HELPQUAL scale for measuring the quality of farmers helpline services

Abstract

ABSTRACT Purpose The study was aimed at measuring farmers’ helpline services quality in India using a standardized multi-factor scale (HELPQUAL) developed as part of this study. Design/methodology/approach The present study is based on 360 farmers' and 45 experts' responses gathered using telephonic interviews and mailed questionnaires during the year 2021–22. The principal axis exploratory factor analysis, parallel analysis and Likert scaling were utilized to assess the scalability of items and identify underlying factors. Findings The 19 item HELPQUAL consisting of four factors, namely dependability, accessibility, understandability and communication effectiveness, was developed. The reliability of the overall scale was excellent (α = 0.908), whereas the factor-wise reliability was excellent to acceptable (i.e. α = 0.918 to 0.72). The convergent validity of the scale was also excellent (0.819). Practical implications The HELPQUAL scale developed is the first to measure the quality of agricultural helpline services. There are several farmers’ helpline services across the globe, however, no standardized scale has been developed to date for measuring their quality. Moreover, HELPQUAL is highly sector-specific, and factors like accessibility and understandability are different from the dimensions of generic SERVQUAL and SERVPERF scales. Therefore, it is advantageous and appropriate in the quality evaluation of agricultural extension services. Originality/value This study provides the first standardized scale for measuring the quality of farmers’ helpline services. Theoretical implications This study supports the argument that widely used SERVEQUAL and SERVPERF scales and their dimensions lack universal applicability in service quality measurement.