Understanding service quality

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to capture varied perspectives of one of the important elements in the management of services known as service quality. This paper proposes that the current key focus for service academics should provide direction for planning, design and implementation framework to enhance the practical effectiveness of service quality. It deals with the fundamental concepts that underlie the subject of managing for service quality, and defines key terms and makes critical distinctions. It helps to identify the key processes through which service quality is to be managed. It does demonstrate that managing for service quality is a timeless concept, and it would further undergo frequent evolution in response to the endless emergence of changes and crises to be faced by human civilisation.

Keywords:

• customer satisfaction
• patronage intensions
• service blueprinting
• service quality

Acknowledgements

We are grateful to the editors and the anonymous reviewers for their comments and suggestions which greatly helped us for making the contents more value adding.