Assessing Perceived Quality in Industrial Service Settings:

Abstract

The development and application of a 22-item perceived service quality measure for the flight attendant segment of airline catering services is described. This ''performance-only'' scale emerges as a unidimensional measure with better psychometric properties than an alternative formulation based on ''performance x importance'' scores. Results of hypotheses tests provide evidence supporting the proposition that service performance exerts a significant influence on behavioral intentions via the mediating role of overall service quality perceptions. In addition, the study provides insights of a practical nature within an ongoing quality improvement environment. In particular, the measure provides actionable information for decision makers. Implications of the findings for researchers and industrial services marketers are discussed.