Q 1 Discuss the Capability Maturity Model Integration(CMMI)

Explanation of CMMI
CMMI constellations

CMMI maturity levels

Q.2 Explain the five dimensions of Service Quality given by Parasuraman, Zeithaml and
Berry, to evaluate the service gap.
Definition of Service quality

service quality relates to providing a total experience rather than only

basic services. Service quality is a comparison of expectations with performance. A
business with high service quality will meet customer needs whilst remaining economically
competitive. Improved service quality may increase economic competitiveness.
An assessment of how well a delivered service conforms to the client's expectations. Service
business operators often assess the service quality provided to their customers in order to improve
their service, to quickly identify problems, and to better assess client satisfaction.

In most generalized way the Quality term can be defined as The

inclusion of all specified features and characteristics as defined for
product or service and its ability to satisfy the given needs as per the
requirement of user while using it.11 A predictable degree of
uniformity & dependability to low cost and suited to the market (By Dr.
Edward Deming)12 . Quality is conformance to requirements. (Philips
Crosby)12 Quality is a degree to which a set of inherent
characteristics fulfills the requirements. [ ISO 9000]1
As per Parasuraman, Zeithaml & Berry the service quality13 is defined
as : Service Quality = Perception Expectation
Service quality is nothing but the difference between the service
expectation & service actually received by the customer.

Explanation of five dimensions of Service quality

According to Parasuraman, Zeithaml and Berry, there are ten

determinants that may have a considerable impact on determining the

service gap or difference. These dimensions are shown in Figure 2.1:

Competence: This refers to the possession of the essential skills and
understanding required to perform any service. Competence is one aspect
that creates a large difference between two similar services. For example,
competence of employees in handling customers at retail stores, especially
in adverse situations like customer grievance, may help the store maintain
its image and retain the customer. Lack of competence may not only affect
the business negatively but also harm the organisations market position
and image. An organisation may develop competence in several areas,
including knowledge and skill of employees, operational support system and
research abilities of the organisation.
Courtesy: This consists of politeness, consideration and friendliness of
service personnel towards customers. In addition, it also covers the
attention paid by service providers to customers assets and belongings. All
these aspects create a feeling of courtesy in the minds of customers and
provide an experience of high service quality.
Here are some examples:
When customers visit a retail store, they expect that there will be proper
parking arrangements for their vehicles. In such a case, the store
security guard at the gate should help customers by making proper
parking arrangements and ensuring a hassle-free parking system.
When customers enter the store, the sales staff should greet them
enthusiastically and provide a warm welcome.
Credibility: This includes factors like reliability, trust and honesty. In other
words, customers consider a service provider credible if it treats customers
best interests as high priority. A customer may associate the credibility

factor with the name of the organisation or brand, reputation of the

organisation and the characteristics of the employees. For example,
Microsoft Corporation is an American multi-national software
corporation
that develops, manufactures, licenses and supports a variety of
products
and services related to computing. It is also one of the world's most
credible
organisations.
Security: It refers to the customers feeling of being free from danger,
risk
or doubt. In other words, it includes physical safety, financial security
and
confidentiality that a service provider provides to a customer. It
enhances
the trust of customers. For example, no customer would like to deal
with an
insurance company that cannot guarantee the safety and security of

the
monetary possessions of its customers. For example, Life Insurance
Corporation of India (LIC) is the largest insurance and investment
company
in India that offers life insurance services. The slogan of LIC is
"Yogakshemam Vahamyaham" which means "Your welfare is our
responsibility".
Access: This refers to the service providers approachability and ease
of
contact with the customer. Access includes suitable office operation
hours
and locations. There are various situations when a customer needs to
get
assistance from service providers. For example, suppose you buy a new
Sony smartphone. However, you find it difficult to operate the handset.
In
such a situation, you may try to find a Sony service centre that can
help in
solving your problem. Now, if you do not get access to such a service
centre, it would create a poor impression in your mind about the
service
quality. To improve accessibility and company brand image, most
organisations provide 24 x 7 services through their customer-care
centres.
Communication: Communication as a dimension of service quality
refers
to informing customers in a language they are able to understand,
listening
to them carefully and providing them required solutions. For example,
various business process outsourcing (BPO) units adjust their
languages to
the varying needs of their customers. Service organisations may need
to
communicate with customers on various points, including explanation
of the
service, its cost and assurances to manage any problem that may
arise.
Knowing the customer: This refers to paying heed to customer
needs,
knowing them by their names and providing them undivided attention.
This
is a part of exceeding customer expectations. Today, many
organisations
working in the hospitality industry focus more on this aspect of service

