Consumer
Expectations of
Services
Donna J. Hill, Ph.D.
Mtg.. 410
Fall 2000
Consumer Expectations

Pre-trial beliefs about a service that function
as standards against which performance is
judged.
Types of Expectations


Desired service -- the level of service the
customer hopes to receive
Adequate service -- the level of service the
customer will accept
Figure 3-1
Dual Customer
Expectation Levels
Desired Service
Zone of
Tolerance
Adequate Service
The Zone of Tolerance--The extent to which customers
recognize and are willing to accept
variation in service performance
Desired Service
Zone of
Tolerance
Adequate Service
Figure 3-3
Zones of Tolerance for
Different Service Dimensions
Desired Service
Level
of
Expectation
Zone of
Tolerance
Desired
Desired Service
Service
Adequate Service
Zone
of
Tolerance
Adequate
Adequate
Service
Service
Most Important Factors
Least Important Factors
Source: Berry, Parasuraman, and Zeithaml (1993)
Zone of Tolerance and
Importance of Service
Dimensions

as a service dimension becomes more
important zone of tolerance will narrow and
desired and adequate levels will increase
Figure 3-4
Zones of Tolerance for
First-Time and Recovery Service
First-Time Service
Outcome
Process
Recovery Service
Outcome
Process
LOW
Source: Parasuraman, Berry and Zeithaml (1991)
Expectations
HIGH
Zones of Tolerance for
First-Time and Recovery Service

Consumers have a narrower zone of
tolerance and a higher set of expectations
for a service recovery than for the first time
service expereince.
Figure 3-5
Factors that Influence
Desired Service
Enduring Service
Intensifiers
Desired
Service
Personal Needs
Zone
of
Tolerance
Adequate
Service
Factors that Influence
Desired Service

Personal Needs --states or conditions
essential to the
physical or
psychological well
being --- physical,
social, psychological,
and funtional
Factors that Influence
Desired Service

Enduring Service
intensifiers --individual stable
factors that lead the
customer to a
heightened sensitivity
– derived service
expectations
– personal service
philosophy
Figure 3-6
Factors that Influence
Adequate Service
Transitory Service
Intensifiers
Perceived Service
Alternatives
Self-Perceived
Service Role
Situational
Factors
Desired
Service
Zone
of
Tolerance
Adequate
Service
Factors That Influence Adequate
Service Expectations

Are short-term in nature and fluctuate
more than the factors that influence desired
expectations
Factors That Influence Adequate
Service Expectations

Transitory service
intensifers --- shortterm, individual
factors that make a
consumer more aware
of the need ofr service
Factors That Influence Adequate
Service Expectations


Perceived Service
Alternatives---As the number of
alternatives increases,
the level of adequate
service increases and
the zone of tolerance
narrows
Factors That Influence Adequate
Service Expectations

Situational
Factors
– Temporary changes in
the normal state of
things ---- tends to
lower the level of
adequate service
expected and widen the
zone of tolerance
Situational Factors





Reason for purchase
Consumer mood
Weather
Time constraints
Emergency
Factors That Influence Adequate
Service Expectations

Self Perceived Service
Role --- how well the
customer perceives
they are performing
their own role in
service delivery
Figure 3-7
Factors that Influence
Desired and Predicted Service
Explicit Service
Promises
Implicit Service
Promises
Word-of-Mouth
Desired
Service
Zone
of
Tolerance
Adequate
Service
Past Experience
Predicted
Service
Factors that Influence
Desired and Predicted Service




Explicit Service Promises
Implicit Service Promises
Word of Mouth
Past Experience
– particular service
– within the same industry
– related services
• More experience the narrower the Zone of
Objectives for Chapter 3:
Customer Expectations of
Service
• Recognize that customers hold different types of
expectations for service performance
• Discuss controllable and uncontrollable sources of
customer expectations
• Distinguish between customers’ global expectations of
their relationships and their expectations of the service
encounter
• Acknowledge that expectations are similar for many
different types of customers
• Delineate the most important current issues surrounding
customer expectations

Factors that Influence
Desired and Predicted Service
Explicit --- personal and nonpersonal
statements from the organization--Advertising, personal selling, contracts, other
communications --- usually increases desired level
and narrows zone

Implicit--- ---service related cues
-Tangibles -– Price -- price directly related to predicted
service and inversely related to width of zone.
– Distribution - multiple outlets
Service Related Cues
Other Tangibles -




Service personnel
Tangible cues
Other customers
Firm image - if
high than zone
widens
Pre-service waiting
Consumer Expectations





Ideal --- wished for level.
Desired --- wants or hopes to receive.
Adequate --- minimum level of service
consumers will tolerate.
Zone of tolerance --- area between adequate
and ideal.
Predicted --- believe will receive; takes in
all the circumstances and modifies
expectations.
Model of Consumer Expectations
Ideal Service
Desired Service
Zone
of
Tolerance
Predicted
Service
Adequate Service
Source: Adapted from Valarie A. Zeithaml, Leonard L. Berry, and
A. Parasuraman, “The Nature and Determinants of Customer
Expectations of Services” Journal of Academy of Marketing Science,
Vol.. 21 (Winter 1993), pp.. 1-12
What Are We Really
Concerned About?




How expectations are formed.
Process through which expectations are
raised or lowered.
Impact on the width of the zone of
tolerance.
Conclusion ---- Must manage expectations.
Internal Antecedents of
Consumer Expectations

Past experience --has greatest impact.
– particular service
– within the same
industry
– related services

More experience
the narrower the
Zone of Tolerance
External Antecedents of
Consumer Expectations



Competitive options”We try harder”
Social context-often
increase
Word-of-mouth
communication --strongest source of
information
Firm-Produced Antecedents of
Consumer Expectations



Promotions -- usually
increases desired level
and narrows zone
Price -- price directly
related to predicted
service and inversely
related to width of
zone.
Distribution - multiple
outlets
Role of Consumer
Expectations



During Prepurchase Phase --- higher
expectations more likely to
purchase.
During Service Encounter --expectations modified (however
usually not desired or ideal)
During Postpurchase Phase --altered and impact over time
Managing Customer
Expectations

Customer
expectations
must be
managed.
Managing Consumer Expectations
During Prepurchase 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.
 Forms 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 Postpurchase Phase



Communicate - expectations were met?
Develop a follow-up program.
Develop a procedure for dealing with
dissatisfied customers.
Objectives for Chapter 3:
Customer Expectations of
Service
• Recognize that customers hold different types of
expectations for service performance
• Discuss controllable and uncontrollable sources of
customer expectations
• Distinguish between customers’ global expectations of
their relationships and their expectations of the service
encounter
• Acknowledge that expectations are similar for many
different types of customers
• Delineate the most important current issues surrounding
customer expectations