Showing papers on "Service level objective published in 2000"

Self-Service Technologies: Understanding Customer Satisfaction with Technology-Based Service Encounters

Abstract: Self-service technologies (SSTs) are increasingly changing the way customers interact with firms to create service outcomes. Given that the emphasis in the academic literature has focused almost exclusively on the interpersonal dynamics of service encounters, there is much to be learned about customer interactions with technology-based self-service delivery options. In this research, the authors describe the results of a critical incident study based on more than 800 incidents involving SSTs solicited from customers through a Web-based survey. The authors categorize these incidents to discern the sources of satisfaction and dissatisfaction with SSTs. The authors present a discussion of the resulting critical incident categories and their relationship to customer attributions, complaining behavior, word of mouth, and repeat purchase intentions, which is followed by implications for managers and researchers.

Service Management and Marketing: A Customer Relationship Management Approach

Abstract: The Service and Relationship Imperative: Managing In Service Competition. Managing Customer Relationships: An Alternative Paradigm in Management and Marketing. The Nature of Services and Service Consumption, and its Marketing Consequences. Service and Relationship Quality. Quality Management in Services. Return on Service and Relationships. Managing the Augmented Service Offering. Principles of Service Management. Managing Service Productivity. Managing Marketing or Market--oriented Management. Managing Total Integrated Marketing Communication. Managing Brand Relationships and Image. Market--oriented Organization: Structure, Resources and Service Processes. Managing Internal Marketing: A Prerequisite for Successfully Managing Customer Relationships. Managing Service Culture: The Internal Service Imperative. Conclusions: Managing Relationships and the Six Rules of Service. Index.

Service quality, profitability, and the economic worth of customers: What we know and what we need to learn

Abstract: In the past, expenditures on quality have not been explicitly linked to profits because costs and savings were the only variables on which information was available. More recently, evidence about the profit consequences of service quality stemming from other sources has been found. This article synthesizes recent evidence and identifies relationships between service quality and profits that have been and need to be examined. The article views the literature in six categories: (1) direct effects of service quality on profits; (2) offensive effects; (3) defensive effects; (4) the link between perceived service quality and purchase intentions; (5) customer and segment profitability; and (6) key service drivers of service quality, customer retention, and profitability. In each category, the author identifies what is known and then suggests an agenda of relationships needing validation and questions needing answers. The article is organized around a conceptual framework linking the six topics.

The determinants of perceived service quality and its relationship with satisfaction

Abstract: Deals with three issues in the area of perceived service quality. First, it compares the gap model with the performance model. Second, it investigates the direction of causality between service quality and satisfaction. Finally, it examines whether the influences of some dimensions of service quality vary across service industry types. Three service firms were selected and respondents were interviewed in each firm. As hypothesized, the performance model appeared to be superior to the gap model. In addition, the result shows that perceived service quality is an antecedent of satisfaction, rather than vice versa. Finally, tangibles appeared to be a more important factor in the facility/equipment‐based industries, whereas responsiveness is a more important factor in the people‐based industries. Managerial implications and future research directions are discussed.

Antecedents to satisfaction with service recovery

Abstract: Building on disconfirmation theory, equity theory and affect‐balance theory, considers antecedents to satisfaction with service recovery. A theoretical model is proposed and tested empirically based on a cross‐sectional national sample of 201 dissatisfied customers complaining of services. The results suggest that perceived performance of service recovery has an impact on equity. Second, disconfirmation of expectations of service recovery and perceived fairness of outcome of service recovery have an impact on satisfaction with service recovery. Finally, negative affect caused by the initial service failure does not have an impact on satisfaction with service recovery.

Service intangibility and its impact on consumer expectations of service quality

Abstract: Among the areas which need to be addressed in service quality research is the nature of consumer expectations across the range of intangibility. Previous research has compared consumers’ service quality expectations across services, but different groups of subjects were evaluated for each different service. The problem with using different subjects for each service is that the subject’s demographic characteristics may be responsible for the significant differences in expectations of quality. This research uses a controlled, repeated measures design where subjects were each asked to evaluate three services, varying in their degree of intangibility, over a ten week period. This made it possible to look at service quality expectations without risking the problem that demographics would account for most of the differences in the data. A classification matrix for services based strictly on the feature of intangibility is proposed. The managerial implications of this simplified classification scheme for services are discussed.

