systematic approach for improving service quality of...

2013 年 8 月第十六卷三期 • Vol. 16, No. 3, August 2013

A Systematic Approach to Improving

Service Quality in the Sale of Furniture

Chang-Lin Yang Rong-Hwa Huang

http://cmr.ba.ouhk.edu.hk

Web Journal of Chinese Management Review • Vol 16 • No 3 1

A Systematic Approach to Improving Service

Quality in the Sale of Furniture

Chang-Lin Yang Rong-Hwa Huang

Abstract

With changes in consumers’ attitudes, the sales field has been transformed from selling

cheap products to emphasizing customer-driven services and products. This study uses a

three-step procedure for investigating service quality, analyzing service defects, and

improving such weaknesses. SERVQUAL and service deficiency analysis are used to

meet customers’ requirements; and quality function deployment (QFD) is utilized to

develop an action plan for improving service quality and enhancing furniture sales.

Keywords: Service quality, SERQUAL, quality function deployment

____________________

Chang-Lin Yang Department of Business Administration, Fu Jen Catholic University

Rong-Hwa Huang Department of Business Administration, Fu Jen Catholic University


Introduction

Globalization and improvements in the division of labor have accelerated

industrialization. As living standards have improved, consumers have begun to focus on

quality-of-life issues, resulting in changes in their practices when shopping for furniture.

Rather than just focusing on functionality, they are now concerned with aesthetic aspects,

and this has led the furniture market to emphasize design and special services to attract

them.

Given the transformation in the furniture market, this study proposes a systematic

procedure for examining customers’ requirements and determining a service quality

improvement plan. The procedure includes investigating service quality and its

deficiencies, and suggesting how the furniture market could be improved.

This research uses SERVQUAL and the PZB model for analyzing service deficiencies

(Bowers et al., 1994; Parasuraman et al., 1985). Through discussing the quality of

services, customers’ demands are transformed into service design demands. Also,

through quality function deployment (QFD), the study integrates customers’ demands

into the design and planning processes. In addition, an action plan is developed to

improve the quality of services and cater for a wide range of customers’ needs.

Research structure

This study takes the furniture sales field as an example, and uses a systematic approach

for investigating and enhancing service quality. To establish an improvement model, the

following three-step procedure is used:

1 Investigation of service quality: In this stage, the SERVQUAL of the PZB model is

employed to identify customers’ expectations and perceptions. This model has five

dimensions — tangibility, reliability, responsiveness, assurance, and empathy — and

24 items.

2 Service deficiency analysis: Based on the SERVQUAL results, a gap model is used

to analyze gaps in understanding and communication between employees and

customers, and the negative effects of others on the perceptions of service quality.

3 Service deficiency improvement: This study applies QFD to a two-stage deployment,

including the ability of a department and action scheme planning (Chang et al., 1998;

Jagdev et al., 1997; Philips et al., 1994; Yang and Fang, 2003; Yang et al., 2006).


Chang et al. (1998) produced a normative method to determine the development

priority of information systems which was based on the QFD and considered the

alignment between business strategies and information systems. Also, in a two-stage

deployment, Yang et al. (2006) applied the QFD to construct a tactics model for

obtaining orders from international medical apparatus company; and they found and

set up the priority for an action scheme for quality improvement. These research

programs illustrate that the QFD can effectively stimulate and reflect real

anticipation and demand, and can enhance the acceptability of the contents. The

main objective of the action scheme deployment is to propose an action plan and

strategy that resolve service deficiencies and satisfy customers’ needs.

Figure 1 gives details of the framework for improving service quality.

Word-of

-mouth

Past

experience

Personal

needs

Expected

service

Perceived

service

SERVQUAL

Service defect

analysis

Service improving

requirement

The service quality

gap model

Imp

rov

ing

requ

iremen

t

Department

Dep

artmen

t

Action scheme

planning

Weig

ht facto

r

Priority of

improvement

Deployment for the

action scheme

Deployment for the

department

Relationship

matrix

Stage 3

Service defect

improvement

Stage 2

Service defect

analysis

Stage 1

Service quality

investigation

Relationship

matrix

Priority of

improvement

Weig

ht facto

r

Figure 1. The framework of service quality improvement

(Source: compiled by the authors)


Investigation and analysis of service requirements

As noted already, SERVQUAL has five dimensions (tangibility, reliability,

responsiveness, assurance, and empathy) and 24 items. In this research, service quality

was investigated by distributing questionnaires randomly to furniture consumers before

and after shopping. Of the 60 questions included, 50 were valid. The following service

deficiencies were identified.

