Understanding Service Failure

Learning Objectives

To understand the Service Providers

responsibility for managing service quality

To understand the interdependence between

marketing/sales, service delivery and the
customer

To understand some of the quality gaps that

cause service failures
What is Service Failure?
Service Failure is the process
of NOT keeping promises
Above
expectation
(great service)
4
Expected 2 Zone of
3
Service 1 Tolerance
5
Below 6
expectation 7 8 9
(poor service)

Failed service
 Causes of Service Failure
The facilities and
environment
The expectations

Actions (&
The systems
inactions) of staff
4
2
3
The process
5
1
6
7 8 9

Actions of the Actions of other

customer The equipment
customers
 What Needs to be Managed?
The facilities and
environment
The expectations

Actions (&
The systems
inactions) of staff

The process If something can affect the

service then the Service
Provider becomes
The Service Provider
needs to manage responsible for managing it
these as well.

Actions of the Actions of other

customer The equipment
customers
 Managing Customers
We limit their
choices

We restrict their
movement

We tell them
what to do
Managing Other Customers
We make them
wait
We choose which
customers to serve
The Promises Model
Basic Service Promises Model
A Service consists of Two Things:
1. Someone making a promise (also known
as a Sale)
2. Someone keeping a promise (also known
as Delivery)

Making a Promise
Service
Customer
Provider

Delivering a Promise
Normal Service Promises Model
In a large organisation promises can be
made and delivered by different groups
Service Provider

Marketing/
Sales

Delivery Customer
Keeping Promises
This can complicate things

This is pest
control, how
may I help
you?

Keeping Promises
 Promises Model of Service Delivery
The three groups are linked and
interdependent
Service Delivery need to
understand the service
and be able to provide it. Marketing/
Sales

Delivery Customers
Keeping Promises
Source: Parasuraman, Zeithaml, Berry, SERVQUAL: a multi-item scale for measuring consumer perceptions of service quality
Service Failure: Understanding Gaps
 Gaps Cause Service Failures
Management
perception gap

Quality Market comms

specification gap Marketing/ gap
Sales

Perceived service
quality gap
Service
delivery gap

Delivery Customers
Keeping Promises
 Management Perception Gap
Management
perception
gap

Quality
specification gap Marketing/
Sales
Market comms
gap
Management has an
inaccurate understanding of
Perceived service
quality gap
Service
delivery gap

Delivery

Keeping Promises
Customers

quality expectations
 Quality Specification Gap
Management
perception
gap

Quality
specification gap Marketing/
Sales
Market comms
gap
Service quality specifications
do not match management
Perceived service
quality gap
Service
delivery gap

Delivery

Keeping Promises
Customers

expectations
 Service Delivery Gap
Management
perception
gap

Quality
specification gap Marketing/
Sales
Market comms
gap
Quality specifications and
not met by service delivery
Perceived service
quality gap
Service
delivery gap

Delivery Customers

Keeping Promises
 Market Communications Gap
Management
perception
gap

Quality
specification gap Marketing/
Sales
Market comms
gap
Messages from marketing
do not match the service
Perceived service
quality gap
Service
delivery gap

Delivery

Keeping Promises
Customers

experience
 Perceived Service Quality Gap
Management
perception
gap

Quality
specification gap Marketing/
Sales
Market comms
gap
The experienced service
does not match expected
Perceived service
quality gap
Service
delivery gap

Delivery

Keeping Promises
Customers

service
 Final Word on Service Failure
The Service Provider is responsible for
managing the service this includes managing
the customer

Gaps in the interactions between the groups

create service failures

Once a service failure occurs, the service

provider needs to initiate a service recovery
process