gapshandout

8/7/2019 gapsHandout

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ChapterChapter

The Gaps Model of Service Quality

The Customer Gap

The Provider Gaps:

Gap 1 not knowing what customers expect

Gap 2 not having the right service designs and

standards

Gap 3 not delivering to service standards Gap 4 not matching performance to promises

Putting It All Together: Closing the Gaps


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2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.McGraw-Hill/Irwin

The gaps model of service qualityThe gaps model of service quality

Effective services marketing is complex and involves many

different strategies, skills and tasks.

The customer gap is the difference between customer

expectations and perceptions. Customer expectations are standards or reference points

that customers bring in to the service experience,

Whereas customer perceptions are subjective assessment

of actual service experiences. Closing the gap between what customers expect and what

they perceive is critical to delivering service quality.

It forms the basis for service quality.


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Why service quality?Why service quality?

Because customer satisfaction and customer focus is

critical to competitiveness of firms.

Delivery of service quality involves clear understanding of

companys customers. It becomes very difficult for large organizations in which

managers are not in direct contact with customers.

The sources of customer expectations are marketer-

controlled factors such as pricing, advertising, salespromises as well as others such as competitive offerings.

Word-of-mouth communications, innate needs of

customers.


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PerceivedService

Expected

ServiceCUSTOMER

COMPANY

Customer

Gap

Gap 1

Gap 2

Gap 3

ExternalCommunications

to CustomersGap 4Service

Delivery

Customer-DrivenService Designs and

Standards

Company Perceptionsof ConsumerExpectations

Figure 2.6

Gaps Model of Service QualityFigure 2.6

Gaps Model of Service Quality


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Gaps Model of Service QualityGaps Model of Service Quality

Customer Gap:

difference between customer expectations and perceptions

Provider Gap 1 (The Knowledge Gap):

not knowing what customers expect

Provider Gap 2 (The Service Design & Standards Gap):

not having the right service designs and standards

Provider Gap 3 (The Service Performance Gap):

not delivering to service standards

Provider Gap 4 (The Communication Gap):

not matching performance to promises


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Expected

service

Perceivedservice

Customer Gap

Figure 2.1

The Customer GapFigure 2.1

The Customer Gap


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Provider Gap 1: Not knowing what customers expect

Provider Gap 2: Not selecting the right service designs and standards

Provider Gap 3: Not delivering to service standards

Provider Gap 4: Not matching performance to promises

Customer

Expectations

CustomerPerceptions

Key Factors Leading

to the Customer Gap

Key Factors Leading

to the Customer Gap

Customer

Gap


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Customer Expectations

Company Perceptions of


Inadequate marketing research orientationInsufficient marketing researchResearch not focused on service quality

Inadequate use of market research Lack of upward communication

Lack of interaction between management and customersInsufficient communication between contact employees and managersToo many layers between contact personnel and top management

Insufficient relationship focusLack of market segmentationFocus on transactions rather than relationshipsFocus on new customers rather than relationship customers

Inadequate service recoveryLack of encouragement to listen to customer complaintsFailure to make amends when things go wrongNo appropriate recovery mechanisms in place for service failures

NOT KNOWINGWHATCUSTOMERSEXPECT-the knowledge gap

Key Factors Leading to ProviderGap 1NOT KNOWINGWHATCUSTOMERSEXPECT-the knowledge gap

Key Factors Leading to ProviderGap 1

Gap

1


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Customer-Driven Service

Designs and Standards

Management Perceptions of


Poor service designUnsystemati new servi e devel ment process

Vague, undefined service designsFailure to connect service design to service positioning Absence of customer-driven standards

Lack of customer-driven service standardsAbsence of process management to focus on customer

requirementsAbsence of formal process for setting service quality goals

Inappropriate physical evidence and servicescapeFailure to develop tangibles in line with customer expectationsServicescape design that does not meet customer and

employee needsInadequate maintenance and updating of the servicescape

NOT SELECTINGTHERIGHT SERVICEDESIGNS AND STANDARDS-gap

Key Factors Leading to ProviderGap 2NOT SELECTINGTHERIGHT SERVICEDESIGNS AND STANDARDS-gap

Key Factors Leading to ProviderGap 2

Gap

2


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Service Delivery

Lack e a e se v ces a ke c ca s Tenden to vie ea he te nal co unicationa independentNot includinginte active ma etingin communication planAb enceo stronginternal marketingprogram

Ine ec ve ana e ent ofc stome ex ectationsAbsenceo customere pectation management throughall forms of

communicationLack ofadequateeducation for customers

Ove omisingOverpromisinginadvertisingOverpromisinginpersonal sellingOverpromising throughph sicalevidence cues

Ina e ate horizonta communicationsInsufficient communicationbetween sales andoperationsInsufficient communicationbetweenadvertisingandoperationsDifferences inpolicies andprocedures across branches orunits

Externa Communications to

Customers

NOTMATCHINGPERFORMANCESTOPROMISES- the communicationgap

KeyFactors Leading toProviderGap4NOTMATCHINGPERFORMANCESTOPROMISES- the communicationgap

KeyFactors Leading toProviderGap4

Gap

4

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