Talk:SERVQUAL

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WikiProject into one tangible dimension and four intangible dimensions believed to align with the consumer’s mental map of service quality dimensions. But as these items are paired, the total number of items is 44 (22 X expectations plus 22 X perceptions)After administering the questionnaire, the researcher can calculate service quality (SQ) scores for each respondent, by subtracting expectations (E) from perceptions (P). Hence SQ= P-E.

The SERVQUAL questionnaire was developed following extensive research and a detailed conceptualisation of the antecedents and consequence of service quality. I question the relevance of including some of the early work, such as the ten dimensions - which were finally reduced to 5 dimensions that were found to be reliable and valid.

The term, SERVQUAL, does NOT refer to any model, any gaps or anything else. It simply refers to the QUESTIONNAIRE or RESEARCH INSTRUMENT.

2. The term, RATER, is a memnonic device, frequently used by students of marketing to help them recall the five dimensions of service quality. It is NOT an official name for the model of service quality or for the research instrument, known as SERVQUAL.

3. The MODEL OF SERVICE QUALITY (i.e the Gaps) helps to explain how service quality problems may arise. After identifying a service quality problem (typically by administering the SERVQUAL questionnaire to a sample of respondents) the model helps to diagnose possible causes of the problem. The questionnaire, SERVQUAL, measures 'GAP 5. All it can tell the analyst is the size of the service quality gap and the direction of the service quality gap (+ve or -ve). The questionnaire cannot tell you why there are service quality problems. The model is designed to help analysts search for possible causes of the problem.

In problem-solving parlance, the SERVQUAL instrument performs a PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION ROLE(i.e. detects and measures the size of the problem); while the MODEL OF SERVICE QUALITY has a diagnostic role (helps to identify possible causes of the problem.

SERVQUAL and the MODEL OF SERVICE QUALITY are related, but separate concepts. They should NEVER BE CONFUSED, as they have in this article. As it currently stands, this article is extremely misleading. I hope students of marketing are not relying on this material to help them write essays or study for exams. To do so, would be a sure fire recipe for failure!!!

I have made a small attempt to rectify the worst factual errors. I will try to fix this article in the forthcoming weeks. But it needs a lot of work and a complete reconceptualisation.

BronHiggs (talk) 08:07, 30 December 2016 (UTC)

SERVQUAL (instrument or scale) vs the Model of Service quality
As the article is at pains to explain, SERVQUAL is the term reserved for the RESEARCH INSTURMENT (I.E. QUESTIONNAIRE). It was developed in conjunction with the Model of Service Quality, which is one of a number of models used to conceptualise service quality. It is simply not correct to say that SERVQUAL is both an instrument and a model. It is just a research instrument.

The distinction between SERVQUAL (instrument or scale) and the Model of Service quality is an important one and needs to be made abundantly clear in this article. 175.32.56.121 (talk) 03:00, 1 June 2019 (UTC)