Achieving Excellence in Service Quality and Customer Satisfaction
The Core of Service Excellence: Reliability and Quality Dimensions
Service reliability is paramount, representing the performance of accurate and dependable service – it is the heart of excellence in service. When a company provides careless service, fails to avoid possible mistakes, or neglects to fulfill promises made to attract customers, it erodes customer confidence in its capabilities and undermines its chances of gaining a reputation for service excellence. From the customer’s viewpoint, proof of impeccable service is its reality.
The fact that reliability is the most important factor for customer service relies heavily on findings from formal surveys. Naturally, service reliability is not the only factor in the service ratings perceived by the customer. Research by L. Berry and A. Parasuraman indicates five general dimensions that influence these assessments:
- Reliability: The ability to provide the promised service dependably and accurately.
- Tangibles: The physical appearance of facilities, equipment, personnel, and communication materials.
- Responsiveness: The willingness to help customers promptly and provide customer service.
- Assurance: The knowledge and courtesy of employees and their ability to convey trust and reliability.
- Empathy: The caring, individualized attention provided to customers.
Understanding Customer Expectations and Satisfaction
Because service is intangible, firms must find ways to make the intangible “tangible.” Expectation (from Latin expectatus – expected) is a hope founded on supposed rights, odds, or promises. The challenge of service provision is to find not only the solution to a problem but also the most efficient way to solve it.
The first step for the fulfillment of this goal is to outline exactly what you need or want to achieve. In doing so, you’re actually looking to understand the user’s exact expectations. From there, the process involves solution definition and decision on the style of delivery.
When customers are dissatisfied with a company’s care, they do not return – and will go to competitors, taking their friends with them. What amazes a client is when service is rude, discourteous, or inept. Incompetence is often a consequence of mere apathy or inattention.
Customer satisfaction is a vital condition for the success of a company. But what is customer satisfaction? It is the degree of happiness experienced by the customer. It is produced by an organization – by all departments, functions, and all people.
What is a customer? A customer is the most important person in any business. No company will survive without customers. There are two types of customers:
- Internal clients: Employees, staff, or servers.
- External customers: Those who buy or receive your products or services.
We are all in the business of services. We are in business to serve customers.
Why Customers Leave and How to Improve Services
Why do customers leave us?
- 30% due to price and quality (product)
- 70% due to service (attendance)
What is the difference between product and service?
- Product: What the customer takes in the bag or in the stomach (tangible).
- Service: What they take to heart or in their mind (intangible experience).
To improve services, focus on:
- Convenience
- Service quality
- Entertainment (where applicable)
- Information
- Image