Gap model

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Gap model

The gap model (from gap [gæp] , English "gap", also called the PZB model ) is a method of business quality assurance in service management and marketing as well as the basis of the Servqual method. Using strategic quality gaps, it shows possible causes that lead to a deviation from the service quality expected and perceived by the customer (gap 5). From this it can be deduced which gaps need to be filled in order to generate customer-oriented service quality.

Story and idea

This ideal model in 1985 by the Americans A. P arasuraman , Valarie Z eithaml and Leonard L. B erry developed when it came to the name. They collected customer evaluations about the quality of services and interviewed executives . This investigation took place in banks, credit card companies, securities dealers and repair service providers. From this they deduced that there are five discrepancies (gaps or gaps) between the expectations of customers and the service provider with regard to quality assessment and perception. This is represented in the PZB model.

According to the model, the discrepancies between customer expectations and the perceived service (gap 5) can only be remedied by closing all gaps on the provider side (gap 1–4).

target

This section is not adequately provided with supporting documents ( e.g. individual evidence ). Information without sufficient evidence could be removed soon. Please help Wikipedia by researching the information and including good evidence.

The starting point of the gap model is the perfect behavior of all those involved so that an ideal service quality is maintained: the customer has a clear idea of ​​his needs and communicates them clearly. Management , quality assurance and service units of the company in turn recognize this customer need perfectly, derive the right measures from it and implement them 100%.

However, such a perfect customer relationship cannot be achieved with maximum effort. Gaps can arise between these, which can lead to discrepancies between the ideal model and reality due to various factors - such as misunderstandings, incorrect assessments and the behavior of the people involved in the service process. This model thus provides specific suggestions for improvement in practice.

Parts of the gap model

The model according to Parasuraman, Zeithaml and Berry shows five possible gaps, which are divided into customer- and provider-related gaps:

  • Customer-related gaps occur in service processes, i.e. in business processes in which the customer is involved. Examples of this are front office activities such as customer service or booking.
  • Provider-related gaps arise in business processes into which the customer has no insight. This includes back office activities such as internal communication in the company or the provision of resources.

Gap 1: knowledge gap

Gap 1 describes the discrepancy between customer expectations and customer expectations in the perception of management . If the management does not have precise knowledge of customer expectations and which factors shape them, Gap 5 arises or expands. Management, which does not know or misjudges customer expectations, is therefore the focus.

Essentially, the expectations of customers towards the provider are influenced by four influencing factors:

  1. their individual needs
  2. their experiences
  3. Word of mouth
  4. external corporate communication

Possible causes of the perception gap are:

  1. insufficient market research that is not focused on customer satisfaction
  2. lack of communication with the management level in the company
  3. low focus on customer relationships

Gap 2: development gap / policy gap

Gap 2 describes the discrepancy between customer expectations in the perception of management and implementation in specifications for designs and standards.

Possible causes are poor customer orientation and can be assigned to management. Other reasons are unclear guidelines and inappropriate design of the service environment.

Gap 3: performance gap / delivery gap

The service gap describes the discrepancy between the internal specifications for service quality and the actual service provision. Its scope depends on several factors: What is important are the skills and motivation of the employees who provide the service. The involvement of customers is also important - if they lack information, this can negatively affect the quality of service provision. Another challenge is to provide services through intermediaries such as franchisees , brokers or agencies .

Possible causes for gap 3 are:

  1. Overworked staff (employee-workplace correspondence)
  2. lack of support from devices (technology-workplace correspondence)
  3. Unclear understanding of roles and role conflicts
  4. insufficient skill, control or teamwork among workers
  5. lack of coordination of supply and demand
  6. poor complaint management

Gap 4: communication gap

Gap 4 describes the discrepancy between service provision and customer communication. Here the information conveyed about the service does not match the service actually received. This can lead to disappointment and dissatisfaction if the customer promises cannot be kept. The cause of Gap 4 is mostly due to a lack of consistent and integrated marketing communication .

Other possible causes for Gap 4 are:

  • lack of internal communication, for example between different departments
  • Tendency to make exaggerated promises
  • poor management of customer expectations

Gap 5: customer gap

The discrepancy between the expected and perceived service quality is the actual starting point of the model, into which gaps 1–4 lead. This gap indicates how high the degree of fulfillment of customer expectations is. Gap 5 therefore depends on the size of the remaining gaps. Gap 5 can also be reduced by indirectly minimizing the remaining gaps. If this gap is too big, the customer threatens to churn. The measurement of gap 5, e.g. B. through the servqual approach or the critical incident approach is crucial.

effort

The gap model can be created depending on the services offered and their scope. A complete gap model is based on customer expectations and is analyzed and extensively documented on the basis of market research .

