Page 207 - DMGT522_SERVICES MANAGEMENT

Services Management

Notes Given the ubiquity of service encounters throughout all of industry, even just modest
success in enhancing the practice of service psychology can have a huge impact on society.
Over the past few years, marketing of services has picked up pace and became popular
worldwide. Service organisations largely compete on the basis of the quality of service
provided by them.

While some companies successfully deliver quality service to their customers, others are
just clueless.

Providing quality service is based on a service organisation’s understanding of customer
expectations and its willingness to meet or exceed these expectations.
Further, customers judge a service organisation’s performance by comparing their
perceptions and expectations.

In the midst of intense competition, companies can be successful only if they are aware of
their customers’ expectations and perceptions and are able to consistently deliver quality
service.
Therefore, service organisations should have knowledge about customer perceptions and
the influence of factors such as service encounter, service evidence, image of the service
organisation, and price of the service on customer perceptions.

Service organisations should also attempt to understand the various types of service
encounters like remote, face-to-face, and phone encounters to be able to understand
customer perceptions.

9.5 Keywords

Boundary Spanner: One who attempts to influence external environmental elements and processes

Empathy: Ability of the service provider to show concern for the customers.
Responsiveness: Willingness of the service provider and his staff to provide assistance and
prompt service to customers.

Desired Service: Service that a customer desires and hopes to receive.
Adequate Service: Minimal level of service that a customer is willing to accept from a service
provider.

Zone of Tolerance: Gap between customer’s desired service expectations and the adequate service
expectations
Transitory Service Intensifiers: Factors, which intensify or heighten the level of adequate service
expectations of customers
Predicted Service Expectations: Level of service a customer believes he will receive from a
service provider
Remote Encounters: It does not involve any direct human contact.
Coping: Process of how employees manage problem customers and situations effectively.

9.6 Review Questions

1. “Customer expectations have a deeper meaning than being mere requirements”.
Comment.

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