The Gaps Model of Service Quality
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The Gaps Model of Service Quality Tahsina Khan Tahsina Khan 1
description
The Gaps Model of Service Quality
Transcript of The Gaps Model of Service Quality
The Gaps Model of Service Quality
Tahsina KhanTahsina Khan
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Gaps Model of Service QualityGaps Model of Service QualityWords of mouth
communication
Past ExperiencePersonal Needs
Expected Service
Perceived Service
Management Perceptions of
Customers Expectations
Customer-driven Service Designs and
Standards
Service Delivery (Pre and Post
Contact)
External Communications to
Customers
CUSTOMER
COMPANY
Customer Gap
Gap 3
Gap 2
Gap 1
Gap 4
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Different Types of Service Gaps
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The Key points for each gap can be summarized as follows:
The Customer Gap: The difference between customer expectations and perceptions.
Gap 1: The difference between what customers expected and what the management thinks about. Results because of not knowing what customers expects.
Gap 2: The difference between management’s perceptions of customer expectations and the translation of those perceptions into service quality specifications and designs. Results because of not selecting the right service designs and standards.
Different Types of Service Gaps
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Gap 3: The difference between specifications or standards of service quality and the actual service delivered to the customers. Results because of not delivering to service design and standards, due to deviation from the service standards.
Gap 4: The difference between the service delivered to the customers and the promise of the firm to the customers about its service quality. Results because of not matching performance to promises. Resulting from high promise and poor performance.
Managerial Implications
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A service marketer first close the customer gap (between the customer perceptions and expectations). To do so the service marketer has to close the provider gaps.
Customer perceptions are subjective assessments of actual service experiences. Customer expectations are the standards or reference point for performance against which service experiences are compared.
The Customer Gap
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Expected Service
Perceived Service
Customer Gap
The customer gap is the difference between customer expectations and perceptions.
Customer expectations are standards or reference points that customers bring into the service experience, whereas customer perceptions are subjective assessments of the actual service experiences.
Closing the gap between what customers expect and what they perceive is critical to delivering quality service; it forms the basis for the gaps model.
The Provider Gaps
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To close the all important customer gap, the gaps model suggests that four other gaps - the provider gaps – needs to be closed.
These gaps occur within the organization providing the service.
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GAP 1
Customer Expectations
Inadequate marketing research orientation
Lack of upward communication
Insufficient relationship focus
Inadequate Service Recovery
Company Perceptions of
Customer Expectations
Provider Gap 1: Not Knowing What Customers Expect
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GAP 2
Customer-driven Service Designs and
Standards
Poor Service Design
Absence of Customer Driven Standards
Inappropriate physical evidence and servicescape
Company Perceptions of
Customer Expectations
Provider Gap 2: Not Having the Right Service Quality Designs and
Standards
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GAP 3
Customer-driven Service Designs and
Standards
Service Delivery
Provider Gap 3: Not Delivering to Service Designs and Standards
Deficiencies in human resource policies
Customers who do not fulfill roles
Problems with service intermediaries
Failure to match supply and demand
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GAP 4
Service Delivery
Provider Gap 4: Not Matching Performance to Promises
Lack of Integrated Services Marketing Communications
Ineffective Management of Customer Expectations
Overpromising
Inadequate Horizontal Communications
External Communications to
Customers
The key to closing the customer gap is to close provider gaps 1 through 4 and keep them closed. To the extent that one or more of provider gaps 1 through 4 exist, customers perceive service quality shortfalls.
The gaps model of service quality serves as a framework for service organizations attempting to improve quality service and services marketing.
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