Further developments

Internal service quality model

The gap model can also be applied to internal services and not just in its basic thought pattern to external customers. So FA Frost and M. Kumar developed the INTSERVQUAL model with gaps 1, 3 and 5:

  • Gap 1: Is the discrepancy between the expectations of internal customers and the perception of internal service providers regarding the expectations of internal customers.
  • Gap 3: Is the discrepancy between the transfer of ideas into service quality specifications.
  • Gap 5: focuses on the discrepancy between the expected and the perceived service from the perspective of the internal customer.

literature

  • Valarie A. Zeithaml , A. Parasuraman, Leonard L. Berry: Quality service: what your customers expect - what you have to do . Campus-Verlag, Frankfurt / Main 1992, ISBN 3-593-34464-5 .
  • Sabine Haller: Service Management. Basics - Concepts - Instruments . Springer, Wiesbaden 2017, ISBN 978-3-658-16897-1 .
  • Hans Corsten, Stefan Roth: Handbook of service management . Verlag Franz Vahlen, Munich 2017, ISBN 978-3-8006-5243-3 .
  • Manfred Bruhn: Quality management for services, manual for successful quality management, basics - concepts - methods . Springer Gabler, Berlin, Heidelberg 2016, ISBN 978-3-662-50359-1 , pp. 100-118.

Web links

  • Approaches and data on the topic of the gap model

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Translation for "gap" . Langenscheidt Digital GmbH & Co. KG. Retrieved April 16, 2019.
  2. ↑ Linda Hieckmann: Gap model - effective applicability for service companies? GRIN Verlag, 2009, ISBN 978-3-640-45004-6 , p. 4 ( google.de [accessed December 22, 2017]).
  3. ↑ Maike Dürk: The gap model for identifying the causes of quality defects: use and further developments . diplom.de, 2012, ISBN 978-3-86341-583-9 , p. 17 ( google.de [accessed December 22, 2017]).
  4. ^ A b Alan M. Wilson, Valarie A. Zeithaml, Mary Jo Bitner, Dwayne D. Gremler: Services marketing: integrating customer focus across the firm . Third European ed. McGraw-Hill Education , 2018, ISBN 978-0-07-716931-2 , pp. 93 f . (English).
  5. ^ A b Alan M. Wilson, Valarie A. Zeithaml, Mary Jo Bitner, Dwayne D. Gremler: Services marketing: integrating customer focus across the firm . Third European ed. McGraw-Hill Education , 2018, ISBN 978-0-07-716931-2 , pp. 94 f . (English).
  6. ^ A b Alan M. Wilson, Valarie A. Zeithaml, Mary Jo Bitner, Dwayne D. Gremler: Services marketing: integrating customer focus across the firm . Third European ed. McGraw-Hill Education , 2018, ISBN 978-0-07-716931-2 , pp. 95 f . (English).
  7. ↑ GAP model of service quality. January 13, 2015, accessed August 7, 2020 .
  8. ↑ a b c Manfred Bruhn: Quality management for services: manual for a successful quality management. Basics - Concepts - Methods. 10th edition. Springer Gabler, Wiesbaden 2016, ISBN 978-3-662-50360-7 , p. 105 ff .
  9. ^ A b Alan M. Wilson, Valarie A. Zeithaml, Mary Jo Bitner, Dwayne D. Gremler: Services marketing: integrating customer focus across the firm . Third European ed. McGraw-Hill Education , 2018, ISBN 978-0-07-716931-2 , pp. 97 f . (English).
  10. ↑ Madlen Boslau: Customer satisfaction with self-service checkouts in retail: The explanatory contribution of selected behavioral theories . Springer-Verlag, 2009, ISBN 978-3-8349-1929-8 , pp. 67 ( google.de [accessed December 22, 2017]).
  11. ^ A b Alan M. Wilson, Valarie A. Zeithaml, Mary Jo Bitner, Dwayne D. Gremler: Services marketing: integrating customer focus across the firm . Third European ed. McGraw-Hill Education , 2018, ISBN 978-0-07-716931-2 , pp. 98 f . (English).
  12. ↑ Manfred Bruhn: Quality management for services: manual for a successful quality management. Basics - Concepts - Methods. 10th edition. Springer Gabler, Wiesbaden 2016, ISBN 978-3-662-50360-7 , p. 109 .
  13. ↑ Manfred Bruhn: Quality management for services: manual for a successful quality management. Basics - Concepts - Methods. 10th edition. Springer Gabler, Wiesbaden 2016, ISBN 978-3-662-50360-7 , p. 115 f .