An analysis of a third-party food delivery app during the COVID-19 pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shiang-Lih Chen McCain ◽  
Jeffrey Lolli ◽  
Emma Liu ◽  
Li-Chun Lin
Keyword(s):  
Service Quality ◽  
Product Quality ◽  
Food Delivery ◽  
Three Dimensions ◽  
Third Party ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Delivery Service ◽  
Quality Dimension ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Text Content

PurposeThe study aims to analyze guest comments on the Uber Eats food delivery app (FDA) in the USA during the April–June 2020 COVID-19 pandemic lockdown period. Three aspects influencing customer satisfaction with the FDA were evaluated in this study: (1) performance on the app, (2) product quality and (3) service quality.Design/methodology/approachOne thousand customer comments posted on the Uber Eats Google Play app from April 1 to June 30, 2020 were analyzed in this study. The text mining technique was applied to discover the hidden, but meaningful patterns from the unstructured text. Content analysis was applied to systematically analyze the text into organized categories and themes.FindingsAmong the three dimensions evaluated in this study, the most important dimension regarding customers' perceptions toward the FDA was the service quality dimension (40.02%), followed by the FDA's performance dimension (39.43%) and the product quality dimension (20.54%) was least important. Additionally, customers' perceptions towards the three dimensions were all unfavorable and there were more negative comments than the positive comments: FDAs (P/N = 0.728), product quality (P/N = 0.60) and service quality (P/N = 0.865).Originality/valuePrevious studies investigating FDAs assessed solely the performance of the app. However, customers' experience of a food delivery service is comprised of multiple components including the app, the restaurant and the delivery driver. To fill the void, this study evaluated a third-party app performance, product quality and service quality to capture the totality of customers' food delivery service experience.

University brand image as competitive advantage: a two-country study

2019 ◽  
Vol 33 (2) ◽  
pp. 234-251
Author(s):  
Swati Panda ◽  
Satyendra C. Pandey ◽  
Andrea Bennett ◽  
Xiaoguang Tian
Keyword(s):  
Service Quality ◽  
Competitive Advantage ◽  
Student Satisfaction ◽  
Brand Image ◽  
Mediating Effect ◽  
Three Dimensions ◽  
Content Type ◽  
University Reputation ◽  
The Usa ◽  
University Brand

Purpose Given the competitive landscape in the higher education setting, it is important that universities adopt strategies that create competitive advantage for them. Universities must leverage their resources efficiently to address this goal. Creating a positive brand image is one such strategy. The purpose of this paper is to conceptualize university brand image as its heritage, service quality and trustworthiness and investigate their relationship with student’s satisfaction. It also investigates the role of university reputation as a mediating variable. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected through a mixed method approach. The first stage involved qualitative interviews and focused group discussions with students to understand the factors responsible for student satisfaction with their respective universities. The second stage involved administering a survey questionnaire in two geographies – the USA and India to investigate the hypothesized relationship. The authors use regression analyses to test these relationships. Findings Findings indicate that a distinct brand image plays an important role in students’ level of satisfaction across both the USA and India. Service quality has a greater impact on student satisfaction levels across both contexts (as compared to university heritage and trustworthiness). The authors also find a positive mediating effect of university reputation in the relationship between university brand image and student satisfaction levels. Originality/value The current research contributes to the services marketing literature in the university context. It offers a framework for decision making in universities. It suggests that universities must work toward developing their brand image by focusing on its three dimensions – heritage, trustworthiness and service quality.

