Academic literature on the topic 'SERVQUAL/SERVPERF'

Quality has come to be recognized as a strategic tool for attaining operational efficiency and improved business performance. This is true for both the goods and services sectors. However, the problem with management of service quality in service firms is that quality is not easily identifiable and measurable due to inherent characteristics of services which make them different from goods. Various definitions of the term ‘service quality’ have been proposed in the past and, based on different definitions, different scales for measuring service quality have been put forward. SERVQUAL and SERVPERF constitute two major service quality measurement scales. The consensus, however, continues to elude till date as to which one is superior. An ideal service quality scale is one that is not only psychometrically sound but is also diagnostically robust enough to provide insights to the managers for corrective actions in the event of quality shortfalls. Empirical studies evaluating validity, reliability, and methodological soundness of service quality scales clearly point to the superiority of the SERVPERF scale. The diagnostic ability of the scales, however, has not been explicitly explicated and empirically verified in the past. The present study aims at filling this void in service quality literature. It assesses the diagnostic power of the two service quality scales. Validity and methodological soundness of these scales have also been probed in the Indian context — an aspect which has so far remained neglected due to preoccupation of the past studies with service industries in the developed world. Using data collected through a survey of consumers of fast food restaurants in Delhi, the study finds the SERVPERF scale to be providing a more convergent and discriminant-valid explanation of service quality construct. However, the scale is found deficient in its diagnostic power. It is the SERVQUAL scale which outperforms the SERVPERF scale by virtue of possessing higher diagnostic power to pinpoint areas for managerial interventions in the event of service quality shortfalls. The major managerial implications of the study are: Because of its psychometric soundness and greater instrument parsimoniousness, one should employ the SERVPERF scale for assessing overall service quality of a firm. The SERVPERF scale should also be the preferred research instrument when one is interested in undertaking service quality comparisons across service industries. On the other hand, when the research objective is to identify areas relating to service quality shortfalls for possible intervention by the managers, the SERVQUAL scale needs to be preferred because of its superior diagnostic power. However, one serious problem with the SERVQUAL scale is that it entails gigantic data collection task. Employing a lengthy questionnaire, one is required to collect data about consumers' expectations as well as perceptions of a firm's performance on each of the 22 service quality scale attributes. Addition of importance weights can further add to the diagnostic power of the SERVQUAL scale, but the choice needs to be weighed against the additional task of data collection. Collecting data on importance scores relating to each of the 22 service attributes is indeed a major deterrent. However, alternative, less tedious approaches, discussed towards the end of the paper, can be employed by the researchers to obviate the data collection task.

The purpose of this paper is to propose and empirically substantiate modification of SERVPERF instrument. We demonstrate difference in practical realization of SERVQUAL (Perceptions-Minus-Expectations) and modified SERVPERF (Performance-Minus-Expectation) based on qualitative and two quantitative methodological studies carried out at the Faculty of Sociology of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv. We used questionnaire adaptation for higher educational institutes (HEI).The sample size of the quantitative studies (10 persons of 2nd year of education, 10 persons of 3nd year of education, 10 persons of 4th year of Bachelor degree program and 5 persons of 2nd year of Master degree program; every 4th student of each year of education) complies with the used statistical test and the sample size requirements for focus groups. To compare the instruments we used nonparametric Wilcoxon signed rank test imple­men­ted in the statistical programming package R. Our finding is that modified SERVPERF is more convenient for students, smaller and more useful for online surveys. So, the difference in mean values of answer’s levels is mo­re significant between modified SERVPERF and normalized SERVQUAL than between modified SERVPERF and perceptions in SERVQUAL.
 Although the research has limitation – it is reconnaissance one and made as a one of steps for adaptation and validation of models for service quality measuring in Ukrainian HEI based on survey of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv students, however, the results of this methodological study allow other researchers to conduct representative studies using an adapted questionnaire of SERVQUAL at their universities. This result is important for service quality estimation which is needed for universities to monitor and improve the quality of their services and elaborate marketing strategy now.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to determine the best measure among several alternatives (SERVQUAL, weighted SERVQUAL, SERVPERF, weighted SERVPERF) and develop a scale which healthcare providers can use for measurement of healthcare service quality.Design/methodology/approachThe study involved two phases. The first phase was through a series of in-depth interviews with experts and patients followed by a pilot study. Subsequently, the second phase involved a quantitative phase through surveys with 384 patients. Alternative measures were analyzed using coefficient (Cronbach)α, composite reliability, factor analysis and logistic regression analysis.FindingsFindings confirmed “Weighted SERVPERF” using an interactive methodology as the most appropriate for measurement of healthcare service quality.Originality/valueUsing the model and scale developed, healthcare providers will be able to measure healthcare service quality and identify areas of shortfall and act accordingly to improve delivery through allocating resources in service areas that would generate the greatest returns in customer satisfaction. Enhancing satisfaction will ultimately generate patient loyalty and positive recommendation behavior.