A Proposal to Assess the Service Quality of Online Travel Agencies: An Exploratory Study

Abstract: The importance of service quality in improving customer satisfaction and loyalty in traditional business settings has been established through the use of such instruments as SERVQUAL.54 However, these established service quality dimensions, or similar measures, have not been applied to electronic commerce settings. Using online travel services as a case study, an assessment tool, E-QUAL, was developed to evaluate the service quality of electronic commerce businesses from the consumers' perspective. In contrast to the existing Web site evaluation tools that focus on the “coolness” or level of “interactivity” of the site, E-QUAL is based on the proven conceptual framework of the SERVQUAL instrument and is adjusted for the unique attributes of the electronic commerce. The findings have theoretical and managerial implications for assessing quality of service for online companies.

International service variants: airline passenger expectations and perceptions of service quality

Abstract: The primary objectives of this study are to determine if consumer expectations and perceptions of airline service quality vary by nationality. The study also examines whether the relative importance attributed to service quality dimensions in domestic settings can be replicated internationally. An empirical examination of airline passengers is conducted for airlines competing on the transatlantic corridor using a survey instrument in three languages. The study is the first application of an existing model, SERVQUAL, to examine consumer expectations and perceptions in an international environment. It differs from earlier published SERVQUAL research in two significant respects; first, it applies the model internationally in a general classification of business, i.e. international airline service, rather than to individual domestic business enterprises. Second, it applies a portion of the SERVQUAL model to assess service quality by comparing the expectations and perceptions that European and US airline passengers have of both European and US airline groups.

Service behaviors that lead to satisfied customers

Abstract: Examines service provider behaviors that influence customer evaluation of service encounters. Develops a list of service provider behaviors relevant to customer evaluation of a service encounter. Examines performance of these behaviors in specific restaurant and medical transactions. Then examines the relationship between performance of each behavior and encounter satisfaction. Behaviors are grouped, using factor analysis from consumer surveys, into three dimensions: concern, civility, and congeniality. Each is defined using multiple behavioral measures. Measures include concepts not widely addressed in current services literature, including conversation, respect, genuineness, attitude, and demeanor. These dimensions and constituent behaviors provide a framework for future research and service training and management.

New service development : creating memorable experiences

Abstract: A Critical Evaluation of the New Service Development Process Integrating Service Innovation and Service Design The Contextual and Dialectical Nature of Experiences The Real-Time Service Product Conquering Customer Time and Space Exploiting the Service Concept for Service Design and Development Exploring the Link between Product and Process Innovation in Services Service Capacity Design with an Integrated Market Utility-Based Method Process Innovation in Knowledge-Intensive Services Design and Delivery of Electronic Services Implications for Customer Value in Electronic Retailing Information Technology Worker Systems in Structured and Unstructured Environments The Location Decisions of New Services Scripting the Service Encounter The Impact of Service Guarantees on Service Quality at Radisson Hotels Worldwide Service Recovery Models for Customer Selection

Customer Service Competition in Capacitated Systems

Abstract: We investigate a simple dynamic model of firm behavior in which firms compete by investing in capacity that is used to provide a good or service to their customers. There is a fixed total market of customers whose demands for the good or service are random and who divide their patronage between the firms in each period. Periodically, the market shares of the two firms can change based on the realized level of customer service provided in the prior period. We assume that the expected level of customer service can be expressed as a function of the (per customer) capacity of the firms' service delivery systems, and that service declines as the capacity decreases. The firms differ in their customers' willingness to defect when confronted by service failure. The primary issue we address is the firms' capacity decisions in response to customer service concerns and competitive pressure. We provide conditions under which the firms' optimal (i.e., equilibrium) capacity levels in a period are proportional to the size of their respective customer bases in that period. Further, we develop expressions for the value of a firm's customers and the implicit cost of service failure. Results for both single-period and finite-horizon problems are investigated and applied to two examples: (1) competition between Internet service providers who operate systems that we approximate by simple loss-type queueing models, and (2) competition between make-to-stock producers who operate systems that we approximate by newsvendor inventory models. For both examples, solutions are derived and interpreted.

Dynamic upgrade of quality of service in a packet switched network

Abstract: A system (2) and method for allocating system resources to provide a selected quality of service in a connection with data communications. A mobile user station (10) requests a first quality of service level for a data communication session. In response to a determination that system resources for providing the first quality of service level are unavailable, the system assigns resources for providing a second quality of service level for the data communication session. Thereafter, during the communication session, the system monitors the availability of system resources. If system resources for providing the first quality of service level become available, the system allocates the system resources for use by the user station and upgrades or downgrades the communication session accordingly.

