1. Consumer Expectations of Services
Chapter 4
Zeithaml
Consumer Expectations of Services

2. Think of a……
public toilet in the malls of Dhaka versus a public toilet in the malls of Bangkok Any Difference??????

3. Think of a meal
@ Dhanshiri
Versus
@ Izumi

4. Possible Levels of Expectations: Effecting your assessment
Ideal: Everyone says its great
Normative “Should be good”: Its quite expensive, so should be good
Experience Based: Usually they are good, except if they are too busy
Acceptable: Service should be adequate (should do)
Minimum Tolerable: I know service is poor, but food is good and cheap

5. Consumer Expectations
Beliefs about a service delivery that serve as standards or reference points against which performance is judged.
Types of Expectations
Desired service: the level of service the customer hopes to receive
Adequate service: the level of service the customer will accept

6. Dual Customer Expectation Levels
Desired Service
Zone of
Tolerance
Adequate Service

7. The Zone of Tolerance
The extent to which customers recognize and are willing to accept variation in service performance
Desired Service
Zone of
Tolerance
Adequate Service

8. Zone of Tolerance and Importance of Service Dimensions
Think of factors/situations that might influence YOUR Zone of Tolerance

9. Different Service Dimensions
Zones of Tolerance for
Different Service Dimensions
Desired Service
Level of
Expectation
Zone of
Tolerance
Desired
Service
Adequate
Desired Service
Adequate Service
Zone of
Tolerance
Adequate Service
Most Important Factors
Least Important Factors
Source: Berry, Parasuraman, and Zeithaml (1993)

10. Factors that Influence Desired Service Expectations
Personal Needs
Desired
Service
Lasting Service
Intensifiers
Derived
Personal Philosophy
Zone of
Tolerance
Adequate
Service

11. Factors that Influence Desired Service Expectations
Personal Needs: states or conditions essential to the physical or psychological well being --- physical, social, psychological, and functional
Enduring Service intensifiers: individual stable factors that lead the customer to a heightened sensitivity
derived service expectations
personal service philosophy

12. Factors that Influence Adequate Service Expectations
Temporary
Service
Intensifiers
Desired
Service
Perceived Service
Alternatives
Zone of
Tolerance
Self-Perceived
Service Role
Adequate
Service
Situational
Factors

13. Factors That Influence Adequate Service Expectations
Transitory service intensifiers: short-term, individual factors that make a consumer more aware of the need for service
Perceived Service Alternatives: As the number of alternatives increases, the level of adequate service increases and the zone of tolerance narrows
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

14. Factors That Influence Adequate Service Expectations
Self Perceived Service Role: how well the customer perceives they are performing their own role in service delivery
Predicted Service: The level of service customers believe they are likely to get
Implies some objective calculation of the probability of the performance in an individual transaction rather than overall relationship.

15. Factors that Influence Desired and Predicted Service
Explicit Service
Promises
Implicit Service
Promises
Word-of-Mouth
Desired
Service
Zone of
Tolerance
Past Experience
Predicted
Service
Adequate
Service

16. Factors that Influence Desired and Predicted Service
Explicit Service Promises
Implicit Service Promises
Word of Mouth
Past Experience

17. Factors that Influence Desired and Predicted Service
Explicit
personal and non-personal statements from the organization
Advertising, personal selling, contracts, other communications
usually increases desired level and narrows zone of tolerance

21. Factors that Influence Desired and Predicted Service
Past experience
particular service
within the same industry
related services
More the experience the narrower the Zone of Tolerance
Implicit
service related cues
Tangibles
Price
Distribution

22. Factors that Influence Desired and Predicted Service

23. Managing Consumer Expectations During Prepurchase Phase
Learn what customers expect.
Ask employees and customers.
Tell customers what to expect.
Consistently provide what service customers expect.

24. Managing Consumer Expectations During Service Encounter
Communicate with customers during the service.
If possible, modify the service to meet customer expectations.
Explain why service cannot be modified.

25. Managing Consumer Expectations During Postpurchase Phase
Communicate - expectations were met?
Develop a follow-up program.
Develop a procedure for dealing with dissatisfied customers.