Convenience stores are playing a pivotal role in the contribution to profitability in the fuels retail environment. In order to increase market share that will lead to increased profits it is imperative to provide excellent customer service. Customer experience has been identified as the key construct in the modern retail environment to be addressed, in order to ensure a satisfied customer. It has been noted that customer experience is not measured in the convenience stores, but only at the pump stations and the carwash service points of Sasol garages. Sasol Oil has a fuels retail market share of 9% and it will be beneficial for the company to explore all avenues to increase market share since convenience stores contribute 25% towards the total profit of the company. A literature review was conducted to identify the important controllable elements of the total customer experience and the measuring instruments that can be used to measure these elements, which formed the basis of the empirical study. The measuring instruments discussed in the literature are Servqual, Kano and customised models. One of the dimensions of the total customer experience is service quality and a customised model was chosen as the measuring instrument of choice. Questionnaires were developed, based on the controllable elements of customer experience, and distributed via email and handouts. In total, 260 questionnaires were distributed with a response of 47.7%. Descriptive statistics and exploratory factor analysis were employed to analyse the data. The reliability of the questionnaire was tested using Cronbach alpha. Cronbach alpha values above the minimum requirements and a cumulative variance of only 47% was achieved. Conclusions were drawn from the empirical study and recommendations were made in the final chapter. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

Convenience stores are playing a pivotal role in the contribution to profitability in the fuels retail environment. In order to increase market share that will lead to increased profits it is imperative to provide excellent customer service. Customer experience has been identified as the key construct in the modern retail environment to be addressed, in order to ensure a satisfied customer. It has been noted that customer experience is not measured in the convenience stores, but only at the pump stations and the carwash service points of Sasol garages. Sasol Oil has a fuels retail market share of 9% and it will be beneficial for the company to explore all avenues to increase market share since convenience stores contribute 25% towards the total profit of the company. A literature review was conducted to identify the important controllable elements of the total customer experience and the measuring instruments that can be used to measure these elements, which formed the basis of the empirical study. The measuring instruments discussed in the literature are Servqual, Kano and customised models. One of the dimensions of the total customer experience is service quality and a customised model was chosen as the measuring instrument of choice. Questionnaires were developed, based on the controllable elements of customer experience, and distributed via email and handouts. In total, 260 questionnaires were distributed with a response of 47.7%. Descriptive statistics and exploratory factor analysis were employed to analyse the data. The reliability of the questionnaire was tested using Cronbach alpha. Cronbach alpha values above the minimum requirements and a cumulative variance of only 47% was achieved. Conclusions were drawn from the empirical study and recommendations were made in the final chapter. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

This thesis is discussing and analysing expectations and perceptions about service quality in Destination Gotland. The aim is to analyze and research about the role of service quality for creating customer satisfaction and we want to find out the gap between expectations and perceptions through the customers point of view. The difference between expectations and perceptions can be described as satisfaction or lack of satisfaction. The specific questions that are researched in this thesis are: What expectations does customer have on Destination Gotland’s service quality to become satisfied? What perceptions does customer have about the service quality at Destination Gotland? What are the differences between expectations and perceptions (gap 5 in the SERVQUAL-model)? The survey is constructed as a case-study and is based on the quantitative method. The results from the different dimensions show that there is a gap between expectations and perceptions which means that the customers are not fully satisfied about the service quality at Destination Gotland. On the other hand, the main respondents said yes on the question if they think the service meet their expectations. From the overall result in the statements we can see that there are several gaps between expectations and perceptions which means that the service quality do not fully meet the expectations. The result shows a total gap at -0,39.

