The Gap Model

in
Service Quality.

- Priyanka Nair

Slide 2007 by Christopher Lovelock and Jochen Wirtz

Services Marketing 6/E

Chapter 14 - 1

SERVICE
According to American Marketing Association, services can be defined
as activities, benefits and satisfaction which are offered for sale or
are provided in connection to sale of goods.
The various sectors that combine together to constitute service
industry in India are:

Hotels and Restaurants

Railways
Other Transport & Storage
Communication (Post, Telecom)
Banking
Insurance
Dwellings, Real Estate
Business Services
Personal Services
Community Services
Other Services

Slide 2007 by Christopher Lovelock and Jochen Wirtz

Services Marketing 6/E

Chapter 14 - 2

Today's..Customers are choosy !!

Todays consumer has become increasingly demanding. They not only
want high quality products but they also expect high quality customer
service.
Even manufactured products such as cars, mobile phones and
computers cannot gain a strategic competitive advantage through the
physical products alone.
From a consumers point of view, customer service is considered very
much part of the product.

Slide 2007 by Christopher Lovelock and Jochen Wirtz

Services Marketing 6/E

Chapter 14 - 3

With services you can make or break the

impression of a company easily

Slide 2007 by Christopher Lovelock and Jochen Wirtz

Services Marketing 6/E

Chapter 14 - 4

Customers compare the service they

'experience'
with
What they 'expect' and when it does not
match the expectation..
A GAP arises.

Slide 2007 by Christopher Lovelock and Jochen Wirtz

Services Marketing 6/E

Chapter 14 - 5

THE GAP MODEL

TheService Quality Model, also known as the GAP Model, was
developed by Parasuraman, Zeithalm and Berry in 1990. It highlights
the main requirements for delivering a high level of service quality by
identifying five gaps' that canleadto unsuccessful delivery of service.
The aim of this model is to:
Identify the gaps between customer expectation and the actual
services provided at different stages of service delivery
Close the gap and improve the customer service

Slide 2007 by Christopher Lovelock and Jochen Wirtz

Services Marketing 6/E

Chapter 14 - 6

Slide 2007 by Christopher Lovelock and Jochen Wirtz

Services Marketing 6/E

Chapter 14 - 7

GAP I: THE CUSTOMER GAP

The Customer Gap: The Gap between Customer
Expectations and Customer Perceptions
Customer expectation is what the customer expects according to
available resources and is influenced by cultural background, family
lifestyle, personality, demographics, advertising, experience with
similar products and information available online.
Customer perception is totally subjective and is based on the
customers interaction with the product or service.

Slide 2007 by Christopher Lovelock and Jochen Wirtz

Services Marketing 6/E

Chapter 14 - 8

YEAH!! I SAW THE

AD BIPASHA SABU
RECOMMENDING
IT..!! YOUR GYM
MUST BE GOOD

WELCOME TO OUR GYM.

OUR GYM IS SOO GOOD
THAT EXPERTS
RECOMMEND US!!

Slide 2007 by Christopher Lovelock and Jochen Wirtz

Services Marketing 6/E

Chapter 14 - 9

YEAH!! I I M NOT A
FAN OF
EXCERCISING! SAW
IN ADTHAT IN 2
WEEKS I COULD
LOOSE 5 KILOS AND
GET A PHYSIC LIKE
BIPASHA SABU

WE HAVE GOOD
FACILITIES, LATEST
EQUIPMENTS AND BEST
TRAINERS. PLUS OUR DIET
CHART IS A HIT

Slide 2007 by Christopher Lovelock and Jochen Wirtz

Services Marketing 6/E

Chapter 14 - 10

OH MY GOD!! DOES
SHE NOT KNOW
THAT SHE HAS TO
ACTUALLY
EXERCISE ! INDIAN
WOMEN DUH!

Slide 2007 by Christopher Lovelock and Jochen Wirtz

WHY IS SHE LOOKING

SO SURPRISED! THEY
HAD SAID IT IN AD !!
MOTHER WAS RIGHT
HONEY AND LIME IS
THE BEST!

