11.3 The Gap Model of Service Quality
4 min read•june 25, 2024
The identifies five key gaps that can lead to service failures. These gaps range from misunderstanding to inconsistencies between promised and delivered service. Understanding these gaps helps businesses improve their .
The provides a practical tool for evaluating service quality. By focusing on , , , , and , companies can assess and enhance their service delivery, ultimately leading to higher and loyalty.
The Gap Model of Service Quality
Five gaps of service quality
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- Gap 1: -
- Occurs when management fails to accurately perceive customers' expectations
- Leads to service design and delivery that does not meet customer needs and preferences
- Example: A restaurant manager believes customers prioritize quick service over food quality, resulting in a menu focused on fast preparation rather than taste
- Gap 2: Management perception -
- Happens when management fails to set service specifications that align with their perception of customer expectations
- Results in service quality standards that do not reflect customer needs
- Example: A hotel manager understands guests value cleanliness but fails to set specific standards for room cleaning and maintenance
- Gap 3: Service quality specification -
- Arises when employees are unable or unwilling to deliver service at the specified level
- Causes inconsistent or poor service quality that falls short of standards
- Example: A retail store has a policy of greeting customers within 30 seconds, but employees are often too busy or disengaged to meet this standard
- Gap 4: Service delivery -
- Occurs when a company's external communications promise a level of service that differs from what is actually delivered
- Leads to customer disappointment and dissatisfaction due to unmet expectations set by advertising or sales promises
- Example: An internet service provider advertises high-speed connections but frequently delivers slower speeds than promised
- Gap 5: -
- The difference between a customer's expectations and their perception of the service actually delivered
- Directly impacts customer satisfaction and is influenced by the other four gaps
- Example: A customer expects a delivery within 2 days based on the company's website but receives the package after 4 days, leading to a negative perception of the service ()
RATER framework for evaluation
- Reliability: Ability to perform the promised service dependably and accurately
- Consistently meeting service standards and delivering on promises
- Example: A package delivery company always delivers parcels within the promised timeframe
- Assurance: Employees' knowledge, courtesy, and ability to convey trust and confidence
- Staff expertise and professionalism that instills confidence in customers
- Example: A doctor thoroughly explains a treatment plan and answers the patient's questions, making them feel assured about the care they will receive
- Tangibles: Appearance of physical facilities, equipment, personnel, and communication materials
- The physical elements that customers interact with during the service experience
- Example: A gym maintains modern exercise equipment and clean locker rooms
- Empathy: Caring, individualized attention provided to customers
- Demonstrating understanding and concern for each customer's unique needs
- Example: A hairstylist listens to a client's preferences and adapts the cut and style to suit their individual features and lifestyle
- Responsiveness: Willingness to help customers and provide prompt service
- Quickly addressing customer needs and resolving issues in a timely manner
- Example: A software company's customer support team provides rapid troubleshooting and problem resolution when users encounter technical difficulties
Gap model in business scenarios
- Conduct market research to understand customer expectations and perceptions (Gap 1)
- Use surveys, focus groups, and customer feedback to gather insights about what customers want and how they view the company's current service
- Example: A bank surveys customers to learn which features they value most in a mobile banking app
- Establish clear service quality standards based on customer expectations (Gap 2)
- Translate customer insights into specific, measurable service standards that align with expectations
- Involve employees in setting realistic and achievable standards they can deliver consistently
- Example: A car rental company sets a standard of having vehicles ready within 10 minutes of the customer's arrival at the pick-up location
- Provide training, resources, and support to enable employees to meet service standards (Gap 3)
- Equip staff with the skills, knowledge, and tools needed to deliver excellent service
- Regularly assess employee performance and provide feedback and coaching to help them improve
- Example: A call center implements a comprehensive training program and quality monitoring system to ensure agents handle customer inquiries effectively
- Ensure external communications accurately reflect the service experience (Gap 4)
- Align marketing messages, sales promises, and customer service interactions to create consistent expectations
- Coordinate marketing, sales, and service teams to ensure promises made to customers can be kept in the actual service delivery
- Example: A hotel's website features photos and descriptions that accurately portray the property's amenities and room features
- Continuously monitor and measure service quality using the RATER dimensions (Gap 5)
- Regularly assess reliability, assurance, tangibles, empathy, and responsiveness in the service experience
- Identify areas where the service falls short of customer expectations and implement changes to close service quality gaps
- Example: A restaurant chain uses mystery shoppers to evaluate service quality at each location and makes improvements based on the feedback
Service Quality Management
- Service blueprinting: A visual representation of the service process that helps identify potential gaps and improvement areas
- : Strategies and actions taken to address service failures and restore customer satisfaction
- Customer satisfaction: The degree to which a customer's expectations are met or exceeded by the service experience
- : The specific aspects of service that customers use to evaluate overall quality, including those outlined in the RATER framework
Key Terms to Review (27)
Assurance: Assurance refers to the confidence and trust that customers have in a service provider's ability to deliver the promised service consistently and reliably. It is a critical component of service quality that helps establish a positive relationship between the customer and the service provider.
Berry: A berry is a small, pulpy fruit that typically contains one or more seeds. In the context of the Gap Model of Service Quality, the term 'berry' refers to the different components or dimensions that contribute to a customer's perception of service quality.
