Subhash C. Mehta

Service quality in retailing: relative efficiency of alternative measurement scales for different product‐service environments

Current measures of service quality do not effectively capture customers’ perceptions of service quality for different types of retail stores. Explores the usefulness of SERVPERF, the perceptions component of SERVQUAL and a retail service quality scale (the DTR scale) in measuring the service quality of different product‐service retail environments. Specifically, investigates the relative performance of two scales measuring the service quality of retailers where goods purchase is the primary focus, against another where both goods and services are equally important. Results showed that the DTR scale was superior within the context of a “more goods and less services” environment, i.e. a supermarket, while SERVPERF was better for a retailing context where the service element becomes more important, i.e. an electronic goods retailer. This modified scale measured the service quality of an electronic goods retailer more effectively than either the DTR scale or the SERVPERF. Implications for retailers are discussed

Testing the SERVQUAL Scale in the Business-to-Business Sector: The Case of Ocean Freight Shipping Service

A key question is whether the instruments developed for consumer services can accurately gauge the service quality perceptions of organisational customers. Reports psychometric testing of the SERVQUAL as a measure of service quality in ocean freight services. Based on a survey of a cross‐sectional sample of 114 business organisations in Singapore, which regularly utilise ocean freight services for their export needs, this study found that the psychometric properties of the SERVQUAL scale are at variance with those found in consumer services settings. Further, the SERVQUAL perceptions scores were found to be a better predictor than the SERVQUAL gap scores. In sum, the service quality measures developed for consumer services can only be applied with caution in business‐to‐business marketing. Implications and future directions for research are discussed.

Business‐to‐business marketing Service recovery and customer satisfaction issues with ocean shipping lines

The tenets of relationship marketing are useful in understanding the success of a service provider. Based on a sample of 221 firms in Singapore that use ocean freight shipping services, examines service recovery issues related to satisfaction. It was found that service recovery methods such as claims handling, problem handling and complaint handling are associated with the level of satisfaction of customers. In addition, interfacing departments also have varying association with levels of satisfaction of customers. Finds that users of these services can identify problems they experience with ocean freight shipping services, and this may impact their choice of most preferred vs. least preferred shipping line. Concludes by giving recommendations on how service firms can mitigate and be vigilant for service recovery problems.

Relationships between SERVQUAL dimensions and organizational performance in the case of a business‐to‐business service

A growing recognition of the critical differences between industrial and consumer services requires additional research emphasis on marketing of services in business‐to‐business context. Presents an application of SERVQUAL as a measure of service quality in Ocean Freight Services. Based on a cross‐section sample of 114 business organizations in Singapore, which regularly utilize ocean freight services for their export needs, the study asked shipping lines for their heaviest used export routes and provide their overall evaluation of services provided by their preferred suppliers. Respondents also evaluated various interfacing departments in the shipping line and SERVQUAL measures on various service quality dimensions. This study identifies the various strengths and weaknesses of the interfacing departments as well as in‐service quality determinants. Further, the relationships between overall line performance, service quality, as well as specific customer service interfacing departments are examined. The findings have important implications for shipping lines’ marketing strategies. Though conducted in Singapore, the study is equally applicable to other Asian environments and NICs where many of the same lines are offering freight services to the exporting organizations.

Segmentation in Singapore

When a five-star hotel in Singapore took a look at its guests, it found two entirely different but important market segments. The major difference between them—purpose of visit

Reference Group Influence and Perceived Risk in Services Among Working Women in Singapore: A Replication and Extension

SUMMARY Although widely acclaimed as one of the most important determinant of an individuals behavior, reference group influence is hardly explored in the services sector. This study investigated reference group influence on services using a research paradigm originally proposed by Bearden and Etzel (1982), who recognized that social visibility and exclusivity were important factors influencing reference group influence. In addition, perceived risk of services on consumer behavior was also explored. The study was conducted on working women in Singapore, who, due to their affluence and spending power, are the focus of marketers in the region. Results indicated that informational reference group was the most pervasive form of influence for all types of services studied. Further, publicly consumed services were found to have higher reference group influence than privately consumed services. However, in some services, certain unique perspectives were noted due to the nature of the service in question. Luxury services were also found to have higher reference group influence and financial and psychological risk than necessity services. Implications for service marketers are discussed.

Technology and its CRM Implications in the Shipping Industry

This paper investigates the relative importance of service factors such as technology and facilities, how service providers are rated on those factors, and their relationship to customer satisfaction in a B2B environment. The results show that in the ocean freight shipping industry, customers placed more importance on factors such as efficiency in complaint handling, prompt availability of delivery information as compared to the use of latest equipment and technology. Most importantly, customers who had a more favourable evaluation of shipping companies on these factors also experienced a higher level of service satisfaction. Implications of these results for the use of technology in managing customer relationships are then presented.

Relationship concept and customer services: a case study of corporate banking

Abstract The main objective of this paper is to investigate the application of relationship marketing in the context of corporate banking using McKinseys Seven-S framework of shared values, strategy, structure, systems, staff, skills, and style. Personal interviews with 42 account relationship managers from a large multinational bank in Singapore, with a strong niche in corporate banking, provided the inputs for this investigation. The analysis leads to the identification of major conditions, which should be present for the implementation of the relationship marketing concept in an organization.

Diffusion and Adoption of Computers: A Marketing Analysis of a Government Program for Small and Medium Enterprises in Singapore

Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) lag behind the larger companies in exploiting Information Technology (IT). The Small Enterprise Computerization Program (SECP) was launched in 1987, by the Singapore government, to help SMEs overcome the impediments to their use of IT. There are 60 to 70 thousand SMEs in Singapore. In nearly 3 years of SECP, less than 800 SMEs had responded to the scheme.

Relative Attractiveness of Rewards to Singaporean Salespersons: Relationship With Satisfaction and Performance

Based on a cross-sectional sample of 160 salespersons in Singapore, the study examines the relative attractiveness of seven different rewards generally offered by the organisations. It then examines the relationship between valence for these rewards and satisfaction with rewards actually received and job performance. The findings suggest that attractiveness of rewards and their relationship with satisfaction and performance for Singaporean salespersons may be different than generally expected.