Service level management

Abstract: Method and apparatus for service level management, wherein business processes are composed of services. A state of the service is defined by one or more service parameters, and the service parameters depend upon performance of network components that support the service, e.g., component parameters. The state of the service may depend, for example, on a collection of service parameter values for availability, reliability, security, integrity and response time. A service level agreement is a contract between a supplier and a customer that identifies services supported by a network, service parameters for the services, and service levels (e.g., acceptable levels) for each service parameter.

Foundations of Service Level Management

Abstract: Introduction. I: THEORY AND PRINCIPLES. 1. The Challenge. Mission Impossible. Divergent Views. Technical Challenge. What Is SLM? Pros and Cons. Other Service Providers. The Importance of SLM. Why Now? Summary. 2. The Perception and Management of Service Levels. Availability. Performance. Workload Levels. Security. Accuracy. Recoverability. Affordability. Summary. 3. Service Level Reporting. Audience. Types of Reports. Frequency of Reporting. Real-Time Reporting. Summary. 4. Service Level Agreements. The Need for SLAs. Functions of SLAs. Types of SLAs. SLA Processes. Summary. 5. Standards Efforts. IT Infrastructure Library. Distributed Management Task Force (DMTF) SLA Working Group. Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF)-Application Management MIB. Application Response Measurement Working Group. Summary. II: REALITY. 6. Service Level Management Practices. Lack of Common Understanding. Current Service Level Management Practices. Summary. References. 7. Service Level Management Products. Monitoring Tools. Reporting Tools. SLM Analysis. Administration Tools. Summary. III: RECOMMENDATIONS. 8. Business Case for Service Level Management. Cost Justifying Proactive Service Level Management. Quantifying the Benefits of Service Level Management. A Sample Cost Justification Worksheet. Summary. 9. Implementing Service Level Management. Planning the Rollout. Going Live with SLM. Following Through. Summary. 10. Capturing Data for Service Level Agreements (SLAs). Metrics for Measuring Service Levels. Methods for Capturing Service Metrics. Monitoring Individual Components and Aggregating Results. Inspecting Network Traffic for Application Transactions. End-to-End Service Level Measurement. Common Architectures and Technologies for Data Capture Solutions. Summary. 11. Service Level Management as Service Enabler. The Ascendance of IP. A Spectrum of Providers. The Importance of SLAs in the Service Environment. Different Strokes. Smart Implementation. Advice for Users. Advice for Service Providers. Summary. 12. Moving Forward. Establishing the Need for Service Level Management. Defining the Services to Be Managed. Communicating with the Business. Negotiating Service Level Agreements. Managing to the Service Level Agreement. Using Commercial Management Solutions. Continuously Improving Service Quality. Evolution of Service Level Management Standards. Evolution of Management Solution Capabilities. IV: APPENDIXES. Appendix A. Internal Service Level Agreement Template. About the SLA. About the Service. About Service Availability. About Service Measures. Appendix B. Simple Internal Service Level Agreement Template. Appendix C. Sample Customer Satisfaction Survey. Rating Service Quality. General Comments. Current Usage. Future Requirements. Optional Information. Appendix D. Sample Reporting Schedule. Daily Report. Weekly Report. Monthly Report. Quarterly Report. Appendix E. Sample Value Statement & Return on Investment (ROI) Analysis for a Service Provider Delivering an SAP Application. Summary of Value. Return on Investment (ROI) Value Areas. Benefit Areas. Return on Investment Analysis. Summary. Appendix F. Selected Vendors of Service Level Management Products. Glossary. Index.

System and method for automatically negotiating license agreements and installing arbitrary user-specified applications on application service providers

Abstract: A user contracts with an application service provider for hosting a needed application By contracting with a service provider the user may interact with the application by using only a thin client rather than maintaining a thick client The user rents an application from either the service provider or an independent application provider If the user procures the application from an application provider, the application provider negotiates hosting terms with the service provider prior to installing the application into the service provider's warehouse The application provider also checks that the services provided by the service provider meet the minimum requirements of the application Once installed, the service provider may offer the application to other users along with services for the application The user may procure additional services from the service provider for supporting the application A user can then dynamically download the application “on-demand”

