Over the years a number of authors have given a shot at developing rational classification schemes for services with the sole intention of bringing out parsimony and order. The essence is to facilitate a clear understanding of the characteristics that distinguish the service and the industry providers’. Several reasons abound as to the comprehension of these services notable among them, a bigger proportion of the US population has been employed as witnessed by the steady increase by those employed in the sector. Secondly, a study in the service field has intensified over the years. Thirdly firms that were identified decades ago that were highly productive and profitable are still the industry leaders classic examples are Wal-Mart, MacDonald’s, etc. a classification scheme that magnifies this performance will act as an aid in comprehending service quality and its effects on the behavioral intentions of customers.
With services, the product is the process. Service entails two variables namely marketing and operational. A model that takes into account the two variables is vital to our understanding of the service quality under different backgrounds. Service quality under the mass service depicts challenges faced by managers. Managerial implications could be used to forecast the nature of the service quality hypothesis. A different service typology would underscore diverse elements of the service quality hypothesis. The essence is to prepare employees to handle customers better and a universal conceptualization would be futile (Lappiere, 1996, p 45).
In view of the fact that diverse service typology would accentuate the dissimilar scope of the service quality hypothesis, it is essential to make out the typology. The importance of this is to enhance adequate preparation of the service workforce to serve up clientele better. The quest for a global conceptualization of service quality would be an exercise in futility. Service typology encapsulates two variables namely marketing and operations. A classification scheme that takes into account the two variables is essential to comprehend the characteristics and elements of the service quality hypothesis under different service typologies (Schmenner, 1986, p 25).
In order to have a workable function, the service quality should be context-specific and operational. Service quality hypothesis operationalization attempts to relate the theoretical definitions of the service quality hypothesis to its practical indicators. Context-specific is not automatically the trade but the service typology (Lappiere, 1996, p 48)
With reference to the interrelationship between customer satisfaction and service quality, apparently, there is no consensus on the triggers of the direct relationship between service quality and satisfaction or satisfaction and service quality. However, a predominance of research evidence inclines the direct relationship between service quality and customer satisfaction. The majority of authors concur that both service quality and satisfaction have a link to behavioral intent. There is a consensus among authors that both service quality and customer satisfaction could have a direct link to behavioral intent. Of significance is the direct effect of service quality on behavior intent from a mass service perspective. Overall satisfaction fully acts as a go-between the influence of service quality and behavior intent. The relationship of the service quality hypothesis with satisfaction and behavior intent might be affected if it is not operationalized (Cronin et al, 2000,p 195).
Service typology impacts on service quality hypothesis. Context-specific and operational service quality hypothesis enhances a practical function. The interrelationship between the service quality hypothesis and what brings about such a relationship.
Hypotheses
Service quality service construct should operational and context specific
Testing Method
The use of Confirmatory Factor analysis (CFA) and Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA ). The analytical tool used was AMOS (Version 5.01).
Results
The discriminant credibility is fulfilled if the discrepancy is common between two measures of two dissimilar hypotheses (the squared correlativity) is fewer than the sum of variation extracted by the items measuring each hypothesis.
Conclusion
Our concentration on the mass service category is intended to demonstrate the theory of service classification by using facts from retail banking with the limitation being the use of one industry and focus on mass service. Future study should employ a methodology that encompasses several industries under mass service quadrant to validate service scope and to tune up functional scope. Theoretical results necessitate investigating the impact of service classification on the characteristics of the service quality hypothesis and its association with satisfaction and behavioral intent in shop, professional services and factory service background.
References
Bolton, R.N. and Drew J.H. (1991),“A Multistage Model of Customers’ Assessments of Service Quality and Value,” Journal of Consumer Research, 17, 375-84.
Cronin, JJ. Brady, M.K and Hult, T.M. (2000), Asessing the effects of quality value customer satisfaction on consumer behavioral intentions environment” journal of retailing, 76.2, 193-218
Lappiere, J. (1996).Service quality: the construct, its dimensionality and its measurements, advances in services marketing and management, 5, 45-70
Miller, J.L., Craighead, C.W. and Karwan, K.R.(2000).Service recovery. A framework and empirical investigation. Journal of operations management, 18, 387-400
Parasuraman, A., Zeithaml, V.A. and Berry, L.L. (1985), “A conceptual model of service quality and its implications for future research,” Journal of Marketing, 49.4, 41-50.
Schmenner, R.W. (1986).”How can service business survive and prosper”, Sloan management review 27.3, 21-32
Schmenner, R.W (2004). “Service business and productivity”, decision sciences, 35.3, 333-47.