to
maintain and improve service quality.
Tangible/Physical Evidence: It encompasses all the tangibles
involved in
the process of service delivery. It is mainly provided at the location
where
service is delivered to customers. Physical evidence allows customers
to
make judgments about an organisation. There are certain expectations
regarding physical evidence. For example, customers want a clean,
friendly
environment in a restaurant. Or in the business class section on an
airplane,
customers expect enough room to lie down.
Reliability: It is earned when the service performance is as per the
promises made and in a responsible manner. While determining the
reliability of any service organisation, performance accuracy, updated
records and properly-followed schedules are taken into account.
Therefore,
you can say that reliability is the ability to perform the promised
service in a
precise manner. For example, Domino's Pizza, an international
franchise
pizza-delivery corporation, is associated with the credibility of
delivering
pizzas in 30 minutes. In case a delivery is late, the product is provided
freeofcharge.
Responsiveness: It refers to the eagerness and enthusiasm of service
personnel, which result in customers getting prompt and timely
services. For example, McDonalds is not only known for its speed of
service, but the
employees at McDonalds are also trained to deal with customers in a
friendly and professional manner.
To summarise, according to Parasuraman, Zeithaml and Berry,
service
quality is determined by customers using various criteria like
credibility,
security,
access,
communication,
tangibles,
responsiveness,
competence
and reliability. After accounting for similarities across some of the
criteria,
the authors have consolidated them into five dimensions as shown in
Figure 2.2:

Let us now discuss these criteria.

Tangibles: While the nature of services is intangible, there are certain
aspects of services that customers can measure. For example,
customers
may assess service by the equipment used to provide the service, the
premises within which the service is offered and the employees who
provide
the service. Therefore, service providers need to ensure that they
provide
the right ambience and infrastructure to customers and that their
smart and pleasant employees offer high-quality service. Managing

tangibles like these

enables organisations to make a positive impression on not only
existing
customers but also on prospective and first-time customers. For
example,
Barista Lavazza, a coffee cafe chain and restaurant, manages its
tangibles
by maintaining a clean and hygienic shop-floor, an attractive decor,
premium-quality cutlery, soothing music, comfortable seating
arrangements
and friendly staff. Reliability: The service offered by an organisation
needs to meet the
expectations of customers consistently. It is only then that a customer
considers the service reliable and the organisation dependable.
Services
should be tested for their consistency before they are launched. They
should be monitored closely after their launch and management should
take
immediate steps if any unexpected service failures are observed. In
addition, the organisation should provide suitable infrastructure for
error-free
services. For example, if Domino's fails to deliver pizzas to customers
within
30 minutes, as promised by the company, it would be a case of
unreliable
service delivery. Similarly, IndiGo Airlines, a domestic and international
Indian airline, offers reliability to its customers by being on time and
providing affordable, on time and hassle-free operations.
Responsiveness: Service personnel should be prompt in attending to
customers and serving their requirements. Service personnel should
appear
enthusiastic and responsive to customers while being served by them.
The personnel should be especially attentive during problem situations
when the
customer has complaints with service. Employees should be
empowered by
management to do all they can to help a customer in trouble.
Employees
who work with commitment and customer orientation should be
rewarded to
encourage similar behaviour among all the employees. The claim that
an
LG service personnel will attend to a complaint within 24 hours of a
complaint being launched is a good example of responsiveness.

Assurance: Service personnel should have a thorough knowledge of

the
service they are providing to customers. For example, sales executives
selling mutual funds should have complete information regarding the
expected returns and the tax implications of the investment. They
should be
able to provide useful and timely advice to customers. Their knowledge
and
confidence should also assure customers that the companys service is
dependable and trustworthy. Thus, assurance specifies the knowledge
and
friendliness of employees and how they convey competence, courtesy,
credibility and security to customers. For example, 1,423 cities covered
by
Maruti Suzuki service centres assure hassle-free service anywhere in
India.
Empathy: The service personnel of an organisation should be
accessible
and open to communication. They should empathise with customers
who
report problems and work quickly to resolve them. For example, when a
customer calls up a bank complaining that he/she has a problem with
his/her balance amount and needs to get it resolved immediately, the
customer care executive should understand the problem, ask relevant
questions and assure the customer of immediate action. He/she should
also
ensure that the problem is resolved at the earliest. Service personnel
should
consider customer complaints as an opportunity to interact with
customers,
understand their needs and improve the service offering.
Empathy includes criteria like access, communication and knowledge
about
customers. For example, Jabong.com, an Indian fashion and lifestyle
ecommerce
portal, has a well-structured 24x7 customer care department that
customers can contact regarding their order status, queries related to a
product, complaints, or feedback to the company. Today, in terms of
customer satisfaction, Jabong is among the top three e-commerce
companies in India.
Self
Q.3 SERVQUAL is a diagnostic tool that uncovers a firms broad weaknesses and strengths
in the area of service quality. It is very useful in measuring quality in service sectors. Discuss

the SERVQUAL concept in detail.

Definition of SERVQUAL
Explanation of SERVQUAL concept

Q.4 Explain the various reasons for Service failure and also the two types of service failure.
Explanation of service failure and its two types
Reasons for service failure

Q.5 Give reasons why providing high-quality service depends on efficient co-ordination
between different functional areas/departments of an organisation.
Explanation of the role of different departments in managing service quality
Steps in providing high-service quality

Q.6 Explain the various services provided by retailers. Also explain the various approaches
to service quality in retailing.
Services Provided by retailers
Approaches to service quality in retailing