Customer-perceived Service Research Articles

Family Business in the Middle East: An Eexploratory Study of Retail Management in Kuwait and Lebanon

The Middle East is a growing, lucrative marketplace that has recently captured the interest of the world for political as well as economic reasons due to the War in Iraq, which began in 2003. This exploratory study examines the relationship between retail small/medium enterprises (SMEs) that are family business owned, organizational commitment, and management and employee perceptions of customer service on a number of dimensions. The results suggest that managers and employees of family-owned businesses in the Middle East behave in ways similar to those in Western countries; however, there are differences, probably related to cultural characteristics. The Middle East is a richly diverse region, a myriad of unique cultures. As the market becomes more sophisticated, the importance of service quality increases. Global retailers can benefit from this study by better understanding the managers and employees in the region and the pivotal role of the family on business. Implications for practice are discussed.

Comparing hospital staff and patient perceptions of customer service: a pilot study utilizing survey and focus group data

The measurement of patient satisfaction is crucial to enhancing customer service and competitive advantage in the health-care industry. While there are numerous approaches to such measurement, this paper provides a case study which compares and contrasts patient and staff perceptions of customer service using both survey and focus group data. Results indicate that there is a high degree of correlation between staff and patient perceptions of customer service based on both survey and focus group data. However, the staff and patient subgroups also provided complementary information regarding patient perceptions of their service experience. Staff members tended to have more negative perceptions of service attributes than did the patients themselves. The focus group results provide complementary information to survey results in terms of greater detail and more managerially relevant information. While these results are derived from a pilot study, they suggest that diversification of data sources beyond patient surveys may enhance the utility of customer service information. If further research can affirm these findings, they create exciting possibilities for gathering valid, reliable and cost-effective customer service information.

Identifying purchase perceptions that promote frequent e-commerce buying

This research identifies the factors that may influence the e-commerce buying patterns of consumers. We surveyed 190 adults to examine consumers' demographic characteristics and purchase perceptions as they are applied to the frequency of e-commerce buying. Results showed that younger and better educated shoppers that possess computer and internet experience are more prone than other shoppers to buy items over the internet. An elevated number of children in the household were also found to increase shoppers' propensity to make e-commerce purchases. Additionally, the four purchase perceptions of customer service, shopping experience, consumer risk and product perception were all found to influence buying patterns. Shopping experience, which includes a mixture of effort, lifestyle compatibility, and enjoyment, was found to be most prominent.

An exploratory study of SME management in the Middle East

The Middle East is a growing, lucrative marketplace that recently has captured the interest of the world for political as well as economic reasons with the War in Iraq in 2003. This exploratory study examines the relationship between retail small/medium enterprises (SMEs) management and employee perceptions of customer service on a number of dimensions. The results suggest that managers and employees in the Middle East behave in similar ways to those in western countries, but there are differences, probably related to cultural characteristics. The Middle East is a richly diverse region, a myriad of unique cultures. As the market becomes more sophisticated, the importance of service quality increases. Global retailers can benefit from this study by better understanding the managers and employees in the region that are vital to their success. Implications for practice are discussed.

Perceptions of Customer Service, Information Privacy, and Product Quality From Semiotic Design Features in an Online Web Store

The rise of the World Wide Web for electronic commerce has led to a proliferation of companies selling products online. The global nature of the Internet allows customers to browse the products of companies with which they are wholly unfamiliar. However, concerns about customer service, information privacy, and product quality discourage purchasing from unknown companies. In this article, the effects of semiotic Web design features on expectations of these performance criteria in a purchase situation are investigated. Specifically, the presence and prominence of links to customer service and a site privacy policy, and the existence of product ratings and customer testimonials, were tested to measure their effects on customer perceptions and expectations. Results indicate that some design features have a strong semiotic effect on customer expectations. Prominent links to customer service and a site privacy policy significantly increased expectations of customer service and privacy protection. The presence of product ratings increased perceptions of product quality. All 3 design features led to increased likelihood of purchase. Furthermore, participants were not aware of these effects and reported not considering product ratings in their decisions. Implications of these results on Web site design and consumer behavior are discussed.

Customers' views of the results of managing quality through ISO 9002 and Investors in People in leisure services

Many UK local authorities manage the quality of their leisure services through ISO 9002, the international quality assurance standard, and Investors in People, the UK standard for people management. However, little is known about the ability of these two standards to affect customer perceptions of service in these contexts. The paper reports primary research that compared customer perceptions of service in cases registered to these different standards. It was found that customers of the IiP registered cases scored these leisure facilities more highly as compared to customers of the ISO 9002 registered cases. This was true both for employee related service elements and for the tangibles and processes which are the focus of ISO 9002.

