The Quality of Customer Service - Essay Example

?Introduction The quality service is considered be a very important aspect of competitiveness in the contemporary world. Provision of outstanding customer service and of high quality is a key challenge facing businesses today as explained by Evenson (2010). The quality of service provided by a firm is fundamental for both the private and public sectors. In the recent years, there has been growing importance in customer service and quality has become a major area of attention for businesses as it impacts on performance, return on investment, cost of operation, customer loyalty and profits (Pang 2007). Researchers have developed different models for quantifying customer service as explained by Kapur (2010). The models are significant since they help the management in identifying problematic areas in quality control. This helps the management to devise strategies to improve on customer service leading to an overall improvement of profitability and performance of the firm (Pang 2007). Most of the models in customer service focus on the concept of service quality gap. If the customer expectations are greater that performance, then the perceived quality is less and the customer is said to be dissatisfied. The current case will take the 4 Gap Model to measure customer service. The 4 Gap Model Research has been conducted in different sectors including banking, telecommunication, repair and maintenance and in insurance concerning the model (Ramsaram- Fowdar 2007). The gap models developed by researches are used to measure the service quality expectations before and after the service. There are five major determinants of service quality in the model are tangibility, reliability, perceptibility, safety and empathy. The use of The 4 Gap model shown below became widespread in the measurement of service quality. The model has received criticism when analyzed from a methodological and conceptual aspect. In spite of this, the model has been used in various researches regarding quality of customer service (Ben-Haim 2006). The basic feature of the model is that it places an emphasis on oversight regarding quality between the customer and the service provider (The Marketing Association of Australia and New Zealand 2011). The model shows the process of developing of quality customer service. The model defines service quality as the difference between consumer perception on the service and the expectations before using the service. The 4 gaps in the model are discussed below: Gap 1- This shows the difference between customers’ expectations and how the management understands these expectations (The Marketing Association of Australia and New Zealand 2010). The management does not have a proper understanding of the customers’ expectations. Gap 2- This illustrates the disparity between the company’s perceptions about the customers’ expectations and requirements of service quality. The company has established customer expectations but has not come up with the necessary strategies that are required to ensure quality service delivery. Gap 3- This represents the variation between the specification of service quality and the aspects of the process of service production and delivery (The Marketing Association of Australia and New Zealand 2010). This can be described as the specified quality by the management and the way the service is delivered. Gap 4- This shows the difference between the customer’s expectations concerning the service and the information they have about it. This results into the difference between the customers’ expectations concerning the service and their perception (This is known as Gap 5 which is not discussed in our model). This gap is as a result of all the other gaps. The 4 Gap model is shown in the figure below: (The Marketing Association of Australia and New Zealand 2011) The model explains the two major types in customer service marketing known as the company gap and the customer gap (The Marketing Association of Australia and New Zealand 2011). The integrated model which links the internal services between various functions in service providing firms and the external customers is shown below: (The Marketing Association of Australia and New Zealand 2010) The gap model shown above illustrates the ten elements used by the consumers to form perceptions of the service quality offered by a firm. The model gives the company insights concerning the customers’ perceptions of service quality. The model gives a conceptual framework for academic and business researchers to explore customer service in marketing according to The Marketing Association of Australia and New Zealand (2011). Reasons for the emergence of oversights in the offer of service quality Each of the gaps in the model affects the entire perception of the service quality and satisfaction of the customer (Kotler and Keller 2006). The discussion below shows the major reasons why firms in the service industry cause variations in service processes and quality; Gap 1- This represents incompatibility between the management and customers. The main reason for its emergence is that the management does not understand the real customers’ expectations. This gap is caused by misinterpretation of information regarding customers’ expectations and lack of a good relationship between customers and the company. The significant reason for the emergence of this gap is the existence of many stages of organization which alter the levels of information about customers’ expectations (Kotler and Keller 2006). The poor understanding of customers’ complaints may be due to poor management of the same. When the management establishes these problems, more problems may come up when they realize that they cannot satisfy customers’ expectations. Gap 2- This concerns the difference in perception of the management about the prospects of their customers and the requirements of service quality. These are; poorly designed services, inadequate standards defined from the aspect of customers, lack of service ambience and physical elements (Kotler & Keller 2006). The problems are caused by the lack of resources, lack of involvement by the management and increasing demand. In situations where the managers have defined the customers’ standards of service quality, the oversight in the offer of a quality service can happen in the process of the offer. Gap 3- The reasons leading to the gap are, problems in the human resource management, oversights with servicing agents, poorly harmonized offer and demand and lack of cooperation from customers. The managements can define the specification on quality of services depending on customers’ demands (Kotler & Keller 2006). However, employees are not able to deliver the services according to the set standards. The probable reasons for this may be poor cooperation and conflict among the staff, unskilled staff, inadequate motivation and conflicts between the management and customers. The pledge given by a company through marketing and advertising is important since it is a contributing factor to customers’ perceptions. Failing to fulfill the promises made results to