1 Tangibility

a Appropriate dress for sales clerks: All sales clerks should be dressed neatly,

wearing a top with the company name, jeans and white flat shoes. They must also

be well-groomed, and should not make customers feel uncomfortable.

b Restroom cleanliness: Restrooms in stores should be kept clean to ensure that

customers feel relaxed when using them.

c Easy availability of restrooms: Stores should provide a sufficient number of

restrooms for customers, so that they can find one when needed.

2 Reliability

a Sales clerks’ assistance to customers: When customers have questions about

products or cannot find the products they want, a sales clerk should offer help.

b Timely and secure information on customers: Companies should retain up-to-date

customer data securely, so that third parties cannot access these data, thereby

ensuring customers’ privacy.

3 Responsiveness

a Failure of customers to find a sales clerk immediately: When customers have

questions about products or cannot find them, sales clerks should offer assistance

immediately.

b Sales clerks’ ability to answer questions: When customers seek assistance from a

sales clerk, the sales clerk must be able to answer questions correctly

immediately.

c Sales clerks’ attitudes to customers: When a sales clerk meets a customer who


requires help, they must be friendly and enthusiastic while providing it.

d Customers feeling safe during transactions with sales clerks: All staff must be

extremely careful in handling transactions with customers. They should not make

mistakes or lose money, to ensure that customers are at ease.

4 Empathy

a Customers feeling comfortable in dealing with sales clerks: Sales clerks should

be frendly and ask customers if they need any particular service or assistance.

b Adjusting business hours: The business hours of a store should be based on

customers’ needs, ensuring that it is open when they want to shop.

c Identifying with customers: Sales clerks should put themselves in customers’

shoes and be responsive to their needs.

d Offering varied services: Sales clerks should be aware that customers’ needs vary,

and should offer different services to different customers and provide appropriate

assistance to each of them.

Improvement of service defects

After determining the defects in service quality, this study used QFD to develop a plan to

enhance service. The process was divided into two stages:

a Assigning departmental responsibilities, which involved identiying the relationship

between aspects customers require that need to be improved and the responsibility of

each department to determine the proportion of resource inputs

b Developing an action plan for improvement and determining the implementation

priorities.

Department responsibilities

The deployment of department responsibility is based on an organization’s departmental

structure, the main purpose being to discuss responsibilities, the division of labor, and

resource allocations. The furniture sales field can be divided into eight major

departments, with each division under a department being responsible for itself. Table 1

lists the main responsibilities of each department:


Table1. Department responsibility deployment

Organization Function Main job

Master

（Vice-m

aster

）

F&

B D

epartm

ent

Kitchen

Food and beverage

management, internal

(staff) and external

(customer)

All internal business in the kitchen, including

cooking, purchasing food, cleaning tableware, and

providing the staff restaurant with food

Food service

Outward marketing:

Swedish meal and each

department of meal

marketing

Outfield server responsibilities, including ordering,

catering, food supply, billing, and cleaning

Cu

stom

er

Serv

ice

Dep

artmen

t

Customer

service

All related matters

except customer selling

Cashier, return of goods, members’ management,

express delivery, customer consulting and

customer service by phone and the internet

Equipment Manages all substantial

equipment Handcarts and contact with cleaning company

Lo

gistics

Dep

artmen

t

Recovery

Manages and controls

the stock

Replenishing goods in the self-server area

Goods flow

Managing the flow of goods, including purchasing

orders, checking stocks in other stores and

managing the volume of goods flow

Stock control

Controlling the inventory, according to the daily

sales volume to calculate how many goods should

be replenished

Desig

n

Dep

artmen

t

Interior

design

Responsible for the

hardware in the store

Arranging for the placing of added sales products,

design guideposts, and planning the shelving of

products

Visual

merchandiser

Focuses on promotion

products and visual

marketing

Planning the area of the display and sample room

Deco

ration

Dep

artmen

t

Added sales

Selling all decoration

and furniture products

Arranging and replenishing every different added

sales product throughout the store

Four areas of

decoration

Decorating the department and furniture

department according to product type which can be

divided into four areas, which mainly deal with all

product problems in their range and other work

assigning staff to information stations to answer

questions

Fu

rnitu

re

Dep

artmen

t

Four areas of

furniture

Self-server

Mainly assisting the customers in seeking furniture

which needs to be package, and helping customers

to transport it. Customers can find staff for help at

this area.

