Parasuraman

Definition

Parasuraman is a renowned marketing scholar who, along with his colleagues, developed the influential Gap Model of Service Quality. This conceptual framework has become a cornerstone in understanding and measuring the quality of service delivery from the customer's perspective.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Parasuraman's Gap Model of Service Quality identifies five key gaps that can lead to a service quality shortfall: the knowledge gap, the standards gap, the delivery gap, the communications gap, and the perceptions gap.
2. The SERVQUAL instrument, developed by Parasuraman et al., measures service quality across five dimensions: reliability, assurance, tangibles, empathy, and responsiveness.
3. Parasuraman's work emphasizes the importance of understanding and closing the gaps between customer expectations and perceptions to improve overall service quality.
4. The Gap Model and SERVQUAL have been widely adopted and applied in various service industries to assess and enhance service quality.
5. Parasuraman's research has been instrumental in shaping our understanding of the factors that influence customer perceptions of service quality and the strategies organizations can use to meet or exceed customer expectations.

Review Questions

• Explain the key components of the Gap Model of Service Quality developed by Parasuraman and colleagues.
  • The Gap Model of Service Quality, developed by Parasuraman and his team, identifies five key gaps that can lead to a service quality shortfall: 1) The knowledge gap - the difference between what customers expect and what the organization believes they expect; 2) The standards gap - the difference between the organization's perceptions of customer expectations and the quality standards set for service delivery; 3) The delivery gap - the difference between the set quality standards and the actual service delivered; 4) The communications gap - the difference between the service delivered and the service promised through external communications; and 5) The perceptions gap - the difference between the customer's perception of the service received and their initial expectations. Addressing these gaps is crucial for organizations to improve overall service quality.
• Describe the SERVQUAL instrument and its role in measuring service quality based on Parasuraman's work.
  • The SERVQUAL instrument, developed by Parasuraman and his colleagues, is a multi-item scale used to measure customer perceptions of service quality. It evaluates service quality across five key dimensions: reliability (the ability to perform the promised service dependably and accurately), assurance (the knowledge and courtesy of employees and their ability to inspire trust and confidence), tangibles (the physical facilities, equipment, and appearance of personnel), empathy (the caring, individualized attention the organization provides to its customers), and responsiveness (the willingness to help customers and provide prompt service). The SERVQUAL tool has been widely adopted across various service industries to assess and improve service quality by identifying gaps between customer expectations and perceptions.
• Analyze how Parasuraman's research on the Gap Model and SERVQUAL has influenced the understanding and management of service quality in organizations.
  • Parasuraman's pioneering work on the Gap Model of Service Quality and the SERVQUAL instrument has had a profound impact on the way organizations approach and manage service quality. The Gap Model has provided a comprehensive framework for identifying the key areas where service quality shortfalls can occur, empowering organizations to develop targeted strategies to close these gaps. The SERVQUAL tool, in turn, has enabled organizations to systematically measure customer perceptions of service quality across the five critical dimensions, allowing them to pinpoint specific areas for improvement. Parasuraman's research has underscored the importance of understanding and meeting customer expectations, as well as the need for effective communication and alignment between the organization's internal processes and the external service delivery. This has led to a greater focus on customer-centric approaches, continuous quality improvement, and the integration of service quality considerations into overall business strategy.

Related terms

Gap Model of Service Quality: A conceptual framework that identifies five key gaps between customer expectations and perceptions of service, which can lead to service quality shortfalls.

SERVQUAL: A multi-item scale developed by Parasuraman et al. to measure customer perceptions of service quality based on the five dimensions of the Gap Model.

Service Quality: The difference between customer expectations of service and their perceptions of the actual service delivered.