Undoubtedly one of the most significant developments to affect marketing worldwide in the 21st century has been the development of the Internet. As a communication tool the Internet is emerging as a new challenge to mass media advertising. As a result advertising agencies need to readdress their techniques, services and agency structure. Additionally, the shape and form of the traditional advertising agency will need to change along with the adoption and usage of this new interactive media channel. Agencies are now being forced to consider broadening their service offerings to clients. Apart from widening their service offerings, advertising agencies are being driven to invest in building and sustaining valuable client relationships to establish client loyalty, with profit and a healthy bottom-line being the ultimate objectives. Bush, Bush and Harris (1998) point out however, that whilst a growing number of companies are interested in developing an online presence, significant confusion remains about what this new medium will offer stakeholders in the advertising industry. The study undertaken in this thesis explores the relationship between two influential stakeholders in the advertising industry - advertising agencies and their clients. To explore this relationship, the study modified Parasuraman, Zeithamal and Berry's (1988) SERVQUAL model to explore whether gaps exist between agency-client expectations of the value of the Internet as a promotional tool. The SERVQUAL model, which was designed for measuring gaps between service expectations and perceptions, was adapted for use in the business-to-business environment (B2B). In the marketing literature there is little evidence of B2B research in relation to agency-client relationships, nor has there been significant scholarly work exploring the effect of the introduction of the Internet as a promotional tool on the agency-client relationship. The research undertaken in this study aims to respond to this gap in the marketing literature by addressing the broad research question: &quotHow will the introduction of the Internet as a promotional tool impact agency-client relationships?" Undertaking a review of agency-client expectations of the value of the Internet will ascertain whether gaps exist between agency and client expectations of the value of the Internet as a promotional tool. The discovery of gaps in the agency-client relationship in relation to Internet perceptions will indicate potential opportunities and challenges that need to be addressed by advertising agencies interested in extending their advertising services to embrace the Internet as a promotional tool. A major assumption in this inquiry was that gaps would exist between agency and client perceptions of Internet value. In particular, that advertising agencies would perceive the Internet to be a more valuable promotional tool than their clients. This assumption was informed from mass media and industry press, which indicated that advertising agencies were embracing new advertising creative in website design and strategic marketing activities using interactive media such as newsgroups and email to reach customers. However, the research of Bush et al. (1998) and Ducoffe (1996) suggests that little is known about the value of these Internet-based activities. Such thinking raises questions, such as: are advertisers feeling compelled to jump on the Internet bandwagon because of its popularity, or are businesses' desires to use Internet advertising a manifestation of Internet hype? To begin to answer these questions advertising industry stakeholders need to identify whether gaps do exist between agency and client perceptions of the value of the Internet as a promotional tool. The existence of such gaps could lead to tension in the agency-client relationship, which may ultimately mean a loss of client accounts for the advertising agency. Identifying and remedying such gaps could therefore aid in ensuring long-term and profitable working relationships with the agency's clients. To undertake this advertising industry research and respond to the research questions in this study an international advertising agency network, made up of 206 offices in 90 countries and a selection of their clients, were recruited to participate in the study. A two stage survey method approach was adopted because it was a time-efficient and affordable method for collecting detailed information from a dispersed network of professionals. The survey tool was a web-based questionnaire which was firstly submitted to a selection of advertising agencies within the international agency network. On completion of the questionnaire, agencies were asked to provide contact details for their top three billing clients. The second stage of the survey research involved the submission of a client questionnaire to the client contacts provided by the advertising agency. Both questionnaires used a modified SERVQUAL multi-item scale to measure service expectations. Discrete agency and client questions were also included in the respective questionnaires to situate the SERVQUAL analysis within the context of Internet usage, value perceptions and organisational characteristics (e.g. agency size, advertising spend, experience in using interactive media). The major finding of this study is that within the international advertising agency network there were no significant gaps in agency-client expectations concerning the value of the Internet as a promotional tool. Whilst several statistical analyses were undertaken, including bivariate and multivariate techniques such as Pearson's Chi-Square cross-tabulations, independent t-tests and ANOVAs, no statistically significant results are reported. In fact, it was found that advertising agencies and clients have similar expectations of the value of the Internet as a promotional tool. Gaps actually exist in relation to the clients who use the Internet as a promotional tool and agencies who supply Internet advertising services. Many agencies within this international agency network were found to be actively using the Internet, but their Internet advertising functions were not being provided by their traditional advertising agency. Descriptive analyses reported in the findings from this research study indicate that advertising agencies in this international network need to better understand their clients' Internet promotion needs. This will ensure the establishment of healthy, profitable and long-term agency-client relationships in the future. The research findings from this study offer advertising agencies worldwide insight into client expectations of the Internet, as well as other agency services. Furthermore, the findings reported contribute to the current small body of research in relation to B2B relationships in the advertising industry. The groundwork is set for future analysis of agency-client relationships in the advertising industry. In summary, while gaps between agency and client expectations of the value of the Internet as a promotional tool were expected, this research study found that agency and client expectations are quite similar. Analysis did reveal that one important factor, which influences the agency-client relationship, relates to the provision of Internet advertising services. Specifically, when an agency is not responsible for developing and maintaining clients' Internet advertising, these clients are utilising services from external providers of Internet services. These new stakeholders, who provide specialist services (i.e. graphic design houses, Internet advertising specialists and client's in-house Internet services), are changing the competitive environment of advertising services in the industry. Another interesting discovery, specific to the sample population, was that one third of agencies within the study did not provide Internet advertising services to current clients. However, these agencies have clients that use Internet advertising. On the one hand, this finding indicates that opportunities exist for these agencies to extend their service portfolio to embrace Internet advertising. However, it also raises an important question: that is, have these agencies created greater competition by not providing a full service communication portfolio for clients? These factors, and other methodological issues will inform directions for future research to explain the influential role of the Internet within the agency-client relationship in the advertising industry.

