annexure
Sample SERVQUAL Survey Form
The major concern of SERVQUAL is Gap 5 and before starting measurement of it, nature of service expectation needs to be understood. Customer expectation follows into two levels: Desired Service and Adequate service.
Desired Service Level is the degree of service quality, that customer believes, can or should be delivered. Whereas, Adequate Service Level is the degree of service quality that customer is willing to accept. The difference between these two levels of service quality is called Zone of Tolerance.
Using these two levels of expectations, we have two measures of Gap 5.Measure of Service Adequacy (MSA) = Perceived Service - Adequate Service
Measure of Service Superiority (MSS) = Perceived Service - Desired Service
Mode of Collecting Data
There can be any mode of marketing research. Following are few methods I know.
- Transactional surveys
- Mystery shopping
- New, declining, and lost-customer surveys
- Focus group interviews
- Customer advisory panels
- Service reviews
- Customer complaint, comment, and inquiry capture
- Total market surveys
- Employee field reporting
- Employee surveys
- Service operating data capture
SERVQUAL model has been extended for e-Business industries, named as e-SQ (e-Service Quality) Model . The e-SQ can be defined as the extent to which a Website facilitates efficient and effective shopping, purchasing and delivery of products and services.
The e-SQ redefines dimensions for measurement of service quality in context of e-business industry. The e-SQ model states two dimensions: Core Dimensions and Recovery Dimensions.
e-SQ Model : Core Services
- Efficiency: The ease and speed of accessing and using the site.
- Fulfillment: The extent to which the site’s promises about order delivery and item availability are fulfilled.
- System Availability: The correct technical functioning of the site.
- Privacy: The degree to which the site is safe and protects customer information
- Responsiveness: Effective handling of problems and returns through the site.
- Compensation: The degree to which the site compensates customers for problems.
- Contact: The availability of assistance through telephone and online representatives.
e-Service Quality is more than a state of art website. e-SQ has lot to be evolved and to be explored. We will hope to see more of e-SQ as IT grows exponentially in global market.
References
SERVQUAL and Model of Service Quality Gap
New Way to listen to the library Users - University of Miami
Annexure
Sample SERVQUAL Survey Form
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