This study examined the impacts of service guarantees in terms of consumers' perceived risks, loyalty, and word-of-mouth intent in the casual dining restaurant segment. In addition, the study investigated what type of service guarantee consumers preferred. A total of seven research hypotheses were developed on the basis of relevant literature review. In an effort to test the research hypotheses, a scenario method was developed. A total of seven research scenarios were created based on the Virginia Tech web survey system, which allows subjects to complete the survey online. The subjects of the study were Virginia Tech Faculty. The scenarios were sent to faculty members via e-mail during the month of September. The results of the study are striking: 5 research hypotheses are supported, 1 research hypothesis is partially supported, and only 1 research hypothesis is rejected. The results of the study suggest that a well-executed service guarantee could reduce consumers' perceived risks, raise consumers' intent to complain, and increase positive word-of-mouth and loyalty. Furthermore, the results of the study indicate that a specific service guarantee is much more effective in reducing consumers' perceived risks, and increasing consumers' intent to claim initial service failures, in comparison to those of an unconditional service guarantee in the casual dining restaurant industry. On the other hand, a service guarantee which was executed poorly resulted in reducing consumers' loyalty and increasing consumers' negative word-of-mouth. In addition, the results of the study suggest that a service guarantee offered by independent restaurants could be a competitive advantage over a brand restaurant not offering a service guarantee. Overall, the results of the study suggest that a carefully designed, specific service guarantee could be a competitive advantage for independent restaurant operators in the competitive business environment. / Ph. D.

A network is generally a collection of different hardware-based network devices carrying out various network functions, (NF). These NF implementations are special purpose and expensive. Network function virtualization (NFV) is an alternative which uses software-based implementation of NFs in inexpensive commodity servers. However, it is challenging to achieve high networking performance due to bottlenecks in software, particularly in a virtualized environment where NFs are implemented inside the virtual machines (VM). The performance isolation is yet another challenge, which means that the load on one VM should not affect the performance of other VMs. However, it is difficult to provide performance isolation due to resource contention in a commodity server. Furthermore, different NFs may require different service guarantees which are difficult to ensure due to the non-deterministic performance behavior of a commodity server. In this thesis we investigate how the challenges of performance, isolation and service guarantees can be addressed for virtual routers (VR), as an example of a virtualized NF. It is argued that the forwarding path of a VR can be modified in an efficient manner in order to improve the forwarding performance. When it comes to performance isolation, poor isolation is observed due to shared network queues and CPU sharing among VRs. We propose a design with SR-IOV, which allows reserving a network queue and CPU core for each VR. As a result, the resource contention is reduced and strong performance isolation is achieved. Finally, it is investigated how average throughput and bounded packet delay can be guaranteed to VRs. We argue that a classic rate-controlled service discipline can be adapted in a virtual environment to achieve service guarantees. We demonstrate that firm service guarantees can be achieved with little overhead of adding token bucket regulator in the forwarding path of a VR. / <p>QC 20170511</p>

Railway is one of public transport mode on land transportation. Railways, as mass public transport modes, have unique characteristics. It has large capacity, high safety level, and free from traffic jam. Those characteristics make railway a primary public transportation. In  fact, even railway transportation has a lot of benefits for society life but they still faced by the problem. Service quality level of Railways transportation is still low compared with other transportation modes. At present railways operation is still colored with the delay, limited condition vehicle, and unclear train travel information that often disadvantage passengers, and many other services offered fail to attract passengers. These conditions result in decreasing the quality of services and insufficient railways operation. The objective of this research is to analyze the relationship between customer satisfaction towards provided service with the desire to do a complaint and to find the factor from service quality that has significant influences to customer satisfaction towards PT KAI services. From that data, and also comparison study between PT Kereta Api Indonesia and Statens Järnvägar (SJ) AB, Sweden, we can recommend the service standards design, service guarantee and complaint handling system that need to be adjusted with the interest of consumer. The data was collected via field survey in the station that located in Jakarta, Yogyakarta and Pekalongan. This research shows several findings. First, there are six factors of service quality attributes that have significant influences to customer satisfaction towards PT KAI services for commuter class (Information, Appearances, Service coverage, Tangible, Safety &amp; security, and Cost), seven factors for business class (Travel time, Information, Scheduling, Comfort, Tangible, Safety &amp; security, and Service coverage), and also seven factor for executive class (Appearances, Safety &amp; security, Information, Comfort, Tangible, Travel time, and Cost). Second, while the commuter class passengers complain on the Safety &amp; security attribute, for business class it is the information that influence the desire to complain. Meanwhile for executive class, passengers are mostly satisfied with the service given by PT KAI. Third, to decrease the number of complaints, some effective mechanisms to handle those complaints and learning from Statens Järnvägar (SJ) AB are necessary to take. Fourth, the service standards for PT KAI can be classified into 6 details of service, (safety and security attributes; comfort and appearances attributes; availability of information aspect attributes; tangible attributes; service coverage attributes; and the operations of train). For service guarantee design, this research focus on travel time guarantee. Learning from Statens Järnvägar (SJ) AB on Sweden service guarantee, PT KAI can adopt and use their system to increase customer satisfaction.