Service journey quality: conceptualization, measurement and customer outcomes

2021 ◽  
Vol 32 (6) ◽  
pp. 1-27
Author(s):  
Elina Jaakkola ◽  
Harri Terho
Keyword(s):  
Service Quality ◽  
Service Delivery ◽  
Customer Loyalty ◽  
Financial Services ◽  
Three Dimensions ◽  
Service Research ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Critical Determinant ◽  
Content Type

PurposeThe quality of the customer journey has become a critical determinant of successful service delivery in contemporary business. Extant journey research focuses on the customer path to purchase, but pays less attention to the touchpoints related to service delivery and consumption that are key for understanding customer experiences in service-intensive contexts. The purpose of this study is to conceptualize service journey quality (SJQ), develop measures for the construct and study its key outcomes.Design/methodology/approachThe study uses a discovery-oriented research approach to conceptualize SJQ by synthesizing theory and field-based insights from customer focus group discussions. Next, using consumer survey data (N = 278) from the financial services context, the authors develop measures for the SJQ. Finally, based on an additional survey dataset (N = 239), the authors test the nomological validity and predictive relevance of the SJQ.FindingsSJQ comprises of three dimensions: (1) journey seamlessness, (2) journey personalization and (3) journey coherence. This study demonstrates that SJQ is a critical driver of service quality and customer loyalty in contemporary business. This study finds that the loyalty link is partially mediated through service quality, indicating that SJQ explains loyalty above and beyond service quality.Research limitations/implicationsSince service quality only partially mediates the link between service journey quality and customer loyalty, future studies should examine alternative mediators, such as customer experience, for a more comprehensive understanding of the performance effects.Practical implicationsThe study offers concrete tools for service managers who wish to understand and develop the quality of service journeys.Originality/valueThis study advances the service journey concept, demonstrates that the quality of the service journey is a critical driver of customer performance and provides rigorous journey constructs for future service research.

Technology readiness and e-service quality – impact on purchase intention and loyalty

2022 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Doddahulugappa Goutam ◽  
Shirshendu Ganguli ◽  
B.V. Gopalakrishna
Keyword(s):  
Service Quality ◽  
Purchase Intention ◽  
Online Shopping ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
Three Dimensions ◽  
Technology Readiness ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Impact Of Technology

PurposeThis paper aims to explore impact of technology readiness (TR) on e-service quality (ESQ) and effect of ESQ and TR on purchase intention (PI) and behavioral loyalty (BL) in the context of online shopping.Design/methodology/approachWith the help of the existing literature, the authors propose a conceptual model. Questionnaire was designed to collect data, and analysis has been done using a final sample of 341 respondents.FindingsThe results show how TR has a significant impact on ESQ, PI and BL. Outcomes also highlight that only three dimensions of ESQ have a positive impact on both PI and BL. System availability dimension of ESQ impacts neither PI nor BL. Therefore, TR and ESQ together play a vital role as enablers in influencing BL and PI in online shopping context.Practical implicationsThe study results will serve as a guide to business-to-consumer e-commerce players and help them to determine how TR and ESQ dimensions will help them to build BL and PI for online shopping.Originality/valueThis is one of the first studies that takes into consideration both TR and ESQ and check how they impact PI and BL. Also, in the Indian context, it is an under-researched area and tries to fulfill this gap.

Comparing US and European perspectives on B2B repair service quality for mission‐critical equipment

2005 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 353-368 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark Peterson ◽  
Gary Gregory ◽  
James M. Munch
Keyword(s):  
Service Quality ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Repair Service ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Mission Critical ◽  
Model Equivalence ◽  
Practical Implications

PurposeTo evaluate the cross‐regional equivalence of repair service quality for mission‐critical equipment.Design/methodology/approachUsing the five dimensions of SERVPERF as a framework, clinical laboratory directors across Europe and the USA were surveyed about repair service for mission‐critical equipment. Assessment of construct equivalence across the two regions was then performed using item bias analysis. Following this, assessment of model equivalence across the two regions was conducted using both the Chow test of model equivalence and regression in structural equation modeling (SEM).FindingsResults suggest that service quality in this B2B domain is perceived to be remarkably the same in both the USA and Europe.Research limitations/implicationsFuture research could focus on repair services for other types of mission‐critical equipment, and another region of the world, such as Asia. Both of these steps would boost the generalizability of the study's findings.Practical implicationsThe practical implications of the study's results suggest not only the applicability of the SERVPERF framework across these two regions, but also standardization possibilities in repair service for mission‐critical equipment because of the homogeneity evident in these markets regarding service quality.Originality/valueThis study should be valuable reading for those interested in issues related to service quality, as well as international services. The paper provides new insight into the relative importance of service quality dimensions, as the “responsiveness” dimension was found to be more than twice as important as any other dimension – even the “reliability” dimension.

