Consumer Expectation of Services

1
Customer expectations are beliefs about
service delivery that function as standard
or reference point against which
performance is judged.

Customers compare their perceptions of
performance with these reference points
when evaluating service quality.

The level of expectation can vary widely
depending on the reference point the
customer holds.
2
Different types of Expectations
Ideal Expectations
or Desire
Everyone says this restaurant
serves as good pizza as Fire
& Ice& I really want to go
somewhere special as it is my
Bday.
Consumer Expectation of Services
High
Desired Service
Normative Should
Expectations
As expensive this restaurant
is, it ought to have excellent
food & service.
3
Experience based
Norms
Most of the times this
restaurant is very good, but
when it get busy the service is
slow.
Consumer Expectation of Services
Acceptable
Expectations
I expect this restaurant to
serve me in an adequate
manner.
Adequate
Minimum Tolerable
Expectations
I expect terrible service from
this restaurant but come
because the price is low.
Low
Consumer Expectation of Services
4
We focus on two types of level desired
service & adequate service.

- The highest can be termed desired
service : the level of service the customer
hopes to receive - the wished for- level of
performance.

- Desired Service is a blend of what
customer believes can be & should be.
Consumer Expectation of Services
5
- The threshold level of acceptable service is
adequate service : the level of service the
customer will accept. The bottom level of
performance acceptable to the customer.


- Represents the minimum tolerable
expectation.
Consumer Expectation of Services
6
Desired Service
Adequate Service
Zone

of

Tolerance
Consumer Expectation of Services
7
- Do the customers hold the same or
different levels for service firms in the
same industry?


- Basically, desired service expectations
seem to be the same for service providers
within industry categories or subcategories
that are viewed as similar by customers.
Consumer Expectation of Services
8
Zone of Tolerance : The extent to which
customers recognise & are willing to
accept this variation (between desired level
& adequate level) is called the zone of
tolerance.


- If the service drops below adequate service
(the minimum level considered acceptable)
customers will be frustrated & their
satisfaction with the company will be
undermined.
Consumer Expectation of Services
9
- If the service performance is higher than
the zone of tolerance at the top end
where performance exceeds desired
service the customer will be very pleased
& probably quite surprised as well.


- Therefore, Zone of Tolerance is considered
as the range in which customers do not
particularly notice service performance.
Consumer Expectation of Services
10
- When the level of service falls outside the
range ( either very low or very high), the
service gets the customers attention in
either a positive or a negative way.


- This tolerance level can expand or contract
within a customer.