The development of shared values: Impact on employee behaviour and on customer perception of service

Diversity of employees in the workforce is increasingly becoming a feature of South African business. Current debate in South Africa has concerned the marginalisation of groups of employees who, historically, have never been part of establishing existing corporate cultures, and accordingly, it has been argued that tensions exist in the workplace with a related negative impact upon company performance. The main aim of this exploratory study was to investigate whether the negotiated values system operating at a South African marketing and communications company impacts on decision making, cultural interaction and behaviour towards fellow employees and customers. A second aim of the study was to investigate whether the list of negotiated values at the company could be clustered into values categories for possible consideration by other organisations. The findings of the study appear to indicate that the negotiated values system positively impacts upon decision making in the company and upon employee behaviour both towards fellow employees and towards customers. The system also facilitates interaction and understanding amongst culturally diverse employees. It is also possible to cluster the values into four values categories that govern behaviour in different areas namely behavioural. interpersonal, developmental and team building values. It is concluded that the negotiated values system might be indicated as an effective tool for managing employee diversity in South African companies, both for the internal working together of employees and for the promotion of effective customer service.

Touching the Customer by Understanding Employees: Preliminary Linkage Research Findings from Four Regions of Kaiser Permanente

This study used data from four Kaiser Permanente Regions to examine the relations between employee opinions, customer opinions, and business performance. The preliminary questions we asked regarded whether facilities in which employees expressed more favorable work attitudes were also facilities which 1) had more satisfied members; 2) had better financial performance; 3) had more members; and 4) served more patients. Generally speaking, employee opinions were strongly and positively related to customer (member) opinions. More specifically: • Customer satisfaction is most related to employee opinions of doctors, organizational flexibility, and training for customer service. • Employee perceptions of doctors are very strongly related to customer perceptions. • Customer ability to see their provider is the customer’s window into the operational effectiveness of that location. • Service training is also strongly related to customer service perceptions in general, even the perceptions specifically about the physicians. Unfortunately, clear links were not found between either employee or customer opinions and business performance (eg, financial measures). We continue to examine these relationships, and others, in an attempt to further our understanding of these complex issues. We hope to report these results in future issues of The Permanente Journal. Note: These early findings represent a first step toward understanding the relationships between what employees think and how Kaiser Permanente performs. Future submissions to The Permanente Journal will report additional findings, including specific examination of the relation between employee opinions and the STAR Care Index as well as a companion article that provides the practical implications of this work, written by senior Human Resources executives within Kaiser Permanente.

DO SITUATIONAL VARIABLES ACT AS SUBSTANTIVE CAUSES OF RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCE VARIABLES? TWO LARGE‐SCALE TESTS OF “COMMON CAUSE” MODELS

James, Demaree, Mulaik, and Ladd (1992) proposed that situational variables may act as substantive (“common”) causes of relationships between individual difference variables as well as statistical artifacts (i.e., measurement unreliability) associated with these variables, thus invalidating assumptions of current validity generalization/meta‐analysis procedures. In this investigation, we report the results of two large‐scale studies designed to test hypothesized relationships derived from two “common cause” models. Study 1 examines relationships between store‐level organizational climate variables and employee satisfaction and performance variables for 33,097 sales personnel in 537 retail stores. Study 2 investigates relationships between store‐level situational constraints and customer service perception and shopping variables for 31,611 customers from 564 retail stores. The results of these studies did not support the proposition that situational variables act as substantive causes of correlations among the respective employee and customer variables or the variances and reliabilities of these variables. The implications of these findings for meta‐analyses in applied psychology as well as the generalizability of the findings are discussed.

A “sea change” at Do It All: how it seems to have got its act together, surprising me, my wife and a builder

Written from a customer point of view and using the example of a large DIY chain store, describes how a culture change made a significant narrowing of the gap between desired and perceived customer service. Uses a model described by Parasuraman et al.

Aggregate Complaint Analysis

Provides an outline for implementing a defensive marketing strategy. Advocates a procedure which combines aggregate complaint analysis and a quality function development tool known as the House of Quality. The combination of these procedures allows marketers to identify common customer complaints and to assess the synergy between different combinations of service attributes. Then measures customer perception of service attribute combinations for changes in satisfaction level. Argues that the development of a complaint management program can positively contribute to the firm′s competitive advantage.

The Perception of Customer Service at the Drug Wholesaler-Independent Retail Pharmacist Interface

This study compared independent retail pharmacists and drug wholesaler representatives preceptions of the importance of and satisfaction with customer services. MANOVA indicated that drug wholesalers perceived customer services as both more important and more satisfactory than independent retail pharmacists. Service relevancy matrices were constructed from the ratings of importance and satisfaction to provide a classification of the customer services into responsive, desired, unvalued, and marginal service categories. The matrices indicated that pharmacists and drug wholesalers classified 21 of the 35 services similarly.

