The Purchase Process For
Services
Dr. Donna J. Hill
Mtg. 410
Fall 2000
Gaps Model of Service Quality
Expected
CUSTOMER
Service
Customer
Gap
Service Delivery
COMPANY
GAP 1
Perceived
Service
GAP 3
Customer-Driven Service
Designs and Standards
GAP 2
Part 1 Opener
Company Perceptions of
Consumer Expectations
GAP 4
External
Communications
to Customers
Gaps Model of Service Quality
Part 1 Opener
• Customer Gap:
• difference between expectations and
perceptions
• Provider Gap 1:
• not knowing what customers expect
• Provider Gap 2:
• not having the right service designs and
standards
• Provider Gap 3:
• not delivering to service standards
• Provider Gap 4:
• not matching performance to promises
The Customer Gap
Expected
Service
GAP
Perceived
Service
Part 1 Opener
Objectives for Chapter 2:
Consumer Behavior in
Services
•
•
•
•
•
Information search
Evaluation of service alternatives
Service purchase and consumption
Postpurchase evaluation
Role of culture
Purchase Model for Services
• Prepurchase Phase
• Service Encounter
• Postpurchase Phase
Consumer Evaluation
Processes for Services
• Search Qualities
– attributes a consumer can determine prior to
purchase of a product
• Experience Qualities
– attributes a consumer can determine after
purchase (or during consumption) of a product
• Credence Qualities
– characteristics that may be impossible to evaluate
even after purchase and consumption
Figure 2-1
Continuum of Evaluation for
Different Types of Products
Most
Goods
Easy to evaluate
Most
Services
Difficult to evaluate
High in search
qualities
High in experience High in credence
qualities
qualities
Prepurchase Phase
Information Search
• Use of
personal
sources
• Perceived risk
• Competitive
options.
• Social context
Prepurchase Phase
Firm-Produced Factors
• Promotions
• Pricing
• Distribution
Prepurchase Phase
Risk
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Performance
Financial
Time loss
Opportunity
Psychological
Social
Physical
Strategies to Reduce Performance Risk
Uncertainty: Certification, branding, communications
Consequences: Quality control standards & procedures,
Warranties
Strategies to Reduce Financial Risk
Uncertainty: Trial purchases, sampling,
promotional incentive
Consequences: Guarantees
Strategies to Reduce Time Loss Risk
Uncertainty: Branding
Consequence: Compensation offers
Strategies to Reduce Opportunity Risk
Uncertainty: Branding
Consequence: Quality control standards & procedures
Strategies to Reduce Psychological & Social Risk
Uncertainty: Branding, communications
Consequences: Quality control standards & procedures
Strategies to Reduce Physical Risk
Uncertainty: Instruction, communications
Consequence: Safety standards
Pre-Purchase Phase
Evaluation of Alternatives
• Evoked set
• Emotion and mood
Service Purchase and
Consumption
The Service Encounter
• No marketing exchange occurs in a vacuum.
• The social and physical settings influence
the impression made on customers.
• Service personnel, physical setting, and
other customers all provide customers with
tangible indicators of the service.
The Service Encounter
• Service provision as
drama
• Service roles and
scripts
• Compatibility of
customers
Postpurchase Phase
Service Quality Evaluation
Satisfaction
Dissatisfaction
• Repeat purchases
• Firm loyalty
•
Positive
word-of-mouth
communications
• Firm switching
•
Negative
word-of-mouth
communications
Postpurchase Phase
• Attribution of dissatisfaction
• Innovation diffusion
• Brand loyalty
Attribution Theory
• Where does the customer assign blame.
• Controllable or Uncontrollable.
• Situational factors play a significant role..
Figure 2-3
Categories in Consumer Decision-Making
and Evaluation of Services
Information
Search
Evaluation of
Alternatives
 Evoked set
 Emotion and mood
 Use of personal sources
 Perceived risk
Culture
 Values and attitudes
 Manners and customs
 Material culture
 Aesthetics
 Educational and social
institutions
Purchase and
Consumption
 Service provision as
drama
 Service roles and scripts
 Compatibility of customers
Post-Purchase
Evaluation
 Attribution of dissatisfaction
 Innovation diffusion
 Brand loyalty
Global Feature:
Differences in the Service Experience in
the U.S. and Japan
 Authenticity
 Caring
 Control Courtesy
 Formality
 Friendliness
 Personalization
 Promptness