The continuous development and expansion of online-banking have significantly changed the way of conducting banking errands. The traditional bank is gradually perishing as online-banking takes over, leading customers and banks to acquire new ways of communicating. Self-service technology and customer needs have changed the relationship between banks and their customers from physical to digital. Online-banking relationships were established to create interest for long-term relations to avoid the cost of acquiring new customers. How service quality factors within online-banking affect customer satisfaction have become relevant to study as it contributes to a bank’s performance. Where the performance increases the chances of competitive advantages such as a bigger market share and long-term success in the banking industry. The purpose of this thesis is to explain how service quality within online-banking affects customer satisfaction, using service quality factors from the e-SERVQUAL, SSTs and TAM. A quantitative method based on relevant theories were used through a positivistic and a deductive research approach in order to test the study hypotheses. The result of this study is based on 110 respondents. The result presents a positive relationship between service quality and customer satisfaction, as Technology and Fulfilment contributed the most and Reliability the least to customer satisfaction.

Abstract Background: The quality of service is considered as an essential component in any service industry. It has been evolved in service marketing and has often been used in other research fields and sectors. Further, researchers have emphasized the importance of measuring the quality dimensions over years and in various industries in order to manage it. Also, they have proposed that enhancing the quality of services enhances customer satisfaction and loyalty, in turn that will enable the service provider to meet the changes and challenges in its business environment. Purpose: Based on listed companies’ perception at Nasdaq Stockholm OMX, the study seeks to evaluate the service quality provided by accounting firms in Sweden and determine the situation of its dimensions, as well as to explore their direct impact on the client satisfaction and client loyalty. In addition, the study utilizes the SERVPERF model to measure the service quality’s dimensions. Approach/methodology: To achieve the purpose, the study conducts a deductive and quantitative approach with explanatory purpose. Also, the data has been collected based an online questionnaire. It was sent to 450 listed companies at Nasdaq Stockholm OMX, resulting in a sample of 58 respondents. The analysis has been conducted based on regression analysis. Result/discussion: the research presents and discusses the result based on two hypotheses groups separately. The first hypotheses group regarding the impact of service quality and its dimensions on customer satisfaction. The second hypotheses group concerning the impact of service quality and its dimensions on customer loyalty. Originality: To the researcher’s knowledge this study is considered as a first attempt using a multi-dimension scale to assess the service quality of the accounting firms in Sweden based on the perception of Swedish listed companies.

This thesis deals with the general problems of management of service quality in gastronomy. The main aim is to formulate recommendations for three selected catering facilities from Brno using quality management tools. In the solution is used GAP model and SERVQUAL method to evaluate the quality of services and comparison of quality management tools such as corporate standards, HACCP, ISO standards and EFQM for the purposes of catering facilities. Enterprises are suggested recommendations for reducing quality GAPs. They are also determined the advantages, disadvantages and recommendations to modify SERVQUAL method.

