Draws on the extant literature in the areas of services marketing, sport tourism and service quality to present a range of concepts and models that have utility in heightening management’s appreciation of the complexities of achieving service quality in a sport‐tourism context. Emphasis is...

Explores the segmentation by service marketers of the consumer market on the basis of service quality expectations. Measures consumer expectations and various quality dimensions for three commonly purchased professional and three non‐professional services. Evaluates the effect of various...

Proposes that service quality can be improved by focusing on customer problems. Describes a problem‐centred research program used to establish the types and pervasiveness of customer problems and to evaluate the effect of each on customer satisfaction. Makes it possible to identifycritical...

Suggests that an understanding of the difference between friendliness and courtesy can help providers to meet customer expectations and improve perceptions of service quality in a variety of service situations. Focuses on the issue of first‐name usage as a gesture of friendliness which is open...

Discusses the issue of service excellence. Presents a five‐step plan for achieving service excellence. Notes that these steps can also lead to bottom‐line rewards. Summarizes that the keys to a good long‐lasting customer satisfaction programme are listening regularly, training employees to...

Asserts that too often, service employees forget that there is no such thing as the average customer; that each customer has different eeds every time they are seen or spoken to. Discusses presumptuous behaviour, employee responsibility and measuring service quality, together with difficulties...

Argues that many blueprinting efforts are short‐term in focus and lead to the wrong response. Analyses examples in a range of industries, offering planning approaches and tactics for a successful serviceblueprint. Concludes that service blueprinting constitutes a major effort, therefore the...

Purpose Promoting customer–company identification (CCI) has become a crucial relationship marketing strategy for service firms. The purpose of this study is to examine how customers’ perceptions of service quality and corporate social responsibility (CSR) affect CCI over time. More...

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to develop an instrument to measure service competencies and explore the relationship between service competencies and service quality. Design/methodology/approach – Data were gathered from 207 frontline employees (FLEs). A confirmatory factor analysis...

Purpose – The main purpose of the study is to examine the relationships between e-listening and customers’ perceptions of interpersonal service quality and utilitarian value during e-contact center interactions. Design/methodology/approach – Participants completed an online survey about...