Service Quality

IS provide broader service than just h/ware, s/ware, installations, networks, training, etc.

  • How do you measure IS success?
  • 6 measurements
  • add service quality to the list

IS effectiveness

  • Definition:
    • multidimensional construct
    • no single measure for success
    • comparison between what the customer feels should be offered (perception and expectation) and what is provided
    • quality of service
    • users expectations vs actual IS service

6 measurements:

system quality

  • measures of information processing system
  • engineering-oriented performance characteristics

information
quality

  • measures information systems output
  • e.g. accuracy, precision, currency, timeliness, reliability of info
  • all tangible products have intangible attributes:
    • e.g. buy a car (tangible) but also a service in the form of transportation (intangible)
    • customer buys a computer (tangible) but requires system to satisfy their personal computing needs (intangible)

Key indicator for IS success:

  • quality of service as perceived by its users

user
satisfaction

use

  • Is supply:
    • installation assistance
    • product knowledge
    • software training
    • support
    • online help
  • These have impact on relationship between IS and users

Measure:

  • customer's expectations and perceptions of performance levels for a range of service attributes
  • difference between expectations and actual performance can be calculated and averaged
  • therefore gap between expectations and perceptions can be measured.

SERVQUAL

  • instrument to eval service quality
  • three parts:
    • measures expectations (22)
    • measures perceptions (22)
    • assess overall service quality (1)
  • good predictor of overall service quality

Five determinants of expected service:

  • word of mouth comms
  • personal needs
  • past experiences
  • comms by service provider to the user.

Expectations

IS dept expectations:

  • its comms influence expectations
  • IS can be shaper of expectations during systems development (what the finished system will do and how it will appear)

Challenge:

  • IS misinterpret users's requirements
  • IS gives users false impression of outcome of the system

individual impact

organizational impact

5 dimensions that is
evaluated by customers:

  • Tangibles
  • Reliability

ability to perform the service

  • dependably
  • accurately
  • Responsiveness
  • Willingness to help customers
  • prompt service
  • Assurance
  • knowledge and courtesy of employees
  • inspire trust and competence
  • Empathy
  • caring, individualized attention
  • physical facilities
  • equipment
  • appearance of personnel
  • system quality and info quality are product/production oriented
    • associated with particular software product
  • service quality affects use and user satisfaction

Expectations from users perspective:

  • users talk to each other and share their stories
  • users's personal needs (e.g. computer failure the day before a big presentation vs installation of a piece of software)
  • prior experience

Vendors also an influencer of expectations

  • vendors communicate to customers and want to sell products - highlight + aspects downplay issues e.g. system conversion, compatibility, integration with existing systems.
  • IS has no control over this comms.
  • can be a + force to make the users aware of what can be expected from IS

Perception

Service quality for each dimension is captured by a different score


G = P - E

  • G: perceived quality of the item
  • P: average rating of perceptions
  • E: average rating of expectations

Therefore: If expectations are > performance, then perceived quality < than satisfactory and hence customer dissatisfaction occurs

Divide tangibles in two dimensions:

  • Appearance
  • Hardware and software

Application on IT outsourcing

  • Important to note:
    • the client is paying the vendor for the service, when a project slip in schedule or fails to deliver certain desired functionalities, the vendor is inadvertently made the scapegoat for the failure.
    • Though the vendor plays a subservient role to the client, it is important to understand that for outsourcing to be successful, the onus for the project’s success or failure should be borne by both the client and the vendor.
    • vendor should realize that the client is heavily dependent on it for the successful execution of the project which can potentially impact the client’s performance in the competitive business environment.
    • client should realize that it should make sincere efforts to cooperate with the vendor by providing well thought out & realistic project plans, schedules, requirements, etc.
    • Every effort should be made by the vendor to garner maximum support and knowledge from the client such that it can deliver high quality services to the client.
    • An atmosphere of distrust, slackness, intolerance, and miscommunication would hamper the service quality of the vendor
  • Gap 1: Consumer expectation – management perception gap. This is understanding the difference between consumer expectations and management perceptions of the customer expectations (what they want versus what we think they want!).
  • Gap 2: Service quality specification gap. Where the gap between management perceptions of consumer expectations and service quality specifications that are required.
  • Gap 3: Service delivery gap. The difference of service performance between service quality specifications and the service actually delivered.
  • Gap 4: External communication gap. The difference of communications between service delivery and what is communicated about the service to customers.
  • Gap 5: Expected service – perceived service gap. The difference between expected service and perceived service from customers’ point of view.