Article #11

1. Article #11 E-service quality: a model of virtual service quality dimensions By: Jessica Santos

2. Purpose • “Over the past two decades, service quality has become recognized as a key factor in differentiating service products and building competitive advantage.” • “Service quality is recognized as an important factor in determining the success or failure of electronic commerce.” • Despite its importance, “service quality issues in e-commerce is still in its infancy.” • This article reveals a “detailed conceptual framework of such e-service quality determinants.”

3. Previous Work • Van Riel et al. (2001)came up with five components in e-services: core, facilitating, supporting, complementary, and the user interface. • Van Riel et al. (2001) defined “the concept of service quality in e-service as the consumers’ overall evaluation and judgement of the excellence and quality of e-service offerings in the virtual marketplace.” • Parasuraman (2000) suggested that “flexibility, convenience, efficiency, and enjoyment are examples of major positive themes in the online environment.”

4. Previous Work Continued… • Parasuraman (2000) also stated that “negative themes included security concerns, risk of obsolescence, impersonalisation, and lack of control.” • Abels et al. (1999) discussed “six operational definitions of user criteria: use, content, structure, linkage, search, and appearance.” • Dholakia and Rego (1998) composed a list of features they found to be “important for effective web sites: frequency of changes, number of links to and form the web site, complexity and extensiveness, number of pictures, enhancements, and number of advertising banners of other firms.” • Yang (2001) saw a correlation with some of the aspects of SERVQUAL that pertained to e-commerce including: “reliability, responsiveness, access, ease of use, attentiveness, credibility, and security.”

5. Research Method • 30 focus groups were held in a UK business school, each group with 6 to 10 participants. • Participants had web experiences, 42% with online shopping experience. • Respondents were assigned to groups based on age and gender. • Due to the fact that 85% of Internet users are ages 18 thru 35 (Taylor Nelson Sofres, 2001), the participants fell within this range.

6. Research Method Continued… • Participants were asked in advance to bring a print out of a “good-quality” and “bad-quality” web site. • Each participant presented their web sites and the group discussed the positive and negative features. • From the transcripts, researches coded the data, and derived a total of 11 determinants of web e-service quality.

7. Results:The Incubative Dimension • The Incubative dimension is defined as “the proper design of a web site, how technology is used to provide consumers with easy access, understanding and attractions of a web site” or the user interface. • Major components include: Ease of use, Appearance, Linkage, Structure and Layout, and Content.

8. Ease of Use - How easy it is for customers to “conduct external search in cyberspace and internal navigation and search within the website.” Appearance - The “proper use of color, graphics, images, and animations, together with the appropriate size of the web page.” Linkage - “The number and quality of links that a web site offers.” Structure and Layout - “The organization and presentation of a website’s content and information.” Content - “The presentation and layout of factual information and functions on a website.” Results:The Incubative Dimension

9. Results:The Active Dimension • The active dimension is defined as “the good support, fast speed, and attentive maintenance that a web site con provide to its customers.” • Major components include: Reliability, Efficiency, Support, Communications, Security, and Incentives.

10. Reliability - “The ability to perform the promised service accurately and consistently.” Efficiency - “The speed of downloading, search, and navigation.” Support - “The technical help, user guidelines, and personal advice available to customers.” Communications - “Keeping customers properly informed and communicating with them in language they can understand.” Security - “Freedom from danger, risk, or doubt during the service process.” Incentives - “Encouragement given by Web providers to consumers to browse and use the website, including rewards for doing so.” Results:The Active Dimension

11. Model of E-Service Quality