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The customer gap between patients expectations and perceptions of service quality in optometric practices

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Optometric practices, as every other organisation, are becoming more aware that the
ability to address your patients' needs is the latest challenge and secret to future
success. The purpose of this study is to determine the gap between the patients'
expectations and their perceptions of the services rendered in the optometric practice.
When the patients' perceptions of the service received meets or exceeds their
expectations, the patient will be satisfied and will be encouraged to visit the practice
again, increasing the long-term profitability of the practice.
Most patients lack the knowledge to evaluate the quality of optometric services. As a
result, they rely on the integrity and competence of the service provider. Service
excellence is a combination of service promptness, quality, and design with the
perception of value for money.
Reliability is the most important of the five dimensions in determining patient evaluations
of service quality. Since the tangible attributes are often the only element of a service
that can be evaluated prior to service delivery, managers should pay a lot of attention to
this dimension in order to reflect a positive image.
As patients become more informed, practices should continuously research and update
their strategies for the delivery of quality service. Not only do practices need to
understand the current expectations of their patients, but also the future expectations
desired.
A key issue for future research concerns the relationship between internal service
quality and external customer satisfaction as well as employee service orientation, and
external service quality. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Oogkundige praktyke, soos elke ander organisasie, raak toenemend bewus dat die
nuutste uitdaging en geheim tot toekomstige sukses afhang van die vermoë om
pasiente se behoeftes aan te spreek. Die doelwit van hierdie studie is om die gapings te
bepaal tussen die pasiënt se verwagtinge en hul persepsies van die dienste gelewer in
die oogkundige praktyk. Indien die pasiënte se persepsies van die gelewerde diens,
hulle verwagtinge aanspreek of oorskry, sal dit pasiënt tevredenheid bevorder en die
pasiënt aanspoor om die praktyk weer te besoek, en derhalwe die langtermyn
winsgewendheid van die praktyk bevorder.
Die meeste pasiënte beskik oor gebrekkige kennis om die kwaliteit van die optometriese
dienste te evalueer. Gevolglik vertrou hulle op die integriteit en vaardigheid van die
diensverskaffer. Uitstekende dienslewering kombineer stiptelikheid, kwaliteit, en die
samestelling van die diens met die persepsie van waarde vir geld.
Betroubaarheid is die belangrikste van die vyf dimensies om die pasiënt se evaluasie
van die kwaliteit van diens te bepaal. Aangesien die tasbare eienskappe dikwels die
enigste element van die diens is wat voortydig deur die pasient evalueer kan word, behoort bestuurders baie aandag daaraan te bestee ten einde 'n positiewe beeld te weerspieël.
Aangesien pasiënte toenemend meer ingelig is, behoort praktyke voortdurende
navorsing te doen om hulle strategies op te skerp vir die lewering van kwaliteit diens.
Praktyke moet nie net slegs die huidige verwagtinge van hul pasiënte verstaan nie,
maar ook die verlangde toekomsverwagtinge.
'n Sleutelaspek vir toekomstige navorsing is die verhouding tussen interne
dienskwaliteit en eksterne kliëntbevrediging, asook die werknemer se oriëntasie tot
dienslewering en eksterne dienskwaliteit.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/18187
Date12 1900
CreatorsSnyman, Christine
ContributorsButler, Martin, Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. Graduate School of Business.
PublisherStellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Source SetsSouth African National ETD Portal
Languageen_ZA
Detected LanguageUnknown
TypeThesis
RightsStellenbosch University

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