6-1
Part 3
UNDERSTANDING
CUSTOMER
REQUIREMENTS
6-2
Provider Gap 1
Key Factors Leading to Provider Gap 1 6-3
Chapter6-4
Listening to Customers
through Research 6
Using Marketing Research to Understand
Customer Expectations
Elements in an Effective Services Marketing
Research Program
Analyzing and Interpreting Marketing Research
Findings
Model Services Marketing Research Programs
Using Marketing Research Information
Upward Communication
McGraw-Hill/Irwin Copyright © 2009 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
6-5
Objectives for Chapter 6:
Listening to Customers through Research
Present the types of and guidelines for marketing
research in services.
Show how marketing research information can and
should be used for services.
Describe the strategies by which companies can
facilitate interaction and communication between
management and customers.
Present ways that companies can and do facilitate
interaction between contact people and
management.
Common Research Objectives for Services 6-6
To discover customer requirements or expectations for
service.
To monitor and track service performance.
To assess overall company performance compared with
that of competition.
To assess gaps between customer expectations and
perceptions.
To identify dissatisfied customers, so that service recovery
can be attempted.
To gauge effectiveness of changes in service delivery.
To appraise the service performance of individuals and
teams for evaluation, recognition, and rewards.
To determine customer expectations for a new service.
To monitor changing customer expectations in an industry.
To forecast future expectations of customers.
Criteria for an Effective Service Research 6-7
Program
Includes both qualitative and quantitative research
Includes both expectations and perceptions of customers
Balances the cost of the research and the value of the
information
Includes statistical validity when necessary
Measures priorities or importance of attributes
Occurs with appropriate frequency
Includes measures of loyalty, behavioral intentions, or
actual behavior
6-8
Stages in the (Marketing) Research
Process
STAGE STAGE STAGE STAGE STAGE STAGE
1: 2: 3: 4: 5: 6:
Define Develop Implement Collect Interpret Report
Problem Services Research and and Findings
and Research Measurement Program Tabulate Analyze
Objectives Strategy Data Findings
Elements in an Effective Customer Research Program for 6-9
Services
6-10
Sample Questions for Critical Incident Studies 6-11
Think of a time when, as a customer, you had a
particularly satisfying (dissatisfying) interaction with an
employee of ______________.
When did the incident happen?
What specific circumstances led up to this situation?
Exactly what was said and done?
What resulted that made you feel the interaction was
satisfying (dissatisfying)?
6-12
SERVQUAL Attributes 6-13
RELIABILITY
Providing service as promised
Dependability in handling customers’ service problems
Performing services right the first time
Providing services at the promised time
Maintaining error-free records
RESPONSIVENESS
Keeping customers informed as to when services will be performed
Prompt service to customers
Willingness to help customers
Readiness to respond to customers’ requests
ASSURANCE
Employees who instill confidence in customers
Making customers feel safe in their transactions
Employees who are consistently courteous
Employees who have the knowledge to answer customer questions
EMPATHY 6-14
Giving customers individual attention
Employees who deal with customers in a caring
fashion
Having the customer’s best interest at heart
Employees who understand the needs of their
customers
Convenient business hours
TANGIBLES
Modern equipment
Visually appealing facilities
Employees who have a neat, professional appearance
Visually appealing materials associated with the
service
Data gathered through a SERVQUAL survey can be used 6-15
for a variety of purposes:
To determine the average gap score (between customers’
perceptions and expectations) for each service attribute.
To assess a company’s service quality along each of the
five SERVQUAL dimensions.
To track customers’ expectations and perceptions (on
individual service attributes and/or on the SERVQUAL
dimensions) over time.
To compare a company’s SERVQUAL scores against those
of competitors.
To identify and examine customer segments those differ
significantly in their assessments of a company’s service
performance.
To assess internal service quality (that is, the quality of service
6-16
6-17
6-18
Elements in an Effective Customer Research Program 6-19
for Services
6-20
6-21
• Analyzing and Interpreting marketing research finding 6-22
• When analyzing data (whether from questionnaires, interviews,
focus groups, or whatever), always start from review of your
research goals, i.e., the reason you undertook the research in the
first place.
Basic analysis of "quantitative" information
Tabulate the information, i.e., add up the number of ratings,
rankings, yes's, no's for each question.
Basic analysis of "qualitative" information
-Read through all the data.
-Organize comments into similar categories,
-Label the categories or themes,
-Attempt to identify patterns, or associations and causal
relationships in the themes,
-Keep all commentary for several years after completion in case
needed for future reference.
Interpreting information 6-23
-Attempt to put the information in perspective, e.g., compare results to
what you expected, promised results; management or program staff;
any common standards for your products or services; original goals;
indications or measures of accomplishing outcomes or results;
description of the program's experiences, strengths, weaknesses, etc.
-Consider recommendations to help employees improve the program,
product or service; conclusions about program operations or meeting
goals, etc.
-Record conclusions and recommendations in a report, and associate
interpretations to justify your conclusions or recommendations.
Reporting Results
-The level and scope of content depends on to whom the report
is intended, e.g., bankers, employees, clients, customers, the
public, etc.
Be sure employees have a chance to carefully review and
discuss the report.
Upward Communication 6-24
Objective for upward communication
Exhibit 6.3 shows the major research objectives for improving
upward communication in an organization.
Type of interaction or Research objective Qualitative
research /quantitative
Executive visits to To gain firsthand knowledge about Qualitative
customers customers
Executive listening To gain firsthand knowledge about Qualitative
customers
Research on To gain in depth information on end quantitative
intermediate customers customers
Employee internal To improve internal service quality quantitative
satisfaction surveys
Employee visits or To gain firsthand knowledge about Qualitative
listening employees
Employee suggestions To obtain ideas for service improvements Qualitative
These objectives can be met by two 6-25
types of interactive activities in the organization:
one designed to improve the type and effectives of
communications from customers to management, and
the other designed to improve communications
between employees and management.
6-26
Upward Communication
Research for upward communication
Executive visits to customers
Executive or management listening to customers
Research on intermediate customers
Research on internal customers
Executive or management listening approaches
to employees
Employee suggestions
Critical Service Encounters Research 6-27
Goal:
understanding actual events and behaviors that
cause customer dis/satisfaction in service
encounters
Method:
Critical Incident Technique
Data:
stories from customers and employees
Output:
identification of themes underlying satisfaction
and dissatisfaction with service encounters
6-28
Sample Questions for Critical
Incidents Technique Study
Think of a time when, as a customer, you had a
particularly satisfying (dissatisfying) interaction
with an employee of ______________.
When did the incident happen?
What specific circumstances led up to this
situation?
Exactly what was said and done?
What resulted that made you feel the interaction
was satisfying (dissatisfying)?
