Customer Expectations of Service

Agenda Level of Expectations Zone of Tolerance Factors influencing customer expectations of service

Consumer Expectations Pre-trial beliefs about a service that function as standards against which performance is judged.

Levels of Expectations Desired Service Adequate Service

Desired Service The service customers want or ‘hope to receive’ Adequate Service The standard of service customers are willing to accept

Zone of Tolerance Service performance may vary across providers, across employees from the same provider, and even with the same service employee. The extent to which customers recognize and are willing to accept this variation is called the zone of tolerance

Desired Service Adequate Service Zone of Tolerance

The Zone of Tolerance Adequate Service Desired Service Zone of Tolerance  Delights  Desirables  Musts

Factors That Influence Desired Service

Factors that Influence Desired Service Personal Needs --- states or conditions essential to the physical or psychological well being - -- physical, social, psychological, and funtional

Factors that Influence Desired Service Enduring Service intensifiers --- individual stable factors that lead the customer to a heightened sensitivity derived service expectations personal service philosophy

Factors That Influence Adequate Service

Factors That Influence Adequate Service Expectations Transitory service intensifers --- short-term, individual factors that make a consumer more aware of the need ofr service

Factors That Influence Adequate Service Expectations Perceived Service Alternatives---- As the number of alternatives increases, the level of adequate service increases and the zone of tolerance narrows

Factors That Influence Adequate Service Expectations Situational Factors Temporary changes in the normal state of things ---- tends to lower the level of adequate service expected and widen the zone of tolerance

Situational Factors Reason for purchase Consumer mood Weather Time constraints Emergency

Factors That Influence Adequate Service Expectations Self Perceived Service Role --- how well the customer perceives they are performing their own role in service delivery

Frequently Asked Questions About Customer Expectations What does a service marketer do if customer expectations are “unrealistic”? Should a company try to delight the customer? How does a company exceed customer service expectations? Do customer service expectations continually escalate? How does a service company stay ahead of competition in meeting customer expectations?