Service Quality Parameters Research Articles

Marketing Strategies & Service Excellence for Low-cost Airline in India

Despite poor financial performance of the airline industry for last many years, a select number of “no-frills” airlines have successfully stood out of the crowd due to their innovative service quality management and unique marketing strategies. These efforts have led to higher customer satisfaction and stronger brand image of the companies. A study was recently conducted to capture the customer expectations from Low Cost Carrier (LCC) companies and identify service excellence parameters as tools for marketing. Based on standard service quality and performance parameters adapted to the low-cost airlines in India, a set of basic as well as desirable parameters were identified that LCC companies should address to be competitive and successful. It was also apparent that the airline should be clear about what it wants to offer to its customers and should communicate and deliver what it has promised. Role of technology in improving customer satisfaction and brand image has been explored. Marketing communication strategies that are practically feasible and work best for such airlines have been identified. Caselet of Indigo Airlines as a successful LCC in India has also been taken up. This paper presents facts mainly based on qualitative analysis and basic statistical computations on the collected primary data.

GOS: a global optimal selection strategies for QoS-aware web services composition

Services composition technology provides a promising way to create new services in services-oriented architecture. However, some challenges are hindering the application of services composition. One of the major challenges encountered by composite services developer is how to effectively select a set of services across different autonomous regions (e.g., organization or business) to instantiate a composite service which can satisfy user's QoS constraints. To solve QoS-aware Web service composition problem, this paper proposes a global optimization selection (GOS) approach based on prediction mechanism for QoS values of local services. The GOS includes two parts. First, the local preprocessing service selection algorithm can be used to increase composite services performance in run-time by predicting the change of service quality parameters. Second, GOS aims at enhancing the run-time performance of global selection by reducing QoS aggregation operations. The simulation results show that the GOS has excellent selection and lower execution cost than existing approaches.

Implementing QoS in SIEPON

Worldwide traction for EPON has led to the development of the Service Interoperability in EPON (SIEPON) specification. This standard is being developed to ensure EPON equipment from different vendors will interoperate not just at the physical layer, but at higher service layers as well. One of the main aspects that SIEPON addresses is the establishment of QoS in EPON. The QoS service parameters include bandwidth assignment to subscriber traffic, frame delay, frame delay variation, and frame loss ratio. The guarantees implied by these parameters are needed for operators deploying time- and delay sensitive real-time services such as IPTV, VoIP, and circuit emulation. The SIEPON standard defines a flexible EPON service path (ESP) that enables operators to configure bandwidth-related service quality parameters to which EPON devices adhere. In this article, we describe how QoS is realized in EPON using the ESP and other concepts defined in SIEPON.

Evaluating frequent flyer programs from the air passengers' perspective

Frequent flyer programs are used as a common strategy in the airline industry. They can be defined as a service quality attribute that consists of some redemption of free flight miles and can determines the selection of airlines. It has been argued that they can act as an entry barrier, but limited attention has been paid to assessing the impact of this strategy on passengers’ perceptions of service. They are generally part of broad airline service quality parameters and thus can creates dilemmas for airline managers, passengers and regulators regarding their added value, costs and competitive effects on industrial organization.

Excellency in banking services - A new road map for banks in the emerging new competition

The widening gap between desirability and availability is becoming a major cause of dissatisfaction in the banking industry. The bridging of this gap is one of the solutions to make the customers delight. The present study analyzes the widening gap between desirability and availability regarding reliability, accuracy, confidentiality, flexibility, e-channels, high attention to customers, low service charges and overall satisfaction of customers in three bank groups i.e. public sector banks, Indian private sector banks and foreign banks. The survey was conducted in Chandigarh in the month of October, 2008. Three banks have been selected one each from three bank groups; PNB from public sector banks, HDFC bank from Indian Private Sector banks and Amro bank from foreign banks have been taken for consideration. On the basis of five point Likert type scale, survey concludes that desirability regarding all the parameters is very high as compared to availability of banking services and on the basis of this empirical survey, study recommends some measures to bridge this gap between the D/A of service quality parameters in the banking sector in the emerging competition.

HTTP Traffic Model for Web2.0 and Future WebX.0

This article presents a method of estimation for HTTP traffic quality service parameters mean delay and lost packets percentage. This method, based on statistic measurements, includes simulation and analytical modeling. Statistical HTTP traffic models presented earlier take into account typical features of WEB2.0 Internet traffic, which were used for the simulation model. Developed universal simulation models make it possible to research service quality parameters under setting network conditions over a wide range considering Internet development. The presented analytical method based on batch packet arrival model allows an accuracy estimation of mean HTTP-packets delay in Core Router by simple calculations. Objective results of HTTP traffic quality service parameters can be used in QoS standard development for WEB traffic and model QoE standard development.

