There is undoubtedly a psychological basis to the process of customer service quality
evaluation (CSQE). Current understanding concerning the process by which customers
evaluate the quality of service they receive from a service provider, fits in with
fundamental psychology understanding stated by the psychology literature. By looking
at the fundamental psychology framework as a whole, in the context of CSQE, it is
possible to identify additional suggestions to the process of CSQE. The thesis reports
the evaluation of the CSQE concept, empirical tests for its measurement and
implications for the managerial measurement and control of CSQE.
This research suggests that the customer's service quality evaluation, for both a service
experience and a service provider, is derived by that customer using one of at least 3
CSQE heuristics. These CSQE heuristics are achieved by the customer comparing her
or his generic attitude for a service experience, or service provider, with her or his
generic comparison attitudes. These comparison attitudes are comprised of attitudes
for outstanding, normal, and appalling service, (top, average and worst service). The
generic attitude for the service experience or service provider is also compared with
four other intermediate levels of service, together with the customer believed incidence
of occurrence of service experiences or service providers at each of those levels.
This use of expectations does not deny the existence of prediction expectations. On
the contrary, prediction expectations are proposed both by the business and
psychology literature. There is also no assumption that a customer necessarily
evaluates the quality of a service experience or service provider after each service
encounter.
These suggestions do not contradict the major previous theories of CSQE, as much as
they build on them. In this way understanding has been extended in this area of
researc