Service guarantees have been argued to have many roles in managing services, for instance signal service quality, attract new customers, increase satisfaction and retention, and to differentiate the company from its competitors. Despite a growing interest from service organizations, research on service guarantees has been surprisingly scarce. The aim of this dissertation is to provide a wider understanding of the roles of service guarantees. Data is gathered from actual customers (as opposed to fictitious participants of an experiment) and/or employees regarding service guarantees in three different service contexts. The methods used to gather and analyze the data were manifold and includes personal interviews, Mystery Shopping observations, focus group interviews and a postal survey. The results represent new knowledge when it comes to the roles of service guarantees in managing services. Previous research has almost exclusively addressed pre-purchase effects of the service guarantee, but has failed to address the impact of the service guarantee after it has been used. Therefore, the most important contribution to service research of this dissertation concern the understanding of service guarantees “in action” and the post-use effects of a service guarantee in real service settings. Another contribution is the identification of the recovery paradox; that the customer is more satisfied with the service after he or she has used the service guarantee, than before he or she experienced the original service failure. This result strongly suggests that the use of a service guarantee can make a fruitful contribution in the managing of services.

There are rules in urban development and the construction industry, which encourages organizations to work according to standards and approved codes. For example: it is required by law for all property owners to apply and obtain a permit in order to carry out an action in construction building. Often, the permit process takes a great deal of time to process.   Currently, there is a lack of constructional project for residential buildings in Stockholm region, and there is critique toward the municipalities for having a long processing time for reviewing building permits. This study is about ways to optimize the processing time for building permits. As a first step, it was important to study parameters, which maximizes the quality and efficiency. Since, time is often one of the restricted factors in urban development, optimizing the processing time issuing a construction permit can be one of the quality elements in service oriented business organizations like a municipality.   This study aims to analyze the building permit processing time, and investigate different factors that have influence on it. The case for this was Tyresö municipality, a municipality with approximately 45 000 inhabitants in the south east of the Stockholm region. Required information has been developed based on interviews with the municipality's personnel and professional construction developer who have applied for building permit in Tyresö region. In addition, previous reports, statistics, and cases from the municipality archive have been used to identify important concepts as empirical material.   Long processing time is a current existing problem in many municipalities. A service oriented organization like a municipality should try to increase clients’ satisfaction by a continual and proper communication with public. The municipality can identify the costumer needs and expectations and improve the quality efficiency by communication. Optimizing of processing time in the building permit cases is one of the issues of process optimization that can increase customer satisfaction. Using Total Quality Management strategy in the organization, help the municipality to optimize the processing time continuously. It means quality improvement and leads to long term costumer satisfaction. Since functional team develops solutions to problems in TQM style it often shortens the time taken to produce services. The focus of this management style is on importance of the relationship between costumer and organization and it is directly linked to their communication.   By service guarantee as a tool, municipality which is a politically governed organization makes assurance for public as its costumer to provide community services with proper quality. A well defined service Guarantee has been contributed the improving quality of the services. It helps the planning and building department of municipality to increase the costumer satisfaction and attract more building developer to invest in the municipality region. / Lagar och regler är till för att ha ett väl fungerande samhälle. Samma sak gäller inom samhälls- och stadsutveckling, då regelverk och normer styr utvecklingen. Ett exempel är att bygglov behövs för den som vill bygga. Handläggningstiden för bygglov ingår allt som oftast i planeringstiden för byggnation, och handläggningstiden kan ibland dra ut på tiden.   För närvarande har kommunernas handläggningstid av bygglovsärenden fått massiv kritik. För att komma till rätta med problemet, och korta handläggningstiderna, måste kommunerna identifiera de kritiska parametrarna som kan bidra till effektivare processer. Då tid är oftast en viktig faktor, kan tidsoptimering vara ett sätt att få höja kvaliteten och effektiviteten, speciellt i en serviceorienterad organisation, liksom kommun.   Denna studie syftar till att undersöka, identifiera och analysera de faktorer som påverkar handläggningstiden för bygglov. Undersökningen har utförts på Tyresökommun, en kommun med omkring 45 000 innevånare som ligger i sydöstra Stockholmsregionen. Studien är baserad på intervjuer av de anställda på bygglovsenheten samt de ansökande. Även äldre ärenden i kommunens arkiv har analyserats, för att få ett bättre underlag i den här studien.    De långa handläggningstiderna är ett av större problem kommunerna dras med, något som även gäller Tyresö kommun. Med en kontinuerlig och bättre kommunikation med de bygglovssökande identifieras behov och förväntningar vilket leder till mer effektiviserad handläggningstid. Denna handläggningstidsoptimering är en åtgärd för att sträva efter en optimerad process. Genom att identifiera problemen och använda sig av en Total Quality Management-strategi kan kommunen optimera handläggningstiden kontinuerligt som utmynnar till kvalitetsförbättringar och större kundnöjdhet. Enligt TQM är handläggarnas utveckling av problemlösningar en orsak till kortare handläggningstid. Relationen mellan kunden och organisationen är av stort betydelse i det här ledarskapet och är kopplad till en direkt kommunikation dessa emellan. Vilket betyder sökande som kund samt kommunen som en organisation skall föra en kontinuerlig kommunikation enl. TQM.   Med servicegaranti som ett verktyg kan kommunen utlova tjänster med anständiga kvaliteter. Välutvecklad servicegaranti bidrar till en förbättrad tjänstekvalitet och kortare handläggningstid. Detta medför en förhöjd kundnöjdhet och lockar fler bygginvesterare till regionen.

