Chapter 5-1
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Chapter 5-2
Part 3
UNDERSTANDING
CUSTOMER
REQUIREMENTS
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Chapter 5-3
Provider Gap 1
CUSTOMER
Expected
Service
COMPANY
Gap 1: Company
The Listening Gap Perceptions of
Customer
Expectations
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Chapter 5-4
Key Factors Leading to Provider Gap 1
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Chapter
Chapter 5-5
Listening to Customers
through Research 5
Using Customer Research to Understand
Customer Expectations
Elements in an Effective Service Marketing
Research Program
Analyzing and Interpreting Customer Research
Findings
Using Marketing Research Information
Upward Communication
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Chapter 5-6
Objectives for Chapter 5:
Listening to Customers through Research
Present the types of and guidelines for customer
research in services.
Show how customer research information can and
should be used for services.
Describe the strategies by which companies can
facilitate interaction and communication between
management and customers.
Present ways that companies can and do facilitate
interaction between contact people and
management.
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Chapter 5-7
Common Research Objectives for
Services
To discover customer requirements or expectations for service.
To monitor and track service performance.
To assess overall company performance compared with that of
competition.
To assess gaps between customer expectations and perceptions.
To identify dissatisfied customers, so that service recovery can be
attempted.
To gauge effectiveness of changes in service delivery.
To appraise the service performance of individuals and teams for
evaluation, recognition, and rewards.
To determine customer expectations for a new service.
To monitor changing customer expectations in an industry.
To forecast future expectations of customers.
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Chapter 5-8
Service Research Program
A service research program can be defined
as the portfolio of research studies and
types needed to address research
objectives and execute an overall
measurement strategy.
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Chapter 5-9
Criteria for an Effective Service
Research Program
Includes qualitative and quantitative research
Includes both perceptions and expectations of
customers
Balances the cost of the research and the value of
the information
Includes statistical validity when necessary
Measures priorities or importance of attributes
Occurs with appropriate frequency
Includes measures of loyalty, behavioral intentions,
or actual behavior
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Chapter 5-10
Portfolio of Services Research:
Research Is NOT Just Surveys!
Customer Complaint Solicitation
Critical Incident Studies
Requirements Research
Relationship and SERVQUAL Surveys
Trailer Calls or Posttransaction Surveys
Service Expectations Meetings and Reviews
Process Checkpoint Evaluations
Mystery Shopping
Customer Panels
Lost Customer Research
Future Expectations Research
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Chapter 5-11
Common means for answering questions
Ask customers directly
mail, phone, face-to-face, online
one-on-one, in groups, formal/informal
Observing customers
anthropological tools, qualitative depth
Get information from employees and front line
service providers
Database marketing research
use customer information files
“capture” behavior through data analysis
11
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Chapter 5-12
Elements in an Effective Customer
Research Program for Services
Complaint • To identify and attend to dissatisfied customers
solicitation • To identify common service failure points
• To identify “best” practices” at transaction level
Critical incident • To identify customer requirements as input for quantitative studies
studies • To identify common service failure points
• To identify systemic strengths and weaknesses in customer-contact services
• To monitor and track service performance
Relationship • To assess overall company performance compared with that of competition
surveys • To determine links between satisfaction and behavioral intentions
• To assess gaps between customer expectations and perceptions
• To obtain immediate feedback on performance of service transactions
Posttransaction • To measure effectiveness of changes in service delivery
surveys • To assess service performance of individuals and teams
• To use as input for process improvements; to identify common service failure points
• To identify/attend to dissatisfied customers
Social media • To encourage word of mouth
• To measure the impact of other advertising
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Chapter 5-13
Elements in an Effective Customer
Research Program for Services (cont.)
Market-oriented • To research customers in natural settings
ethnography • To study customers from other cultures in an unbiased way
Mystery • To measure individual employee performance for evaluation, recognition, or rewards
shopping • To identify systemic strengths and weaknesses in customer-contact services
• To monitor changing customer expectations
Customer panels • To provide a forum for customers to suggest and evaluate new service ideas
Lost customer • To identify reasons for customer defection
research • To assess gaps between customer expectations and perceptions
Future • To forecast future expectations of customers
expectations • To develop and test new service ideas
research
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Chapter 5-14
Sample Questions for Critical
Incident Studies
Think of a time when, as a customer, you had a
particularly satisfying (dissatisfying) interaction
with an employee of ______________.
When did the incident happen?
What specific circumstances led up to this
situation?
Exactly what was said and done?
What resulted that made you feel the interaction
was satisfying (dissatisfying)?
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Chapter 5-15
SERVQUAL Attributes
(see Exhibit 5.2)
RELIABILITY EMPATHY
Providing service as promised Giving customers individual attention
Dependability in handling customers’ Employees who deal with customers in a
service problems caring fashion
Performing services right the first time Having the customer’s best interest at heart
Providing services at the promised time Employees who understand the needs of
Maintaining error-free records their customers
Convenient business hours
RESPONSIVENESS
Keeping customers informed as to when TANGIBLES
services will be performed Modern equipment
Prompt service to customers Visually appealing facilities
Willingness to help customers Employees who have a neat,
Readiness to respond to customers’ professional appearance
requests Visually appealing materials
associated with the service
ASSURANCE
Employees who instill confidence in customers
Making customers feel safe in their transactions
Employees who are consistently courteous
Employees who have the knowledge to answer
customer questions
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Chapter 5-16
Customer Journey and Experience
Map (Figure 5.2)
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Chapter 5-17
Importance/Performance Matrix
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Chapter 5-18
Using Marketing Research
Information
Understanding how to make the best use of
research – to apply what has been learned
to the business – is a key way to close the
gap between customer expectations and
management perceptions of customer
expectations.
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Chapter 5-19
Upward Communication
Research for upward communication
Executive visits to customers
Executive or management listening to customers
Research on intermediate customers
Research on internal customers
Executive or management listening approaches
to employees
Employee suggestions
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Chapter 5-20
Upward Communication
(see Exhibit 5.3)
Executive visits to • To gain firsthand knowledge about customers
customers
Executive listening to • To gain firsthand knowledge about customers
customers
Research on • To gain in-depth information on end customers
intermediate customers
Employee internal • To improve internal service quality
satisfaction surveys
Employee visits or • To gain firsthand knowledge about employees
listening
Employee suggestions • To obtain ideas for service improvements
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Chapter 5-21
Employees Provide Upward
Communication at Cabela’s (Exhibit 5.4)
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