The Perception of Customer Service at the Drug Wholesaler-Independent Retail Pharmacist Interface

This study compared independent retail pharmacists and drug wholesaler representatives preceptions of the importance of and satisfaction with customer services. MANOVA indicated that drug wholesalers perceived customer services as both more important and more satisfactory than independent retail pharmacists. Service relevancy matrices were constructed from the ratings of importance and satisfaction to provide a classification of the customer services into responsive, desired, unvalued, and marginal service categories. The matrices indicated that pharmacists and drug wholesalers classified 21 of the 35 services similarly.

Do customer service perceptions generalize? The case of student and chair ratings of faculty effectiveness.

We conceptualize faculty classroom behavior as service delivery and show that student (customer) evaluations of service effectiveness generalize to chairs' ratings of faculty effectiveness in other facets of the faculty role. We compared students' ratings of 132 professors in the classroom with their chairs' ratings of them in seven other roles. Findings suggest that students' ratings of faculty classroom behavior cluster with chairs' ratings of faculty colleagueship and service and that this cluster is relatively independent of chairs'ratings of faculty publication record, grant support, and professional activity. Results are interpreted in light of Gouldner's (1958a, 1958b) local-cosmopolitan distinction. Some implications for research on faculty effectiveness and customers' evaluations of service are presented.

Do customer service perceptions generalize? The case of student and chair ratings of faculty effectiveness.

We conceptualize faculty classroom behavior as service delivery and show that student (customer) evaluations of service effectiveness generalize to chairs' ratings of faculty effectiveness in other facets of the faculty role. We compared students' ratings of 132 professors in the classroom with their chairs' ratings of them in seven other roles. Findings suggest that students' ratings of faculty classroom behavior cluster with chairs' ratings of faculty colleagueship and service and that this cluster is relatively independent of chairs'ratings of faculty publication record, grant support, and professional activity. Results are interpreted in light of Gouldner's (1958a, 1958b) local-cosmopolitan distinction. Some implications for research on faculty effectiveness and customers' evaluations of service are presented.

User Perceptions of Customer Service

In assessing international marketing endeavours, it is essential to understand customer services as a function of the logistics structures of global organisations. Users form idiosyncratic perceptions of service, and these ultimately influence the survival of the organisation‐customer relationship. The process by which users form impressions of an organisation′s services and its apparent service deficits must be understood. Perceptions of service can vary on a global basis. An attempt is made to develop a framework that accounts for such variation as well as provide general guidance regarding user perceptions and misperceptions of customer service.

FLORISTS' PHYSICAL DISTRIBUTION CUSTOMER SERVICES IN THE MARKETING OF ROSES

Providing customers with excellent customer service creates a competitive advantage. In order to establish this, a ‘total chain approach’ must be followed, starting with the consumer. In this paper the cut flower logistical chain is partly analyzed by focusing on the consumer. A model -of the evaluation of customer service by consumers has been developed. In the model both consumers' perceptions of customer service offered, and consumers' customer service expectations are assumed to affect perception of customer service quality, which, in turn, affects consumer satisfaction/dissatisfaction. Survey analysis of Dutch consumers, with roses as the product under investigation, was used to quantify the relationships in the model with regard to customer service provided by specialist retail florists. The relationships in the model were analyzed by means of regression analysis. The insights in the use of customer service as a marketing instrument, obtained from this study, can be used in order to develop effective service programs throughout the floral distribution channel.

Interset Association between Measures of Customer Service and Market Response

Customer service is often described as consisting of a set of measurable elements. Similarly, market response to customer service may be viewed as consisting of a set of components which are measurable. Most published empirical studies of the relationship between customer service and market response, however, have represented market response through the use of a single measure. The results of an empirical study of interset association between two sets of measures, one representing the elements of customer service (measured in service levels) and the other representing various forms of market response, are reported. Canonical correlation analysis of data collected from 91 grocery channel dyads indicated (as expected) a closer association of market response with customer perceptions of customer service than with supplier perceptions of the same. Also presented, is the contribution of individual measures to the close association between market response and customer perceptions of customer service.

Employee and customer perceptions of service in banks: Replication and extension.

Abstract : Survey data from 142 employees and 968 customers from 28 branches of a bank were analyzed with the following results: (1) Moderate support was found for previous work on correlates of role stress for boundary role employees and good support was found for relationships between branch employees' and branch customers' service perceptions and attitudes; (2) Some significant relationships were reported between branch employees' perceptions of organizational human resources practices and branch customers' attitudes about service; and (3) employee attitudes and customer attitudes were related to their own and one another's turnover intentions. Results were discussed from the perspective of promoting an integration of consumer and organizational behavior in the service sector.

Employee and customer perceptions of service in banks: Replication and extension.

Employee and customer perceptions of service in banks: Replication and extension.