HR Department

Planning and managing

everything related to

staff

Recruiting, educating and training, and salary

management. The staff are given a detailed

employee handbook by the corporation, but

monitoring the benefits of education and training is

the responsibility of various department managers

Marketing Department

The foreign window, as

a public relations unit

which is also

responsible for all sales

strategies and

implementing plans

Responsible for the external marketing strategy,

including the off season, busy season and holiday

promotion plans, tracing costumer expenditure

records and so on, and also public relations, the

establishment of an enterprise image and

maintenance.



Figure 2 illustrates the deployment of responsibility to departments. The left side shows

service demand items that should be improved; and the departmental structure of the

furniture sales field is put above. The relationship matrix in the middle of the figure

represents the link between items that need to be improved and the responsibilities of

each department. (◎ means that staff are directly responsible and the weighting is 9; ○

means that staff are related and the weighting is 3; and △ means that staff are support

staff and the weighting is 1). The right side of the matrix lists the weighting and scores

of furniture sales competitors which have the same grade of furniture. Below the matrix

are the weightings after assigning responsibility to departments and the priorities for

improvement.

According to the results, the top three items are customer service, four areas of furniture

and four areas of decoration, and self-service. These findings mean the four units of

departments are key to improving services. Additional resources should be allocated to

improve and monitoring these aspects more rigorously. As these four units are in contact

with customers, they influence customers’ satisfaction directly. These results were in

response to the negative questionnaire items, demonstrating that markets should

strengthen the service quality of first-line clerks.


Master

F&B

Department

Customer

Service Department

Logistics

Department

Design

Department

Decoration

Department

Furniture

department

HR

dep

artmen

t

Mark

eting d

epartm

ent

Kitch

en

Fo

od

service

Cu

stom

er

service

Equ

ipm

ent

Reco

very

Go

od

s flow

Sto

ck co

ntro

l

Visu

al

merch

andiser

Interio

r

desig

n

Ad

ded

sale

Fo

ur areas o

f

deco

ration

Fo

ur areas o

f

furn

iture

Self-serv

er

Weig

ht

IKE

A

B&

Q

HO

LA

Tangibility

Sales clerk attire should be appropriate. △ ○ ○ △ △ △ △ △ △ △ ○ ○ ○ ○ △ 3 4 4 4

The restrooms in stores must be comfortable. ◎ ○ 4 2 4 4

Customers can find restrooms quickly. ○ 4 4 3 3

Reliability

When customers have questions, a sales clerk

should offer assistance. ◎ ◎ ◎ ◎ ◎ ○ 5 4 4 3

Customer information will be kept updated and

secure. ○ ○ ○ ◎ 5 5 4 4

Responsiveness

When customers cannot find a sales clerk

immediately ○ ◎ ◎ ◎ ◎ 5 2 4 3

Sales clerks should offer customers assistance. ◎ ◎ ◎ ◎ ◎ ○ 4 4 5 4

Sales clerk must be willing to help customers. ○ ◎ ◎ ◎ ◎ ○ 4 3 4 4

Assurance Customers feel safe during transactions with sales

clerks. ○ ◎ ○ ○ ◎ 4 3 3 5

Empathy

Customers must feel comfortable when dealing

with sales clerks. ◎ ◎ ◎ ◎ ◎ ○ 3 5 3 3

The business hours of a store should be based on

customers’ needs. ○ 3 3 3 4

Sales clerks should put themselves in a customer’s

shoes. ○ ◎ △ △ ◎ ◎ ◎ ○ 5 2 4 4

Sales clerks should offer different services to

different customers. △ ◎ ◎ ◎ ◎ ○ 3 4 4 3

Weight 3 174 321 39 3 3 3 32 3 8 270 297 270 108 93

Priority 11 5 1 8 11 11 11 9 11 10 3 2 3 6 7

Figure 2. Deployment of department responsibility



The action scheme

Deploying an action plan is aimed mainly at service quality that does not satisfy

customers. The action plan includes all direct and indirect services items related to

customers’ requirements. According to the weighting for service items for each

department, the priorities for improvements in the action scheme can be calculated. In

accordance with the departmental responsibilities, the action schemes for

improvements in the furniture sales field are as follows.

