Customer Expectations

Pre-trial beliefs about a service that function as standards or reference points against which performance is judged.
What type of expectation standards do customers hold about services? What factors most influence the formation of these expectations? What role do these factors play in changing expectations? How can a service company meet or exceed these expectations?

Possible Levels of Customer Expectations

Types of Expectations
Desired service
The level of service the customer hopes to receive. The wished for level of performance. Adequate service

The level of service the customer will accept

Dual Customer Expectation Levels

Desired Service

Adequate Service

The Zone of Tolerance

Desired Service

Zone of Tolerance

Adequate Service

Zones of Tolerance for Different Service Dimensions

Level of Expectation
Desired Service

Zone of Tolerance
Adequate Service

Desired Service Zone of Tolerance Adequate Service

Most Important Factors

Least Important Factors

Factors That Influence Desired Service

Lasting Service Intensifiers

Desired Service
Personal Needs

Zone of Tolerance Adequate Service

Factors that Influence Desired Service

Personal Needs: physical, social, psychological, and functional

Lasting Service Intensifiers: individual, stable factors that lead to heightened sensitivity to service.
Derived service expectations: expectations driven by another person or group of people. Personal service philosophy: customers underlying generic attitude about the meaning of service and the proper conduct of service providers

Factors That Influence Adequate Service

Temporary Service Intensifiers

Desired Service
Perceived Service Alternatives

Zone of Tolerance
Adequate Service
Predicted Service

Self-Perceived Service Role

Situational Factors

Factors that Influence Adequate Service

Transitory service intensifiers: temporary, short-term,
individual factors that make a customer more aware of the need for service. Ex: Personal emergency situations raise the level of adequate service expectations

Perceived service alternatives: other providers from whom

the customer can obtain the same service. Ex: more perceived alternatives available, higher the levels of adequate service

Factors that Influence Adequate Service

Customers self-perceived service role:
degree to which customers exert an influence on the level of service they receive. Ex: If we believe we are doing our part in the delivery, our expectations of adequate service is heightened service performance conditions that are viewed as beyond the control of the service provider. Ex: Expectations of adequate service is lowered because of situational factors Ex: If we predict good service, our expectations of adequate service is likely to be higher.

Situational Factors:

Predicted service: level of service we believe we are likely to get.

Factors That Influence Desired and Predicted Service

Explicit Service Promises Implicit Service Promises

Desired Service Zone of Tolerance

Word-of-Mouth

Past Experience

Adequate Service

Predicted Service

Factors That Influence Desired and Predicted Service

Explicit service promises: personal and non-personal
statements about the service made by the organization to customers. Everything we sell is our own design and our own make and we guarantee it without reservation (J Crew)

Implicit service promises: service related cues that lead to

inferences about what the service should and will be like.

Factors That Influence Desired and Predicted Service

Word of mouth communication: perceived as unbiased. Past experience: customers previous exposure to service
that is relevant to the focal service

Issues involving Customer Service Expectations

What does a service marketer do if customer

expectations are unrealistic?

Should a company try to delight the customer? How does a company exceed customer service

expectations?

Do customer service expectations continually escalate? How does a service company stay ahead of competition

in meeting customer expectations?

Managing Customer Expectations

Customer expectations must be managed.

Managing Consumer Expectations During Pre-purchase 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. Form concrete expectations

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.

Managing Consumer Expectations During Post-purchase Phase

Communicate - expectations were met? Develop a follow-up program. Develop a procedure for dealing dissatisfied customers.

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