Services Marketing 6/E

Chapter 14 - 11

GAP 2: THE KNOWLEDGE GAP

The Knowledge Gap: The Gap between Consumer Expectation and
Management Perception
If a knowledge gap exists, it may mean companies are trying to meet
wrong or non-existing consumer needs.
In a customer-orientated business, it is important to have a clear
understanding of the consumers need for service.
To close the gap between the consumers expectations for service and
managements perception of service delivery will require
comprehensive market research.

Slide 2007 by Christopher Lovelock and Jochen Wirtz

Services Marketing 6/E

Chapter 14 - 12

I DONT KNOW WHAT

HE WANTS..WE HAVE
GREAT FOOD AND
MUSIC TOO
HEY!! I HAVE BEEN WAITING
FOR A LONG TIME NOW, I CAME
HERE FOR A QUICK BITE BUT
YOU TOOK SOO LONG THAT MY
OFFICE MUST HAVE CLOSED
BY NOW!

Slide 2007 by Christopher Lovelock and Jochen Wirtz

OPENING A FANCY
RESTAURENT NEAR
AN OFFICE AREA
WASNT A GOOD
IDEA

Services Marketing 6/E

Chapter 14 - 13

GAP 3: THE POLICY GAP

The Policy Gap: The Gap between Management Perception and
Service Quality Specification
This gap reflects managements incorrect translation of the service
policy into rules and guidelines for employees.
This can also include poor service design, failure to maintain and
continually update their provision of good customer service or simply a
lack of standardization. This gap may see consumers seek a similar
product with better service elsewhere.

Slide 2007 by Christopher Lovelock and Jochen Wirtz

Services Marketing 6/E

Chapter 14 - 14

We carried out his

operation in half
the price and now
he wants all our
time too!

Slide 2007 by Christopher Lovelock and Jochen Wirtz

Services Marketing 6/E

Chapter 14 - 15

GAP 4: THE DELIVERY GAP

The Delivery Gap: The Gap between Service Quality Specification
and Service Delivery
This gap exposes the weakness in employee performance.
Organizations with a Delivery Gap may specify the service required to
support consumers but have subsequently failed to train their
employees, put good processes and guidelines in action. As a result,
employees are ill equipped to manage consumers needs

Slide 2007 by Christopher Lovelock and Jochen Wirtz

Services Marketing 6/E

Chapter 14 - 16

How I am supposed to
tell him that we dont
have much sheets and
the laundry guy didnt
come yet

Slide 2007 by Christopher Lovelock and Jochen Wirtz

Services Marketing 6/E

Chapter 14 - 17

GAP 5: THE COMMUNICATION GAP

The Communication Gap: The Gap between Service Delivery and
External Communications
In some cases, promises made by companies through advertising media
and communication raise customer expectations. When over-promising
in advertising does not match the actual service delivery, it creates a
communication gap. Consumers are disappointed because the promised
service does not match the expected service and consequently may
seek alternative product sources.

Slide 2007 by Christopher Lovelock and Jochen Wirtz

Services Marketing 6/E

Chapter 14 - 18

Yeah right! week four and I will be

like Sami Gautam..my foot. They
should just write cream instead of
fairness cream if it doesnt make
fair at all

Slide 2007 by Christopher Lovelock and Jochen Wirtz

Services Marketing 6/E

Chapter 14 - 19

STEPS THAT CAN BE TAKEN TO CLOSE GAPS

A clear understanding of the target market by market research,
interviewing, survey and complaint panel
Relationship marketing is used widely in companies to retain customers
by strengthening relations with them.
Service recovery are now used widely in which a well defined
complaint handling procedure is formed and the emphasis is on
empowering employees to react on the spot, in real time, to fix the
failure; sometimes it also involves a service guarantee or ways to
compensate the customer for the unfulfilled promise.
More infusion of technology in service operations.
Recruiting professionals with right skills and attitude, who understand
their role properly.

Slide 2007 by Christopher Lovelock and Jochen Wirtz

Services Marketing 6/E

Chapter 14 - 20