Consumer Expectation: Consumer expectation refers to the set of beliefs and anticipations that customers hold about the performance, features, and quality of a product or service before making a purchase. It is a crucial factor in the evaluation of service quality within the Gap Model of Service Quality.
Customer Expectations: Customer expectations refer to the set of beliefs and anticipations that customers have about the performance, features, and quality of a product or service before making a purchase or using it. These expectations are shaped by various factors and serve as the benchmark against which customers evaluate their actual experience.
Customer Perception: Customer perception refers to the way customers interpret and evaluate the quality, performance, and overall experience of a product or service. It is a critical factor that influences customer satisfaction, loyalty, and decision-making processes.
Customer Satisfaction: Customer satisfaction refers to the degree to which a customer's expectations of a product or service are met or exceeded, resulting in a positive emotional response and a sense of fulfillment. It is a critical measure of a company's success and a key driver of customer loyalty, repeat business, and positive word-of-mouth.
Empathy: Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of another person. It involves putting oneself in the shoes of others, perceiving their perspective, and responding with compassion and sensitivity. Empathy is a critical component in effective service delivery and customer satisfaction.
Expected Service: Expected service refers to the level of service a customer anticipates or expects to receive based on their past experiences, personal needs, and word-of-mouth information. It is a crucial component in the Gap Model of Service Quality, which examines the discrepancies between customer expectations and perceptions of the actual service delivered.
External Communication Gap: The external communication gap refers to the disconnect between a service provider's understanding of customer expectations and the actual customer perceptions of the service delivered. This gap arises due to the challenges in effectively communicating and aligning the service offering with customer needs.
Gap Analysis: Gap analysis is a technique used to examine the performance of an organization or system by comparing its actual or current state to its desired, optimal, or target state. It involves identifying the gaps between the current and desired states, and then developing strategies to address those gaps.
Gap Model of Service Quality: The Gap Model of Service Quality is a conceptual framework that identifies the key discrepancies or 'gaps' that can occur between customers' expectations and their perceptions of the actual service delivered. It provides a systematic approach to understanding and improving service quality.
Management Perception Gap: The management perception gap refers to the disconnect between a company's management's understanding of customer expectations and the actual customer experience. It is a critical component of the Gap Model of Service Quality, which examines the various gaps that can exist between a service provider's perceptions and a customer's perceptions.
Parasuraman: 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.
Perceived Service Gap: The perceived service gap refers to the difference between a customer's expectations of a service and their actual perception of the service received. It is a key concept in the Gap Model of Service Quality, which examines the various gaps that can occur between a service provider's understanding of customer expectations and the actual delivery of the service.
RATER Framework: The RATER framework is a model used to evaluate the quality of service provided by an organization. It assesses five key dimensions of service quality: Reliability, Assurance, Tangibles, Empathy, and Responsiveness.
Reliability: Reliability refers to the consistency and dependability of a measurement or assessment tool. It is a crucial aspect of research and service quality, ensuring that results or evaluations can be trusted and reproduced over time.
Responsiveness: Responsiveness refers to the willingness and ability of a service provider to promptly assist customers and deliver services in a timely manner. It is a critical component of service quality that reflects the organization's capacity to respond to customer needs and address their concerns effectively.
Service Blueprint: A service blueprint is a visual representation of a service process that maps out all the elements involved in delivering a service, including customer actions, front-line employee actions, and behind-the-scenes organizational support processes. It provides a detailed understanding of the service experience from the customer's perspective.
Service Delivery Gap: The service delivery gap refers to the difference between the service quality that a customer expects to receive and the actual service quality they experience. It is a key concept in the Gap Model of Service Quality, which examines the various gaps that can arise between a company's service standards and a customer's perceptions.
Service Providers: Service providers are organizations or individuals that offer a wide range of services to customers or clients. They are responsible for delivering high-quality services that meet the needs and expectations of those they serve.
Service Quality: Service quality refers to the degree to which a service meets or exceeds customer expectations. It is a measure of how well the service level delivered by a company matches customer expectations. Service quality is a critical component in the success and competitiveness of service-based organizations.
Service Quality Dimensions: Service quality dimensions refer to the key factors that determine the overall quality of a service experience from the customer's perspective. These dimensions serve as the foundation for the Gap Model of Service Quality, which identifies the potential gaps between customer expectations and perceptions of the service provided.
Service Quality Specification Gap: The service quality specification gap refers to the difference between a company's understanding of customer expectations and the actual service quality specifications that are established. This gap can lead to a disconnect between what customers expect and the level of service the company is designed to deliver.
Service Recovery: Service recovery refers to the actions and processes that organizations undertake to address and resolve customer issues or complaints that arise during the delivery of a service. It is a crucial aspect of service management, as it aims to regain customer satisfaction and trust when a service failure occurs.
SERVQUAL: SERVQUAL is a multi-item scale used to measure service quality by assessing the gap between customer expectations and perceptions of the service received. It is a widely used framework in the context of the Gap Model of Service Quality.
Tangibles: Tangibles refer to the physical aspects and elements of a service that customers can see, touch, and experience. They are the concrete, observable components that contribute to the overall service offering and shape customer perceptions.
Zeithaml: Zeithaml is a renowned marketing scholar who has made significant contributions to the understanding of service quality. Her work, particularly the Gap Model of Service Quality, has become a cornerstone in the field of services marketing.