An integrated approach for performance enhancement in automobile repair shops

Performance management has been a topic of interest for academicians and practitioners. This paper aims at integrating fuzzy logic, data envelopment analysis (DEA) and fuzzy failure mode and effects analysis (fuzzy FMEA) for enhancing the performance in automobile (car) repair shops. A questionnaire with linguistic terms has been used to collect the data related to customer's perceived service quality and the perceptions are quantified using triangular fuzzy numbers. The weights for the service quality parameters considered are gained through analytical hierarchy process (AHP). Fuzzy perceived quality score is then calculated by combining the fuzzy numbers of criteria with the corresponding weights. Then the service performance is measured using DEA by considering both quantitative and qualitative measures. The results from DEA model provide the relative efficiency measure and efficient input/output targets for each repair shop. For further improvement of the service process, fuzzy FMEA is used to prioritise the potential failure modes. Based on the calculated fuzzy risk priority numbers (FRPN) remedial actions can be initiated.

Quantitative and qualitative research on service quality evaluation system in NGN

With the development of next generation network (NGN), reasonable service quality evaluation is essential in network management. Based on NGN service characteristics, this article presents a comprehensive service quality evaluation system from two perspectives: quantitative and qualitative. From the quantitative point of view, this article brings forward the normalized service level achievement function (NSLA function) at technical layer. Also, with mean opinion score (MOS) mode, it proposes customer satisfaction assessment methods at customer perception layer. From the qualitative perspective, a hierarchical model is established, which forms mapping relations from the upper customer perception to the lower service quality parameters, and then the influence of different service parameters on customer satisfaction degree can be denoted by the fuzzy analysis hierarchy process (FAHP) algorithm. Quantitative and qualitative evaluations together form a comprehensive solution which is universal, customer-oriented and flexible. Demonstrated by the representative voice service, the proposed system is proved reliable and applicable to service evaluation in NGN.

A conceptual framework of service quality in healthcare

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to determine the dimensions of service quality in Indian hospitals, from the perspectives of patients and their family members/friends (referred to as “attendants”).Design/methodology/approachBased on the existing models and the literature on healthcare services, a framework is proposed to conceptualize and measure hospital service quality.FindingsTwo instruments for measuring the dimensions of hospital service quality, one each from the perspective of patients and attendants, are proposed.Practical implicationsThis framework enables hospital managers to understand how patients and their attendants evaluate the quality of healthcare provided in respect of every dimension. A comparison of perceptions between patients and attendants would aid them to allocate resources to various aspects of healthcare, with respect to these two customer groups. Hospital administrators can use the instruments proposed to obtain feedback on their performance on service quality parameters so that they can benchmark themselves with their competitors.Originality/valueThis paper contributes to research on healthcare services by the development of a comprehensive framework for customer (both patient and attendant)‐perceived healthcare quality.

A Summary of Deliberations on Strategic Planning for Continuous Quality Improvement in Laboratory Medicine

On September 24-26, 2007, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention convened the 2007 Institute on Critical Issues in Health Laboratory Practice: Managing for Better Health to develop an action plan for change for the immediate and long-term future. A wide variety of stakeholders, including pathologists, pathologist extenders, clinicians, and researchers, examined means to improve laboratory service communication, quality parameters, and potential future laboratory contributions to health care. In this summary document, we present the identified gaps, barriers, and proposed action plans for improvement for laboratory medicine in the 6 quality domains identified by the Institute of Medicine: safety, effectiveness, patient centeredness, timeliness, efficiency, and equity. Five major recommendations emerged from concluding discussions and included focusing on preanalytic and postanalytic processes as areas of potential quality improvement and recruiting a multidisciplinary group of nonlaboratory stakeholders to work with laboratory personnel to achieve improvement goals.