the emergence of Gap 4. Gap 4- This is caused by inefficient management of customers’ expectations, inadequate integrated communication and service marketing, poor horizontal communication and irrational promises (Kotler and Keller 2006). When all the gaps mentioned above occur, then the customers’ gap (Gap 5) will definitely occur. It is manifested as a disparity between the customers’ prospects before experiencing the service and their perception after receiving the service. Service blue printing Service blue printing is closely related to the concept of customer experience mapping. A service blue print provides tangible methods for businesses to assess the impact of the changes they make in customer service on their customers. What is a service blueprint? A service blueprint is a diagrammatic representation that entails all details of a service from the customer and organization’s perspective (Thomson 2006). It shows how the different service aspects connect with each other and shows the various touch points and alternatives customers have to pick from and how internal operations affect their choices. It illustrates the different actions undertaken by the firm chronologically and the events that take place when the company meets the customer. It shows the levels and difficulty of the meeting and differentiates customer’s reaction from the company’s. The blueprints also give the customer information on operations that occur to ensure service is delivered. Blueprints are influential and flexible in that they portray a service at various stages of analysis. They can assist in the modification of a single step as well as the formation of a service process. Blue prints are a way of viewing the service from a customer’s perspective. Critics of the 4 Gap Model The model can be a challenge both for conceptual and methodological reasons. There is insufficient evidence supporting the performance- expectation gap as a predictive measure of customer service model. Assessing service quality through consumer perception is an appropriate measure in service quality research. Service quality is perceived to be based on the customers’ feedback without paying attention to the expectations. It is argued that the approach based on performance is more suitable to the current attitudes and business environment (Dabholkar et al. 2000). There exists an operational and conceptual problem in defining expectation leading to the questioning of the validity of the perception- expectation model. The concept of perception can be defined and measured while that of expectation is subject to a variety of definitions (Dabholkar et al. 2000). The concept of expectation is doubtful owing to the fact that there are various definitions with regard to the business world. The above discussion provides a critical analysis of the model and it is correct to conclude that the model needs further improvement on various aspects to be applicable in the current business environment. Ways in which the model has been improved The proposed model has some key components that were omitted in the 4 Gap model. These are service quality strategies and policies, ideal service standards, employee perceptions on customer perception, management perceptions on customer perception and translation of service quality and policy into service quality (Dabholkar et al. 2000). The model should be constantly modified to keep up with the constantly changing business environment. Application areas of the model The 4 Gap Model of service quality acts as a guideline of identifying variations between the customers’ expectations and the company’s expectations when it comes to the quality of service. The model is applied by companies in the service industry in identifying areas of poor service quality and devises strategies to improve on the same. The company should develop a strong relationship with its customers given the increasing demand for quality service by the customers (Kotler and Keller 2006). This is the best way to solve the problems in Gap 1. Research in the service industry has shown that the customers whose complaints were handled by the management are more loyal the company. The management can overcome the 2nd gap by designing appropriate standards and specifications of the services. This should be done while taking consumers’ demands into consideration and includes provision of physical evidence of the services offered by the company in a well developed service ambience. For the minimization of Gap 3, it is important to support the stipulated standards and specifications of services (Kotler and Keller 2006). This can be achieved by the use of the appropriate resources including employees and technology for their consistent and complete application in the service provision process. The management should take into consideration the value of functional dimension of service quality through recruiting, training and motivation of the employees. Reasonable promises should be given to the buyers through proper channels of marketing and advertising. This helps in the cessation of Gap 4 which is also referred to as the communication gap (Kotler and Keller 2006). There should be transparency of information about service delivery to customers. It is important for the management to control internal marketing communications by setting up successful vertical and horizontal communication in the firm (Kapur 2010). These are the application areas of the 4 gap model in a service providing enterprise. Conclusion Consumer service plays a critical role in the current business world. Accurate information on the perception and expectation is crucial if businesses are to expand their service role in the evolving world of business. Today’s highly competitive and dynamic business world warrants that the price aspect loses its key position when it comes to paying for services. The new differentiating characteristics among competing firms in future may be the quality of service offered. This means that business executives must be able to manipulate suitable dimensions on their service blueprints to maximize on organizational potential. References Ben- Haim, Y 2006, Info- gap decision theory: Decisions under severe uncertainty, Academic Press. Dabholkar, PA, Shepherd, DC & Thorpe, DI 2000, A comprehensive framework for service quality: An investigation of critical, conceptual and measurement issues through a longitudinal study, Journal of retailing. Evenson, R 2010, Customer service training, AMACOM Div American Mgmt Assn. Kapur 2010, Service marketing: Concepts & practices, Mc Graw-Hill. Kotler, P & Keller, LK 2006, Marketing management, Data Status. Pang, BM 2007, Customer service: How to survive it, Author House. Ramasaran- Fowder, R 2007, Developing a service quality questionnaire for the hotel industry. Journal of vacation marketing, 13 (1), 19- 27. The Marketing Association of Australia and New Zealand, Theory of the gaps model in service marketing, viewed 24, April, 2011, . Thomson, GD 2006, Blueprint to a billion: 7 essentials to achieve exponential growth, John Wiley & Sons. Read More

 

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