1 Tangibles

a Punishing violations of the dress code: If a staff member does not dress

appropriately, he/she will not be allowed to serve customers and will be

regarded as absent. This has a direct impact on employee performance.

b Examining the dress code annually and appointing an auditor to check it

randomly: Assign attire as an audit item and link it to salary. Furthermore, a

manager must remind the auditor to assess staff attire, so that staff make a

good impression on customers.

c Ensuring restroom cleanliness: Increase the frequency with which restrooms

are checked to maintain cleanliness.

d Producing a checklist for restroom cleanliness: Develop a detailed checklist

for cleaning restrooms.

e Adding clear in-store signage: Provide shortcuts through a store for

customers in a rush.

2 Reliability

a Noting members’ information: A computer should be used to input and

manage customer information to minimize paper use.

b Restricting the use members’ information: Information on members should

only be used and managed by the Customer Service Department to make

customers’ data secure.

3 Responsiveness

a Locating sales clerks: Sales clerks should be located at information stations


at all times to solve customers’ problems.

b Building a service SOP: Establish a set of standard operating procedures for

sales clerks to adhere to.

c Using the employee handbook: Each staff member should receive an

employee handbook and carry out its instructions fully.

4 Assurance

a Adding a Chinese interface on the transaction screen: When paying a bill,

customers should be able to check the transaction easily.

b Reminding customers to look at the transaction screen: During checkout, the

cashiers must remind customers to pay attention to the total amount on the

display screen to avoid mistakes.

c Assessing the effects of training: After a training course, a manager should

keep track of staff performance to ensure that each member has benefited

from the training.

5 Empathy

a dentifying the best employees: The employee who offers the best service on a

monthly basis should be identified to motivate staff.

b Investigating the business hours: Use a questionnaire to assess whether the

business hours are appropriate, and adjust them accordingly.

Figure 3 shows the implementation of the action plan. An organizational chart of a

company is on the left, and at the top is an improvement action plan proposed

according to the required items. The middle part analyzes the relationship between the

improvement action plan and each department (◎ means that staff members are

directly responsible and the weighting is 9; ○ means the staffs are related and the

weighting is 3; and △ means the staff are support staff and the weight is 1). The

weighting on the right side was obtained from the weighting below deployment of the

department responsibilities. Also, below the figure are weightings, difficulty levels,

absolute weightings, and improvement priorities.

According to the top five improvement action plans, this study established practical

plans for each department to execute.


1 Use the employee handbook

Directly related departments: the F&B Department (kitchen and food services), the

Customer Service Department (customer service), the Decoration Department

(four areas of decoration), and the Furniture Department (four areas of

furniture) and the Human Resources Department

Indirectly related departments: the Logistics Department (recovery, flow of goods,

and stock control)

Support departments: the Customer Service Department (equipment)

a Each staff member should work according to the employee handbook.

b Each department should check and record this in the handbook.

2 Recognize the best employee to motivate staff

Directly related departments: the F&B Department (food service), the Customer

Service Department, the Decoration Department (four areas of decoration) and

the Furniture Department (four areas of furniture)

a Customers should vote on the best employee monthly, and he/she will get a

bonus.

b The Human Resource Department will establish a reward system.

3 Monitor the effects of training continually

Directly related departments: the Customer Service Department (customer

service), the Decoration Department (four areas of decoration) and the

Furniture Department (four areas of furniture and self-service)

a Based on the training course and its content, establish a standard for assessing

it.

b Establish a quantitative table for gauging the effects of the training course

periodically.

c Each department manager should grade employee attendance.

d Each department should present its achievements at the year end.

4 Punish employees for inappropriate attire


Indirectly related departments: the F&B Department (food services), the Logistics

Department (recovery, flow of goods and stock control) and the Furniture

Department (four areas of furniture)

a Each department manager must establish strict rules about attire and a suitable

punishment for inappropriate attire.

b Check that the staff attire is appropriate on a regular basis.

c Violating the dress code will influence annual performance ratings.

Support departments: The F&B Department (kitchen), the Logistics Department

(recovery, goods flow and stock control), the Design Department (interior

design and visual merchandiser) and the Decoration Department (added sales)

a Each department manager should give a verbal warning to staff members

when they do not dress in accordance with the rules for attire.

b Violating attire rules influences annual performance ratings.