L'objet de cette recherche est de vérifier si, comme l'affirment Cronin et Taylor (1992), mesurer la qualité de service par un score de différence n'ajoute rien à la prédiction empirique de ses composantes. Une première partie présente les deux principales approches de la qualité de service : l'approche par l'évaluation des écarts et l'approche analytique des performances de l'entreprise. Une seconde partie compare, sur les critères de fiabilité et de validité, deux versions adaptées des échelles de Parasuraman, Zeithaml et Berry (1988) et de Cronin et Taylor (1992). Les résultats obtenus confirment que SERVQUAL et SERVPERF évaluent bien le même construit mais ce dernier est appréhendé de façon différente. SERVQUAL est un bon outil de mesure permettant d'obtenir, à un instant donné, le niveau de qualité de service perçue d'un acheteur. Alors que SERVPERF est une formule expliquant comment ce niveau d'attitude a été atteint.

En este artículo se aplica y profundiza una de las muchas investigaciones teóricas y empíricas sobre la calidad del servicio y su medición en el ámbito laboral. Los hallazgos ponen de manifiesto la falta de confiabilidad en una de las empresas que ejerce su trabajo prestando servicios en el rubro minero, la cual es vital para desarrollar una empresa que perdure en el tiempo. Al respecto, en Chile se han probado diversas metodologías en la medición y evaluación de la calidad de servicios. SERVQUAL es el instrumento utilizado por preferencia en el mundo con estos propósitos; no obstante, los resultados obtenidos de su aplicación no permiten realizar generalizaciones. Esto revela la necesidad de llevar a cabo investigaciones con otros modelos teóricos, como el SERVPERF o el enfoque jerárquico multidimensional, que permitan el desarrollo de escalas de medida válidas y apropiadas para cada contexto. Palabras clave: ServPerf, ServQual, Servicio, Calidad, Recauchaje

En este artículo se aplica y profundiza una de las muchas investigaciones teóricas y empíricas sobre la calidad del servicio y su medición en el ámbito laboral. Los hallazgos ponen de manifiesto la falta de confiabilidad en una de las empresas que ejerce su trabajo prestando servicios en el rubro minero, la cual es vital para desarrollar una empresa que perdure en el tiempo. Al respecto, en Chile se han probado diversas metodologías en la medición y evaluación de la calidad de servicios. SERVQUAL es el instrumento utilizado por preferencia en el mundo con estos propósitos; no obstante, los resultados obtenidos de su aplicación no permiten realizar generalizaciones. Esto revela la necesidad de llevar a cabo investigaciones con otros modelos teóricos, como el SERVPERF o el enfoque jerárquico multidimensional, que permitan el desarrollo de escalas de medida válidas y apropiadas para cada contexto. Palabras clave: ServPerf, ServQual, Servicio, Calidad, Recauchaje

Desde os anos 1980 discute-se como mensurar a qualidade dos serviços prestados, especialmente por que cada vez mais tem-se algum tipo de serviço associado aos produtos comercializados. Entretanto, a escala proposta por Parasuraman, Zeithaml e Berry, nomeada SERVQUAL, não é uma unanimidade até hoje. Além das críticas quanto a diversos aspectos, inclusive estatísticos, a escala SERVPERF obtém resultados iguais ou melhores do que sua antecessora, mas mesmo assim também não é uma unanimidade. Em síntese, a SERVQUAL apresenta 22 variáveis dispostas nas seguintes dimensões: tangíveis, confiabilidade, receptividade, segurança e empatia. A SERVPERF utiliza as mesmas variáveis e dimensões, contudo, ao invés de analisar o gap existente entre as expectativas e a performance do serviço executado, capta a percepção do cliente apenas após o consumo do serviço. O presente ensaio, a partir da literatura da área de marketing de serviços, buscou apontar as vantagens e desvantagens de cada uma dessas escalas e assim propor à comunidade científica um novo debate, mais fundamentado, sobre as referidas escalas. O estudo demonstrou o crescimento do interesse no tema e como contribuição apontou as principais vantagens e desvantagens de cada uma dessas escalas.