Consumer Expectations of Services

1. Consumer Expectations of Services Donna J. Hill, Ph.D. Mtg.. 410 Fall 2000

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

3. Types of Expectations • Desired service -- the level of service the customer hopes to receive • Adequate service -- the level of service the customer will accept

4. Figure 3-1 Dual Customer Expectation Levels Desired Service Zone of Tolerance Adequate Service

5. 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

6. Desired Service Zone of Tolerance Adequate Service Figure 3-3 Zones of Tolerance for Different Service Dimensions Desired Service Level of Expectation Zone of Tolerance Desired Service Adequate Service Adequate Service Most Important Factors Least Important Factors Source: Berry, Parasuraman, and Zeithaml (1993)

7. Zone of Tolerance and Importance of Service Dimensions • as a service dimension becomes more important zone of tolerance will narrow and desired and adequate levels will increase

8. Figure 3-4 Zones of Tolerance for First-Time and Recovery Service First-Time Service Outcome Process Recovery Service Outcome Process LOW HIGH Expectations Source: Parasuraman, Berry and Zeithaml (1991)

9. Zones of Tolerance forFirst-Time and Recovery Service • Consumers have a narrower zone of tolerance and a higher set of expectations for a service recovery than for the first time service expereince.

10. Figure 3-5 Factors that Influence Desired Service Enduring Service Intensifiers Desired Service Personal Needs Zone of Tolerance Adequate Service

11. Factors that InfluenceDesired Service • Personal Needs --- states or conditions essential to the physical or psychological well being --- physical, social, psychological, and funtional

12. Factors that InfluenceDesired Service • Enduring Service intensifiers --- individual stable factors that lead the customer to a heightened sensitivity • derived service expectations • personal service philosophy

13. Figure 3-6 Factors that Influence Adequate Service Transitory Service Intensifiers Desired Service Perceived Service Alternatives Zone of Tolerance Self-Perceived Service Role Adequate Service Situational Factors

14. Factors That Influence Adequate Service Expectations • Are short-term in nature and fluctuate more than the factors that influence desired expectations

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

16. 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

17. 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

18. Situational Factors • Reason for purchase • Consumer mood • Weather • Time constraints • Emergency

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

20. Figure 3-7 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

21. Factors that InfluenceDesired and Predicted Service • Explicit Service Promises • Implicit Service Promises • Word of Mouth • Past Experience • particular service • within the same industry • related services • More experience the narrower the Zone of Tolerance

22. Objectives for Chapter 3:Customer Expectations of Service • Recognize that customers hold different types of expectations for service performance • Discuss controllable and uncontrollable sources of customer expectations • Distinguish between customers’ global expectations of their relationships and their expectations of the service encounter • Acknowledge that expectations are similar for many different types of customers • Delineate the most important current issues surrounding customer expectations

23. Factors that InfluenceDesired and Predicted Service • Explicit --- personal and nonpersonal statements from the organization---Advertising, personal selling, contracts, other communications --- usually increases desired level and narrows zone • Implicit--- ---service related cues -Tangibles -- • Price -- price directly related to predicted service and inversely related to width of zone. • Distribution - multiple outlets

24. Service Related CuesOther Tangibles -- • Service personnel • Tangible cues • Other customers • Firm image - if high than zone widens • Pre-service waiting

25. Consumer Expectations • Ideal --- wished for level. • Desired --- wants or hopes to receive. • Adequate --- minimum level of service consumers will tolerate. • Zone of tolerance --- area between adequate and ideal. • Predicted --- believe will receive; takes in all the circumstances and modifies expectations.

26. Model of Consumer Expectations Ideal Service Desired Service Predicted Service Zone of Tolerance Adequate Service Source: Adapted from Valarie A. Zeithaml, Leonard L. Berry, and A. Parasuraman, “The Nature and Determinants of Customer Expectations of Services” Journal of Academy of Marketing Science, Vol.. 21 (Winter 1993), pp.. 1-12

27. What Are We Really Concerned About? • How expectations are formed. • Process through which expectations are raised or lowered. • Impact on the width of the zone of tolerance. • Conclusion ---- Must manage expectations.

28. Internal Antecedents of Consumer Expectations • Past experience --- has greatest impact. • particular service • within the same industry • related services • More experience the narrower the Zone of Tolerance

29. External Antecedents of Consumer Expectations • Competitive options-”We try harder” • Social context-often increase • Word-of-mouth communication --- strongest source of information

30. Firm-Produced Antecedents of Consumer Expectations • Promotions -- usually increases desired level and narrows zone • Price -- price directly related to predicted service and inversely related to width of zone. • Distribution - multiple outlets

31. Role of Consumer Expectations • During Prepurchase Phase --- higher expectations more likely to purchase. • During Service Encounter --- expectations modified (however usually not desired or ideal) • During Postpurchase Phase --- altered and impact over time

32. Managing Customer Expectations • Customer expectations must be managed.

33. Managing Consumer Expectations During Prepurchase Phase • Learn what customers expect. • Ask employees and customers. • Tell customers what to expect. • All factors above “line of visibility” • Consistently provide the service customers expect. • Forms concrete expectations

34. 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.

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

36. Objectives for Chapter 3:Customer Expectations of Service • Recognize that customers hold different types of expectations for service performance • Discuss controllable and uncontrollable sources of customer expectations • Distinguish between customers’ global expectations of their relationships and their expectations of the service encounter • Acknowledge that expectations are similar for many different types of customers • Delineate the most important current issues surrounding customer expectations