An exploratory study of a multi‐expectation framework for services

Abstract: As conceptualizations of expectations in consumer evaluations continue to evolve, researchers have been exploring multiple levels of expectations in satisfaction and service quality evaluations. In 1993 Zeithaml, Berry and Parasuraman proposed that consumers use both desired and adequate expectations in service quality evaluations and a “zone of tolerance” separates these levels. This study extends the Zeithaml et alwork by investigating the zone of tolerance as it relates to consumer experience with the service provider, perceived competitive choice opportunities, and the essentialness of differing service dimensions. Results indicate that consumers readily distinguish between desired and adequate expectation levels; and understanding both expectation levels is important. Although perceptions of what a firm should offer remain relatively stable, perceptions of acceptable performance vary by service dimensions and as consumers acquire experience. In comparison with the traditional SERVQUAL framework, this multiple expectation conceptualization offers service marketers the opportunity to fine‐tune resource allocations.

Quality of work life and performance – An ad hoc investigation of two key elements in the service profit chain model

Abstract: Service profit chain is a well‐received model to explain the sustainable competitiveness of many service organizations. The model attributes a service organization’s financial and market performance to its relationships with its customers and employees. According to the service profit chain, internal service quality serves the foundation of the model and it ignites a chain effect leading to an organization’s growth and profitability in the end. The purpose of this study is to provide an ad hoc analysis of two key elements of the service profit chain. Specifically, this research explores the direct linkage between performance in growth and profitability and quality of work life, which is a proxy for internal service quality in the service profit chain model. The performance of companies with a reputation of high quality of work life were contrasted to a control group of S&P 500 companies using COMPUSTAT data.

Determinants of Relationship Quality and Loyalty in Personalized Services

Abstract: The study adopts a relationship perspective to examine and better understand customers' interactions with service firms' contact personnel, physical environment and customer environment and their influence on the relationship quality, that is trust and satisfaction, and consequently loyalty. The conceptual model, which integrates relational and evaluative perspectives, is validated in the Asian context of personalized service through findings from a survey of 325 respondents. The findings at the aggregate level indicate that while the physical environment is an important determinant of both trust and satisfaction in personalized service encounters, the customer environment influences only satisfaction but not trust. Service contact personnel's friendliness and knowledge of customers strongly influence relationship quality; while expertise, similarity and disclosure influence trust but not satisfaction. Both relationship trust and satisfaction were found to significantly influence loyalty to the service provider. At the disaggregate level, trust was found to be a stronger predictor of loyalty for high-end service providers while satisfaction was a stronger predictor of loyalty for low-end service providers. The implications for high-end and low-end service providers to enhance loyalty by strategically leveraging on key customer-firm antecedents of relationship trust and satisfaction are discussed.

Facilitating commerce among consumers and service providers by matching ready-to-act consumers and pre-qualified service providers

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for matching ready-to-act consumers and pre-qualified service providers. According to one aspect of the present invention, the Internet is used to attempt to solve communications problems and to achieve efficiency in Consumer-to-Business commerce transactions. Initially, a database of pre-qualified service providers is established. Then, a description of the consumer's needs may be extracted from a consumer using decision trees appropriate for the desired task. Subsequently, the consumer needs are packaged and presented to multiple service providers that meet a set of predetermined qualifications. The consumer needs may be presented, for example, by way of a set of heterogeneous communication devices depending upon preferences supplied by the service providers. For example, the set of heterogeneous communication devices may include facsimile, pager, mobile phone, home phone, office phone, Interactive Voice Response (IVR) unit, email, etc. The service providers may choose to submit a response for the consumer's needs or reject the task. After a sufficient number of responses have been received from the pre-qualified service providers, they are presented to the consumer. The consumer may then select from the pre-qualified service providers based upon one or more objective and/or subjective factors associated with the pre-qualified service providers. For example, objective service provider qualification information may be presented to the consumer along with the service provider responses. In addition, a database of consumer-generated service provider ratings and/or reviews may be maintained and made available for consumer queries.

Method and apparatus for processing quality of service measurement data to assess a degree of compliance of internet services with service level agreements

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for evaluating Service Level Agreements (SLAs) that describe the level of services that are to be provided to customers by Internet Service Providers (ISPs) or Enterprise Service Providers (ESPs). The method and apparatus are utilized to measure the quality of service being provided to customers and to determine whether or not the quality of service is in compliance with an SLA that characterizes the level of service to be provided to customers. Such services include, for example, electronic mail (e-mail), Voice-Over-IP (Voice Over Internet protocol), networking services and web hosting.

