Customer Expectaions
beliefs about service delivery that serve as standards or reference points against which performance is judged.
Types of expectations
desired and adequate
Desired Service
the level of service the customer hopes to receive, what they "wish for."
Adequate Service
the minimum level of service the customer will accept.
Zone of Tolerance
the extent to which customers recognize and are willing to accept. different customers possess different zones of tolerance: narrow or wider. vary for service dimensions.
Sources of desired service expectations
personal needs, personal service philosophy, and derived service expectations.
Personal needs
the physical or psychological well being of the customer, are pivotal factors that shape what customers desire.
Personal service philosophy
underlying generic attitude about the meaning of service and the proper conduct of service providers.
Derived service expectations
when customer expectations are driven by another person or group of people.
Sources of adequate service expectations
perceived service alternatives, situational factors, and predicted service.
Perceived service alternatives
other providers from whom the customer can obtain service.
Situational factors
include service performance conditions that customer view as beyond the control of the service provider.
Predicted service
level of service that customers believe they are likely to get.
Sources of both desired and predicted service expectations
explicit service promises, implicit service promises, word-of-mouth communication, past (personal) experience.
Explicit service Promises
personal and non-personal statements about the service made by the organization.
Implicit service promises
service related cues that lead to inferences about what service should be like.
Word-of-mouth communication
shaping expectations of service is well documented. social networking sites. very important in services that are difficult for customers to evaluate before purchase.
Past (personal) experience
the customer's previous exposure to service that is relevant to the focal service.
Issues involving customers' service expectations
unrealistic expectations,delighting customers, exceeding expectations, and escalate expectations.
Unrealistic expectations
customer expectations will be extravagant and unrealistic.
Delighting Customers
positive emotional state that results from having one's expectations exceed by a degree.
Exceeding expectations
delighting and surpassing them by giving more than they expect.
Escalate expectations
rise as quickly as service delivery or promise to rise.