5 Put a sales clerk at information stations

Directly related departments: the Decoration Department (four areas of decoration)

and the Furniture Department (four areas of furniture, self-service)

a Have staff members log the hours they have worked.

b If a customer complains that no clerk is at an information station, the staff

member who ought to be there should be punished.

Indirectly related departments: the Human Resource Department and the

Marketing Department

a According to the results of directly related departments, the Human Resource

Department should improve the training course.

b Customers can complain when they cannot find a staff member at an

information station.


tangible reliability responsiveness Assurance empathy

Pu

nish

vio

lation

s of th

e dress co

de.

Ex

amin

e th

e d

ress co

de

ann

ually

an

d

app

oin

t an

aud

itor to

check

rando

mly.

Ch

eckin

g restro

om

s frequ

ently.

Estab

lish a d

etailed ch

ecklist fo

r restroo

ms.

Ad

d clear in

-store sig

nag

e.

Mem

bers’

info

rmatio

n

taken

d

ow

n

and

d

ealt w

ith

usin

g co

mpu

ters.

Mem

ber

info

rmatio

n

shou

ld

on

ly

be

used

by

th

e

Cu

stom

er Serv

ice Dep

artmen

t.

Sales clerk

s sho

uld

be lo

cated at in

form

ation

station

s.

Bu

ild a serv

ice SO

P fo

r sales clerks.

Th

e emp

loy

ee han

db

oo

k w

as carried o

ut u

nd

eniab

ly.

Ad

d a C

hin

ese interface o

n th

e transactio

n screen

.

Rem

ind

custo

mers to

look

at the tran

saction

screen.

Co

ntin

ually

assess the effects o

f trainin

g

Iden

tify th

e best em

plo

yees to

mo

tivate staff.

Inv

estigate cu

stom

ers’ dem

and

s and

adju

st bu

siness

ho

urs

weig

ht

Master

（Vice-m

aster

）

F&B

Department

Kitchen △ △ △ ◎ 3

Food service ○ ○ △ ◎ △ ◎ ○ ◎ 174

Customer

Service

Department

Customer service ○ ○ ○ ◎ ◎ ○ ◎ △ ◎ ◎ ◎ ○ 321

Equipment ○ ◎ ◎ △ △ ◎ 39

Logistics

Department

Recovery △ △ △ △ ○ ○ 3

Goods flow △ ○ ○ 3

Stock control △ ○ ○ 3

Design

Department

Interior design △ ◎ 32

Visual merchandiser △ ○ 3

Decoration

Department

Added sale △ △ △ △ 8

Four areas of

decoration ○ ○ △ ◎ △ ◎ ◎ ◎ 270

Furniture

Department

Four areas of furniture ○ ○ △ △ ◎ △ ◎ ◎ ◎ 297

Self-server ○ ○ △ ◎ △ ◎ 270

HR Department ◎ ◎ ◎ ○ ◎ ◎ △ ◎ ◎ 108

Marketing Department △ ○ ○ 93

Weighting

51

40

50

75

13

23

13

14

11

45

31

86

31

68

81

36

29

99

10

623

95

4

44

55

10

971

10

530

19

35

Difficulty level 5 4 3 5 4 2 3 3 2 4 2 5 3 4 2

Absolute weighting

25

700

20

300

39

69

65

70

45

80

63

72

95

04

24

408

59

98

42

492

19

08

22

275

32

913

42

120

38

70

Priority 4 7 13 9 12 10 8 5 11 1 15 6 3 2 14

Figure 3 Deployment of action plan



Conclusion

This study uses a service quality survey and the QFD to draft improvement action

plans. It translates customer requirements into service considerations and executes a

service design process. According to the results of the investigation for service quality,

the three main deficiencies are as follows.

1 The limited availability of comfortable restrooms for customers in furniture stores.

Most customers believe that furniture stores do not provide a sufficient number of

restrooms as they have to wait during peak hours.

2 The lack of understandin of customers’ needs by sales clerks, despite the fact that,

when joining a company, they are all given an employee handbook which

documents product information and procedures for solving customers’ problems

As a result, customers do not feel comfortable when buying furniture.

3 When experiencing problems, clients cannot find sales clerks quickly — the

furniture sales field has adopted a self-service model. The materials and sizes are

marked in detail on each product, but if customers have questions, they cannot

easily find a sales clerk for help — which reduces customers’ satisfaction with

services.