Features of service relationships and encounters

Abstract: This article explores the experiences of customers who receive service in relationships (customers who return to the same provider for service), pseudorelationships (the same organization but a different provider), and encounters (neither a regular provider nor a regular firm). We examined interactions with hairstylists, auto mechanics, and physicians to test hypotheses about customers' reactions to service delivery. Although customers respond particularly well to service relationships, based on our results for auto mechanics, it appears possible for firms to design pseudorelationships that also are relatively high in trust.

The Effect of Perceived Justice and Attributions Regarding Service Failure and Recovery on Post-Recovery Customer Satisfaction and Service Quality Attitudes

Abstract: This research examines the impact of attributions regarding service failure and recovery on the relationship between satisfaction and service quality by studying a service failure in the hospitalit...

Time-based monitoring of service level agreements

Abstract: A Time-Based Service Monitoring mechanism for monitoring Service Level Agreements (SLAs) over specific time intervals is described. To provide for the time-based monitoring of service, data is received for defining one or more tests for monitoring the level of network service that is being provided to a particular customer. Based on the received data, information is created and stored that defines a specific time range for when the one or more tests are to be enforced. The one or more tests are distributed to one or more agents that are configured to communicate with devices that are associated with the network. The devices are then configured to perform the one or more tests within the specific time range. Based on the results, the customer is provided information indicating whether they are receiving the level of service that has been guaranteed by the service provider over the specific time intervals.

An empirical analysis of management challenges in service factories, service shops, mass services and professional services

Abstract: This study presents an empirical snapshot of management challenges among different types of service industries (Service Factory, Service Shop, Mass Service, and Professional Service). Based on data collected (sample size = 273; response rate 97.5 percent) from the managers of four services (Fast Food, Auto Repair, Retail Sales, Legal Services) we show how management challenges change with customer contact/customization and labour intensity. These results have important implications for understanding “real life” service operations, for process improvement, and for service design.

Measuring perceived service quality using integrated conjoint experiments

Abstract: Proposes the use of integrated conjoint experiments to measure perceived service quality. It also demonstrates the process of modelling the hierarchical relations between operationally defined service attributes, strategically relevant service dimensions, and overall preference for banks or banking products. The proposed method, which is based on hierarchical information integration theory, avoids some of the limitations and problems of SERVQUAL and traditional conjoint analysis. The approach is demonstrated with an application to retail banks involving four service dimensions and 28 attributes. Conclusions are drawn about which dimensions and attribute changes will yield the strongest improvements in a bank’s utility and competitive position. The paper ends with a discussion of topics for further research.

System use internal service level language including formula to compute service level value for analyzing and coordinating service level agreements for application service providers

Abstract: The present invention describes a system for automatically monitoring and managing Service Level Agreements on behalf of Service Providers (such as Application Service providers). The system is based on a specialized SLA language that can translate complex or simple Service Level Agreements into measurable and controllable criterion. The system enables Application Service providers to set up customized Service Level Agreements with customers, and monitor, modify and control all aspects of these agreements, including billing, sales, Customer Relation Management, customer support and Quality of Service. The technology on which the present invention is based is a formula driven language that translates Service Level Agreement details into commands. As such these details can be tracked and processed to produce detailed reports and summaries.

Using service quality data for competitive marketing decisions

Abstract: Although there have been many research articles about how to measure service quality, how service quality perceptions are formed, what effect service quality has on behavior, and service quality’s financial impact, there has been little discussion to date of the potential impact of service quality on competitive marketing decisions. This paper considers directly the issue of how an analysis of the impact of comparative service quality can inform tactical marketing decisions in a competitive marketplace. We propose and empirically demonstrate a simple theoretical framework of how market share changes result from changes in service quality, by the focal firm and/or by a competitor. In addition we show how price changes trade‐off against changes in service quality, and how comparative customer value is affected by changes in service quality and/or price. Our framework enables us to evaluate the projected market share shifts produced by proactive changes in service quality and/or price, and also enables us to evaluate the projected effectiveness of reactions to competitors’ changes in service quality and price. For example, our framework suggests that a quickly‐implemented increase in service quality (rather than a matching price cut) may sometimes be an effective tactical response to a competitor’s price cut. We illustrate the implementation of our framework on actual longitudinal industry data. We show how the market share impact of changes in service quality and/or price can be projected, and how this information can be used to drive competitive marketing decisions.