Service Quality: Insights From The Indian Banking Scenario

The Indian banking industry is going through turbulent times. With the lowering of entry barriers and blurring of product lines of banks and non-banks since the financial sector reforms, banks are functioning increasingly under competitive pressures. Hence, it is imperative that banks maintain a loyal customer base. In order to achieve this and improve their market and profit positions, many retail banks are directing their strategies towards increasing customer satisfaction and loyalty through improved service quality. Moreover, with the advent of international banking, the trend towards larger bank holding companies, and innovations in the marketplace, customers have greater and greater difficulty in distinguishing and selecting one institution from another. Therefore the current problem for the banking industry in India is to determine the dimensions of customer-perceived service quality. This is because if service quality dimensions can be identified, service managers should be able to improve the delivery of customer perceived quality during the service process and have greater control over the overall outcome. The objective of the study was to explore the dimensions of customer perceived service quality in the context of the Indian retail banking industry. A set of service quality parameters, drawn from customers’ perceptions about service quality as well as the bank marketing and service quality literature, were drawn up. These parameters have been used in the context of four of the largest banks in India to identify the underlying dimensions of service quality, using factor analysis. The study suggests that customers distinguish four dimensions of service quality in the case of the retail banking industry in India, namely, attitude, competence, tangibles and convenience. Identifying the underlying dimensions of the service quality construct in the Indian retail banking industry is the first step in the definition and hence provision of quality service. This article has drawn upon the findings of the service quality dimensions to contend the initiatives that banks’ managers can take to enhance employees’ skills and attitudes and instill a customer-service culture.

Service Quality Dimensionality: A Study of the Indian Banking Sector

ABSTRACT The Indian banking industry is going through turbulent times. With the lowering of entry barriers and blurring product lines of banks and non-banks since the financial sector reforms, banks are functioning increasingly under competitive pressures. Hence, it is imperative that banks maintain a loyal customer base. In order to achieve this and improve their market and profit positions, many retail banks are directing their strategies towards increasing customer satisfaction and loyalty through improved service quality. Moreover, with the advent of international banking, the trend towards larger bank holding companies, and innovations in the marketplace, customers have greater and greater difficulty in selecting one institution from another. Therefore, the current problem for the banking industry in India is to determine the dimensionality of customer-perceived service quality. This is because if service quality dimensions can be identified, service managers should be able to improve the delivery of customer perceived quality during the service process and have greater control over the overall outcome. The objective of the study was to explore the dimensions of customer perceived service quality in the context of the Indian retail banking industry. A set of service quality parameters, drawn from customers' perceptions about service quality as well as the bank marketing and service quality literature were devised. These parameters have been used in the context of four of the largest banks in India to identify the underlying dimensions of service quality, using factor analysis. The study suggests that customers distinguish four dimensions of service quality in the case of the retail banking industry in India, namely, attitude, competence, tangibles and convenience. Identifying the underlying dimensions of the service quality construct in the Indian retail banking industry is the first step in the definition and hence provision of quality service. The paper has drawn upon the findings of the service quality dimensions to contend the initiatives that bank managers can take to enhance their employees' skills and attitudes and instill a customer-service culture.

Prioritization of Service Quality Parameters Based on Ordinal Responses

The importance attributed to service sector industries has become more pronounced in the post-globalization era and the trend continues unabated even today. In such industries, direct assessment of the service quality is often not possible and the measurement has to be made in terms of suitable surrogates through various parameters related to delivery, support, cost, billing, access, speed, response to queries, complaint redressal and so on. The SERVQUAL models and their extensions (Parasuraman et al., 1985, 1988, 1994a, 1994b; Zeithamal et al., 1993) have delved into the various facets of measuring service quality and the factors that influence the customer expectations and their perceptions. However, a concrete quantification of the ‘service gaps’ used in such models, is seldom found in the literature. As such, it is very much necessary to quantify the ‘service gaps’ and also to quantify the expectation of the service parameters as perceived by the customers. In the present paper, a prioritization methodology of the service quality parameters has been proposed for a service sector industry based on surveys carried out on both the internal, as well as, external consumers. The responses of the surveys are Ordered Categorical in nature. As such, the conventional statistical techniques based on continuous responses are not suitable or justified. Moreover, it appears that the use of ‘difference scores’ in SERVQUAL or similar instruments, contributes to problems with the reliability, discriminant validity, convergent validity and predictive validity of the measure (Van Dyke et al., 1999). The idea of a gap without constructing difference scores may be conceived by the RIDIT scores, which is a well known technique in Categorical Data Analysis (Bross, 1958; Fleiss, 1973, 1999; Agresti, 1984). The proposed methodology is expected to encompass any service sector industry with well-defined service quality parameters and can be used as an alternative approach to the SERVQUAL instrument.

State Space Merging Approach to Optimization of Push-Out Strategies in Packet Switching Networks

A new approach to optimization of push-out strategies in packet switching networks is proposed. It is based on the theory of state space merging in stochastic systems. Explicit formulas are derived for calculation of service quality parameters of different packets and algorithms for their optimization are proposed.