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Competitive Assessment of Quality Attributes of a Service Provider

  • Research Papers
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Journal of Service Science Research

Abstract

This paper presents a conceptual model for evaluation of the performance of a chosen company with respect to its current benchmark organization to decide on its entry into the market. A model is formulated that integrates attributes of service quality along with the risk tolerance level of the company in question. Utilizing perceived importance of the service quality attributes from the customers’ perspective, the model proposes testing of an ordered alternative hypothesis. This approach is adopted through a well-designed choice of subjects who are not only knowledgeable of both the prospective company seeking market entry and the benchmark company, but also have prior experience of the logistics industry. Survey data are obtained from a paired design, allowing for control of extraneous factors. The results demonstrate the applicability of the proposed model. The model could be utilized in other industries as well through choice of the proper attributes selected in the survey. The unique feature of the proposed model is the incorporation of the relative importance of the service attributes chosen. Since customer perception is critical to the success of logistics companies, such customer feedback is used to categorize the service quality attributes according to the Kano method. These measures of relative importance are consequently incorporated in the model. Additionally, the risk tolerance level of the service provider is utilized in the decision process. In terms of original contribution, integrating service quality, Kano model, and risk tolerance level, this paper presents a model that not only helps service providers on their market entry decisions but also includes a case study from the Turkish logistics sector in order to demonstrate the applicability of the proposed model.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Systems & Technology, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama, USA

    Amitava Mitra

  2. Department of Advertising & Public Relations, Trabzon University, Trabzon, Turkey

    Cigdem Basfirinci

Authors
  1. Amitava Mitra
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  2. Cigdem Basfirinci
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Cigdem Basfirinci.

Additional information

Amitava Mitra is a professor in Department of Systems & Technology, Auburn University, USA. His research interests include areas such as statistical process control, quality control, warranty analysis, applied statistics, and health care quality.

Cigdem Basfirinci is a professor of marketing in Department of Public Relations and Advertising, Trabzon University, Turkey. She has conducted researches in the areas of symbolic consumption, brand personality, marketing communication, advertising, corporate social responsibility, and marketing – logistics interaction.

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Mitra, A., Basfirinci, C. Competitive Assessment of Quality Attributes of a Service Provider. J Serv Sci Res 10, 189–232 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12927-018-0007-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12927-018-0007-9

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