Submitted by Elizabete Silva (elizabete.silva@ufes.br) on 2014-10-16T23:28:51Z No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 23148 bytes, checksum: 9da0b6dfac957114c6a7714714b86306 (MD5) Dissertacao.Texto.Jhonathan.pdf: 1898624 bytes, checksum: 889167136408ea76bd5d414dcf8e02db (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Elizabete Silva (elizabete.silva@ufes.br) on 2014-11-25T17:46:34Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 23148 bytes, checksum: 9da0b6dfac957114c6a7714714b86306 (MD5) Dissertacao.Texto.Jhonathan.pdf: 1898624 bytes, checksum: 889167136408ea76bd5d414dcf8e02db (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2014-11-25T17:46:34Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 23148 bytes, checksum: 9da0b6dfac957114c6a7714714b86306 (MD5) Dissertacao.Texto.Jhonathan.pdf: 1898624 bytes, checksum: 889167136408ea76bd5d414dcf8e02db (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013 / O presente trabalho objetiva avaliar a qualidade dos serviços prestados pela Biblioteca Central (BC) da Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo (UFES) utilizando o método Servqual. Esta pesquisa é um estudo de caso de natureza quantitativa e qualitativa. A triangulação dos dados foi realizada por meio de uma survey com 363 usuários, entrevista com nove servidores que atuam na Biblioteca e consulta a documentos da universidade que descrevem as características básicas da Biblioteca Central. A survey foi aplicada utilizando-se questionário desenvolvido com base na escala Servqual em pré-teste realizado na Biblioteca Setorial Tecnológica (BST) da UFES. Foram utilizadas duas modalidades de coleta na survey aplicada na BC: presencial e online. Foram coletados 110 questionários presenciais e 253 online. As entrevistas com os servidores da BC foram baseadas nos 116 registros de reivindicações dos usuários, coletados pela BC anteriormente à pesquisa. Além desses documentos, consultaramse informações institucionais divulgadas no catálogo de serviços da BC e em páginas da BC e da UFES na internet. Identificaram-se quatro dimensões da qualidade dos serviços prestados pela BC, com médias negativas, indicando necessidade de melhoria nos serviços prestados. As ações prioritárias recomendadas para a BC são: a) melhorar instalações físicas e equipamentos; e b) capacitar e motivar os trabalhadores para atendimento aos usuários. Essas ações devem conduzir a soluções de problemas relacionados a condições de estudo (iluminação, climatização, água, banheiros, espaço físico, móveis e silêncio) e acesso a informação (internet, autoempréstimo, quantitativo de exemplares, limitação do empréstimo e alerta quanto à data de renovação). / The present paper aims at assessing the service quality provided by the Central Library (CL henceforth) at the Federal University of Espírito Santo (UFES), by using the Servqual method. This research is a case study of quantitative and qualitative nature. The data triangulation was obtained by carrying out a survey with 363 users, an interview with nine librarians, and access was granted to the university’s documents, which describe the Central Library’s basic characteristics. The survey was carried out by using a Servqual scale-based questionnaire in a pre-test administered at the Sectoral Technology Library (BST), at UFES. Two collecting modalities were used in the survey carried out at the CL: in attendance and online. 110 in attendance questionnaires were collected and 253, online. The interviews with the CL employees were based on 116 records of user’s opinions, previously collected at the CL before this research. Besides these documents, advertised institutional information was consulted both in the CL’s service catalogue and on the CL and UFES’s websites. Concerning the services offered by the CL, four dimensions were identified, with negative averages, indicating the necessity of improvement of the services provided. The recommended priority actions to the CL are: a) improve its facilities and equipments; and b) qualify and motivate its workers towards user service. These actions should lead to problem solutions related to studying conditions (lighting, air conditioning, water, restrooms, physical space, furniture and silence) and access to information (internet, self-checkouts, total number of copies, checkout limitations and renewing alerts).