El presente trabajo de investigación tiene como objetivo analizar la relación de las acciones post-venta que aplican las empresas y la relación que existe con la satisfacción de los consumidores del sector de restaurantes. Las acciones más relevantes que se consideraron son la acción post venta de delivery, garantía, personalización de producto y la capacidad de respuesta de la empresa al consumidor. Para realizar el objetivo se emplea un análisis cuantitativo con la ejecución de 384 participantes del público objetivo para el desarrollo de encuestas determinadas con fundamento en un 95% de nivel de confianza y un 5% de error a través de un formulario adaptado en base a la escala de Likert con rangos de 1 a 5 codificando los niveles de satisfacción desde “completamente insatisfecho” hasta “completamente satisfecho” respectivamente. Se ha encontrado que la consecuencia que estas variables tienen en los consumidores influye en la satisfacción que estos poseen sobre la empresa donde adquirieron el producto o servicio. Dentro de los alcances y limitaciones encontradas para la presente investigación se consideró los cambios de hábitos de consumo del consumidor, la reducción de actividades en restaurantes en 93,78% y la reducción de ingresos del sector que se encuentran al 40% de su potencial pese al impulso del delivery, debido al confinamiento causado por el SRAS-CoV.19 desde marzo del 2020. / The present research work aims to analyze the relationship of the after-sales actions applied by companies and the relationship that exists with the satisfaction of consumers in the restaurant sector. The most relevant actions that were considered are the post-sale action of delivery, guarantee, product customization and the response capacity of the company to the consumer. To carry out the objective, a quantitative analysis will be used with the execution of 384 participants of the target audience for the development of surveys determined based on a 95% confidence level and a 5% error through a form adapted based on the Likert scale with ranges from 1 to 5 coding the levels of satisfaction from "completely dissatisfied" to "completely satisfied" respectively. It has been found that the consequence that these variables have on consumers influences their satisfaction with the company where they purchased the product or service. Within the scope and limitations found for this research, changes in consumer consumption habits, the reduction of activities in restaurants by 93.78% and the reduction of income in the sector, which are 40% of their potential despite to the delivery impulse, due to the confinement caused by SARS-CoV.19 since March 2020. / Trabajo de investigación