Consequently, for improvement, the following actions should be taken:

1 Ensure that the employee handbook is used effectively by staff so that they

understand how their company works and their respective duties, to avoid

redundancies. This can help a company to reduce unnecessary personnel expenses.

Moreover, the employee handbook records the standard operation procedures of

each department, which can ensure that service is good and professional.

2 Reward the best employee to motivate staff. Such a praise system provides staff

members with motivation to improve their service voluntarily and construct a

progressive work environment.

3 Track the effects of training on staff, so that their learning is effective and of high

quality; and this will help managers to understand staffing conditions during each

period and establish long-term career development programs for staff.


References

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quality and satisfaction with health care delivery? Health Care Management Review,

19(4), 4955.

Chang, H. H., Kim, J. K., Choi, S. H., & Kim, S. H. (1998). Determination of

information system development priority using quality function development.

Computers & Industrial Engineering, 35(1-2), 241244.

Jagdev, H., Bradley, P., & Molloy, O. (1997). A QFD based performance

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Parasuraman, A., Zeithaml, V. A., & Berry, L. L. (1985). A conceptual model of

service quality and its implications for future research. Journal of Marketing, 49(4),

4150.

Philips, M., Sander, P. C., & Govers, C. P. M. (1994). Policy formulation by use of

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Management, 11(5), 4658.

Yang, C. L., & Fang, H. H. (2003). Integrating fuzzy logic into quality function

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Appendix: Questionnaire for SERVQUEL Expectations Survey

Strongly

disagree Strongly

agree

1 2 3 4 5

Tan

gib

les

1. Customers will want to use the equipment and

services.

2. Sales clerks’ attire should be appropriate.

3. Customers know where they can find the goods.

4. There is a favorable brand image.

5. The transaction process is efficient.

6. An adequate number of cashiers is provided for

serving numerous customers.

7. There is adequate parking space and

well-designed lines for movement in the parking

lot.

8. The restrooms in stores must be comfortable.

9. Customers can find restrooms quickly.

Reliab

ility

10. Able to fulfill commitments to customers.

11. When customers have questions, a sales clerk

should offer assistance.

12. Customers can be assured that services are

provided.

13. Customers’ commitments can be complete on

time.

14. Customers’ information will be kept updated and

secure.

Resp

on

-

siven

ess

15. When troubles customers can find a sales clerk

immediately.

16. Sales clerks should offer customers assistance.

17. Sales clerks must be willing to help customers.

Assu

rance

18. Sales clerk have enough knowledge to solve

customers’ problems.

19. Sales clerks have a good attitude.

20. Customers feel safe during transactions with

sales clerks.

Em

path

y

21. Customers must feel comfortable when dealing

with sales clerks.

22. The business hours of a store should be based on

customers’ needs.

23. Sales clerks should put themselves in a

customer’s shoes.

24. Sales clerks should offer different services to

different customers.


SERVQUAL Perceptions Survey

Strongly

disagree Strongly

agree

1 2 3 4 5

Tan

gib

le

1. Customers will want to use the equipment and

services.

2. Sales clerks’ attire should be appropriate.

3. Customers know where they can find the goods.

4. There is a favorable brand image.

5. The transaction process is efficient.

6. An adequate number of cashiers is provided for

serving numerous customers.

7. There is adequate parking space and

well-designed lines for movement in the parking

lot.

8. The restrooms in stores must be comfortable.

9. Customers can find restrooms quickly.

Reliab

ility

10. Able to fulfill commitments to customers.

11. When customers have questions, a sales clerk

should offer assistance.

12. Customers can be assured that services are

provided.

13. Customers’ commitment can be completed on

time.

14. Customer information will be kept updated and

secure.

Resp

on

-

siven

ess

15. When troubles customers can find a sales clerk

immediately.

16. Sales clerks should offer customers assistance.

17. Sales clerk must be willing to help customers.

Assu

rance

18. Sales clerks have enough knowledge to solve

customers’ problems.

19. Sales clerks have a good attitude.

20. Customers feel safe during transactions with sales

clerks.

Em

path

y

21. Customers must feel comfortable when dealing

with sales clerks.

22. The business hours of a store should be based on

customers’ needs.

23. Sales clerks should put themselves in a

customer’s shoes.

24. Sales clerks should offer different services to

different customers.


systematic approach for improving service quality of...

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