Organizations strive to maintain a high Quality of Service (QOS) in order to gain a competitive advantage in the market. Nowadays, there is a greater focus on QOS standards since the modern customer tends to give a high priority to the quality of service rendered. A customer assesses the quality of service delivery and the output delivery after a service is rendered. For example, the quality of an automobile is judged by factors such as reliability, durability, ease of use, and serviceability. Similarly, the quality of a food product is assessed by its flavor, freshness, and aroma. Parasuraman, Zeithaml, and Berry have identified five dimensions of service quality:
- Reliability: It is the ability of a firm to provide honest, sincere, and dependable services. Customers consider reliability as the most important dimension of the service performance,
- Responsiveness: Responsiveness is the willingness or readiness with which a service provider renders service. It is also the ability of the service provider to respond to the needs of the customer promptly and efficiently. Responsiveness is important to customers who expect additional service over and above what is usually provided.
- Assurance: Assurance is the ability of an organisation to inspire the trust and confidence of its customers. Customers feel assured when their needs are fulfilled by the organisation.
- Empathy: It provides individual attention with a personal touch which will go a long way in inspiring the trust and confidence of customers. By empathizing with a customer, organizations are able to understand and fulfill their needs.
- Tangibles: Tangibles include all those factors that a customer can see, hear or touch. It also includes physical facility, equipment, and the ambience of the reception room where customer wait. Well-maintained equipment, well-dressed and courteous service people are also included.
For citing this article use:
- P, V. K. (2017). A study on quality of hospital services and satisfaction of patients in corporate hospitals in Andhra pradesh.
