Johnston, Robert (1993) The service quality factors : satisfaction, dissatisfaction and recovery. PhD thesis, University of Warwick.

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Abstract

Service quality appears to transcend a number of, as
yet, only loosely related fields including operations
management, service management and consumer behaviour.
The intention of the first part of this research was to
draw together some parts of these complementary
literatures in order to understand the nature of
service quality.
The objective of the empirical study was to identify
the customer-based determinants of service quality, in
particular to identify those service quality factors
which tend to lead to satisfaction, those that tend to
lead to dissatisfaction and those that are important to
the process of service recovery. The purpose of the
research was to add to the growing body of knowledge on
service quality and to help managers undertake
activities for the measurement, control and improvement
of service quality. The empirical study took a logical
positivist/empiricist approach using customer's
perceptions of reality. The chosen research instrument
was the critical incident technique.
The study found that the various quality factors do
have different, though not exclusive, effects on the
outcome of the service experience in terms of
satisfaction or dissatisfaction. It was also found
that the dissatisfaction factors and the satisfaction
factors are not the obverse of each other.
Furthermore, the satisfaction factors are primarily
tangible factors, underlining the critical role of
service staff in providing satisfaction, and the
dissatisfaction factors are primarily intangible
factors stressing the more systemic issues that tend to
result in dissatisfaction. It was suggested that these
factors may either act as switches, amending customers'
perceptions of the service experience during the
service itself, or act as levers upon the customers'
satisfaction or dissatisfaction thresholds. Service
recovery was also identified as a key creator of
satisfaction and a number of factors were identified
that support the recovery process.
It has been suggested that operations managers should
be concerned with designing-in satisfaction
switches/levers and removing dissatisfaction
switches/levers. They should also be concerned with
implementing systems to seek out failures and to try to
recover from them.

Item Type:	Thesis (PhD)
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HF Commerce
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):	Customer services -- Quality control
Official Date:	April 1993
Dates:	Date Event April 1993 Submitted
Institution:	University of Warwick
Theses Department:	School of Industrial and Business Studies
Thesis Type:	PhD
Publication Status:	Unpublished
Extent:	2 v. (xi, 540 leaves)
Language:	eng

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