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MKTG/HTM 386 -- Hospitality Services Marketing
Spring 2001
James Madison University - College of Business 1
The Integrated Gaps Model of Service Quality
MKTG/HTM 386
Why is the Gaps Model of Service Quality Important?
Customer Gapn Chp 2 Consumer Behavior in Servicesn Chp 3
Customer Expectations of Servicen Chp 4 Consumer Perceptions of
Service
Gap 1 Not Knowing What the Customer Expectsn Chp 5 Understanding
Customer Expectations
Through Marketing Researchn Chp 6 Building Customer
Relationshipsn Chp 7 Service Recovery
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MKTG/HTM 386 -- Hospitality Services Marketing
Spring 2001
James Madison University - College of Business 2
Why is the Gaps Model of Service Quality Important?
Gap 2 Not Having the Right Service Quality Designs and
Standardsn Chp 8 Service Development and Designn Chp 9
Customer-Defined Service
Standardsn Chp 10 Physical Evidence and the
Servicescape
Why is the Gaps Model of Service Quality Important?
Gap 3 Not Delivering to Service Standardsn Chp 11 Employees
Roles in Service Deliveryn Chp 12 Customers Roles in Service
Deliveryn Chp 13 Delivering Services Through
Intermediaries and Electronic Channelsn Chp 14 Managing Demand
and Capacity
Gap 4 Not Matching Performance to Promisesn Chp 15 Integrating
Services Marketing
Communicationsn Chp 16 Pricing of Services
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MKTG/HTM 386 -- Hospitality Services Marketing
Spring 2001
James Madison University - College of Business 3
PerceivedService
Expected Service
CUSTOMER
COMPANY
CustomerGap
GAP 1
GAP 2
Gaps Model of Service Quality
GAP 3
External Communications
to CustomersGAP 4Service Delivery
Customer-Driven Service Designs and Standards
Company Perceptions of Consumer Expectations
Figure 18-1
l Provider Gap 1: Not knowing what customers expect
l Provider Gap 2: Not selecting the right service designs and
standards
l Provider Gap 3: Not delivering to service standards
l Provider Gap 4: Not matching performance to promises
Customer Expectations
Customer Perceptions
Figure 18-2
Key Factors Leading to the Customer Gap
CustomerGap
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MKTG/HTM 386 -- Hospitality Services Marketing
Spring 2001
James Madison University - College of Business 4
Customer Expectations
Company Perceptions of Customer Expectations
q Inadequate Marketing Research OrientationInsufficient
marketing researchResearch not focused on service qualityInadequate
use of market research
q Lack of Upward CommunicationLack of interaction between
management and customersInsufficient communication between contact
employeesand managersToo many layers between contact personnel and
topmanagement
q Insufficient Relationship FocusLack of market
segmentationFocus on transactions rather than relationshipsFocus on
new customers rather than relationshipcustomers
q Inadequate Service Recovery
GAP1
Figure 18-3
Key Factors Leading to Provider Gap 1
Customer-Driven Service Designs and Standards
Management Perceptions of Customer Expectations
q Poor Service Design Unsystematic new service development
process Vague, undefined service designs
Failure ot connect service design to servicepositioning
q Absence of Customer-Driven StandardsLack of customer-driven
service standardsAbsence of process management to focus oncustomer
requirementsAbsence of formal process for setting servicequality
goals
q Inappropriate Physical Evidence and Servicescape
GAP2
Figure 18-4Key Factors Leading to Provider Gap 2
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MKTG/HTM 386 -- Hospitality Services Marketing
Spring 2001
James Madison University - College of Business 5
Service Delivery
Customer-Driven Service Designs and Standards
Key Factors Leading to Provider GAP 3Figure 18-5
q Deficiencies in Human Resource PoliciesIneffective
recruitmentRole ambiguity and role conflictPoor employee-technology
job fitInappropriate evaluation and compensation systemsLack of
empowerment, perceived control and teamwork
q Failure to Match Supply and DemandFailure to smooth peaks and
valleys of demandInappropriate customer mixOver-reliance on price
to smooth demand
q Customers Not Fulfilling RolesCustomers lack knowledge of
their roles and responsibilitiesCustomers negatively impact each
other
q Problems with Service Intermediaries Channel conflict over
objectives and performance Channel conflict over costs and rewards
Difficulty controlling quality and consistency Tension between
empowerment and control
GAP3
Service DeliveryKey Factors Leading to Provider GAP 4
Figure 18-6
q Lack of Integrated Services Marketing Communications Tendency
to view each external communication as independent Not including
interactive marketing in communications plan Absence of strong
internal marketing program
q Ineffective Management of Customer ExpectationsNot managing
customer expectations through all forms ofcommunicationNot
adequately educating customers
q OverpromisingOverpromising in advertisingOverpromising in
personal sellingOverpromising through physical evidence cues
q Inadequate Horizontal CommunicationsInsufficient communication
between sales and operationsInsufficient communication between
advertising and operationsDifferences in policies and procedures
across branches or units
GAP4
External Communications to Customers
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MKTG/HTM 386 -- Hospitality Services Marketing
Spring 2001
James Madison University - College of Business 6
Team Discussion Questions
If you were a manager of a service organization and wanted to
apply the gaps model to improve service, which gap would you start
with? Why? In what order would you proceed to close the gaps?Can
provider gap 4 be closed prior to closing any of the other three
provider gaps? How?Which of the four provider gaps do you believe
is the hardest to close? Why?
