The accurate measurement of an objective aspect of customer service requires the use of carefully predefined criteria. The measurement of subjective aspects of customer service depends on the conformity of the expected benefit with the perceived result.
Body:
Quality service is used to describe achievements in service levels. It reflects both objective and subjective aspects of services.
For quality services some fundamental parameters need to be focused on:-
– Understand and Improve operation processes
– Identify problems systematically
– Service Performance measures
– Measure the customer satisfaction
– Other performance criteria which affects quality
The accurate measurement of an objective aspect of customer service requires the use of carefully predefined criteria.
The measurement of subjective aspects of customer service depends on the conformity of the expected benefit with the perceived result. This in turns depends upon the customer’s imagination of the service they might receive and the service provider’s talent to present the imagined service. Pre-defined objective criteria may be unattainable in practice, in which case, the best possible achievable result becomes the ideal. The objective ideal may still be poor, in subjective terms.
Service quality can be related to service potential (for example, worker’s qualifications); service process (for example, the quickness of service) and service result (customer satisfaction).
The listed below are some of the important attributes for delivering quality service to the customer:
Competence: It is the possession of the required skills and knowledge to perform the service.
Courtesy refers to factors such as politeness, respect, consideration and friendliness of the contact personnel; consideration for the customer’s property and a clean and neat appearance of contact personnel.
Credibility refers to factors such as trustworthiness, believability and honesty. It involves having the customer’s best interest at heart. It may be influenced by company name, company reputation and the personal characteristics of the contact personnel.
Security represents the customer’s freedom from danger, risk or doubt including physical safety, financial security and confidentiality.
Access refers to approachability and ease of contact. For example, the waiting time is not excessive and there are convenient hours of operation and a convenient location.
Communication means both informing customers in a language they are able to understand and also listening to customers. A company may need to adjust its language for the varying needs of its customers. Information might include for example, explanation of the service and its cost, the relationship between services and Costs and assurances as to the way any problems are effectively managed.
Knowing the customer means making an effort to understand the customer’s individual needs, providing individualized attention, recognizing the customer when they arrive and so on.
Tangibles are the physical evidence of the service, for instance, the appearance of the physical facilities, tools and equipment used to provide the service; the appearance of personnel and communication materials and the presence of other customers in the service facility.
Reliability is the ability to perform the promised service in a dependable and accurate manner. The service is performed correctly on the first occasion, the accounting is correct, records are up to date and schedules are kept.
Responsiveness refers to the willingness of employees to help customers and to provide a prompt timely service, for example, mailing a transaction slip immediately or setting up appointments quickly.
The above points give a valuable insight to the quality perspectives one can strive to achieve and provide a quality service to the customer.