Thesis (MTech (Marketing))--Cape Technikon, 1999. / Quality of service, as perceived by the customer, has been shown by research to be a critical factor contributing to organizational performance in recent years. Therefore, the management of service quality is a key variable, and for service quality to be managed, it has to be measured. There have been significant advances in the measurement of service quality in the past fifteen years, resulting in a stream of research, mostly concentrating on the external customers of profit-seeking firms. A key factor driving this research was the development of an apparently reliable, valid instrument for the measurement of service quality. This instrument called SERVQUAL, was developed by US researchers A. "Parsu" Parasuraman, Valarie Zeithaml and Len Berry. It has spawned an enormous debate in the marketing literature, leading to the further exploration and refinement of the dimensions of the service quality construct. While the use of SERVQUAL has been extensively investigated in external markets, and in for-profit firms, less attention has been given to its use, and more importantly, its reliability and validity in internal markets, and in not-for-profit organizations. These settings are becoming increasingly important from a services marketing perspective. Internal markets (where fellow employees are also customers) are being subjected to market testing, and many services previously provided within the organization are being outsourced. In order to survive, many functions such as information systems, training, catering and cleaning are being forced to market their services internally, and this includes assessing service quality, and improving it. Likewise, private and public nonprofit organizations are coming under increasing scrutiny, as donors and taxpayers alike become evermore concerned about the value gained from the expenditures made by these organizations with their funds. In this study, the SERVQUAL instrument was used to measure service quality as perceived by the internal customers of a large IT department within an extensive government organization. The main objectives of the study were to assess the psychometric properties of the SERVQUAL instrument in this setting. It was found that SERVQUAL generally performs well under these circumstances, with regard to reliability, construct, convergent and nomological validity. However, the instrument appears to be problematical in terms of discriminant validity. This is probably less attributable to the measurement situation as to the instrument itself, for the finding mirrors evidence from the literature. The study also identifies implications for management, and opportunities for future research.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:30:23Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2006-12-19Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T20:00:29Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 borges_jbc_dr_botfm.pdf: 523209 bytes, checksum: 91e394791a292a14faa66bdc26898c97 (MD5) / Os serviços de saúde acompanhando o desenvolvimento econômico e alta competitividade direcionam atenção à qualidade com que os serviços estão sendo realizados. A avaliação de um serviço de saúde está ligada à percepção do paciente na medida em que suas expectativas foram atendidas na efetividade e na qualidade das intervenções. O objetivo deste estudo consistiu em avaliar a funcionalidade e a qualidade de serviço em pacientes de cirurgia cardíaca no período pré-operatório e pós-operatório recente 6ºPO. Buscou-se ainda relacionar o nível de funcionalidade e de qualidade do serviço com: gênero, faixa etária e uso de circulação extra-corpórea (CEC). Foram estudados 82 pacientes, submetidos à cirurgia cardíaca eletiva, operados por toracotomia médio esternal, de ambos os gêneros, com idade entre 31 e 83 anos. Os pacientes entraram no estudo consecutivamente, de acordo com os critérios de inclusão e exclusão, a partir de março a setembro de 2006. Os pacientes foram divididos em subgrupos de acordo com: gênero, faixa etária, tipo de cirurgia, primeira cirurgia cardíaca ou reoperação e uso de CEC. O nível de funcionalidade foi avaliado pela escala MIF e a qualidade dos serviços prestados pela escala SERVQUAL-Card, escala modificada da SERVQUAL. A funcionalidade foi prejudicada após a cirurgia cardíaca até o 6º PO. Os níveis mais elevados de perda funcional ocorreram na categoria de locomoção, concentrando-se na atividade de subir escadas. No pré-operatório os pacientes mais jovens apresentaram níveis mais elevados de funcionalidade. Os níveis diminuíram com o aumento da idade dos pacientes e a menor funcionalidade foi na faixa etária de 70 a 85 anos. Tanto no aspecto motor como no cognitivo a utilização de CEC não esteve relacionada com o grau de perda funcional no pós-operatório recente. A qualidade dos serviços percebida pelo paciente foi satisfatória. / The health services, following the economical development and the high competition, focus its attention on the quality of services. The evaluation of a health service is related to the patient perception as his expectations are met in the quality and effectiveness of the interventions.This paper was aimed at evaluating the service functionality and quality in cardiac surgery patients during the preoperative and recent postoperative periods (6° PO). It was also aimed at relating the service level of functionality and quality with the following: gender, age, and use of extra-corporal circulation (ECC). Eight two patients (men and women), subjected to elective cardiac surgery, were studied; they were operated by means of sternal medium thoracotomy and their ages ranged from 31 to 83 years. The patients were entered the study consecutively, according to the criteria of inclusion and exclusion, from March to September, 2006. The patients were divided into sub-groups in accordance with gender, age, type of surgery, first cardiac surgery or re-operation and use of ECC. The functionality level was assessed by using the MIF scale and the quality of the services was measured by the SERVQUAL scale-Card, modified SERQUAL scale. The functionality was harmed after the cardiac surgery until the 6° PO. The most elevated levels of functional losses occurred in the locomotion category, concentrating on the activity of climbing stairs. During the preoperative period, the youngest patients presented more elevated levels of functionality. The levels were decreased according to the increase in the patients ages and the smallest functionality was found in the ages of 70 to 85 years. Both in the motor aspect and in the cognitive aspect, the use of ECC was not related to the degree of functional loss during the recent postoperative period. The quality of the services watched by the patients was considered satisfactory.