A confirmatory factor analysis for SERVPERF instrument based on a sample of students from Syrian universities

2015 ◽  
Vol 57 (3) ◽  
pp. 343-359 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ali Bassam Mahmoud ◽  
Bayan Khalifa
Keyword(s):  
Service Quality ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Support Staff ◽  
Three Dimensions ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Higher Education System

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to confirm the factorial structure of SERVPERF based on an exploration of its dimensionality among Syrian universities’ students. It also aimed at assessing the perceived service quality offered at these universities. Design/methodology/approach – A cross-sectional survey was conducted targeting students at Syrian universities. Using a pilot sample of 40 students, the authors developed their hypotheses. Thereafter, based on a sample of 259 students, the hypotheses were tested using structural equation modeling and one-sample t-test. Findings – The findings revealed that SERVPERF in the Syrian universities’ context was a three-factor instrument consisting of the three dimensions: faculty-individualized attention, support staff helpfulness, and support staff empathy. Moreover, the findings showed that students at Syrian universities hold negative perceptions toward all of the three service quality dimensions provided by their universities. Practical implications – Given the imperative need for universities to monitor and improve the quality of their services, this study can help Syrian universities’ administrations understand the perceptions of their students toward services offered, which can help them formulate effective marketing strategies. Originality/value – This paper came to be one of the first studies that attempted to assess the perceived quality of services offered through the Syrian higher education system. Additionally, this study pioneered through drawing a factorial picture for SERVPERF at the Syrian Arab context.

scholarly journals Institutional differences and integration difficulties

2018 ◽  
Vol 35 (5) ◽  
pp. 850-868 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kashef A. Majid ◽  
Hari Bapuji
Keyword(s):  
Product Quality ◽  
Failure Time ◽  
Accelerated Failure Time Model ◽  
Local Market ◽  
Product Recall ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Institutional Differences ◽  
The Usa ◽  
The Impact

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine how the location of a firm’s headquarters and component sourcing impact a firm’s responsiveness in a product-harm crisis in local market.Design/methodology/approachThe authors collected data on 1,251 vehicle recalls from 12 manufacturers, six in the USA, three in Germany, and three in Japan. All of the recalls occurred in the USA between 2002 and 2010. The time the product was first released into the marketplace was used as the starting point while the time the recall was initiated (if at all) was used to record the probability of the product recall over time. Specifically, a survival analysis with an accelerated failure time model was employed to examine the speed with which a product is recalled. The authors examined the impact of foreign composition using information provided by the American Automobile Labeling Act, which lists the proportion of each vehicle that is composed of domestic parts (USA/Canada) and foreign parts. Organizational characteristics (i.e. size, market share, assets, net income, and reputation) and recall size (i.e. number of affected vehicles) that might have an effect on time to recall were controlled for.FindingsThe authors found that firms headquartered outside the local market would take longer to issue a product recall than firms that were headquartered in the local market. Firm headquartered outside the local market can reduce the time taken to recall by sourcing parts from the local marketplace, rather than from abroad. Interestingly, even local firms are affected by the location of component sourcing, such that they take longer to issue a recall if they sourced parts from abroad.Originality/valueResearch in international marketing has examined the benefits of integration to firms, but has not studied the risks of integration. By highlighting the challenges of managing institutional differences and integration difficulties, the authors show that location of headquarters and the location from where components are sourced have an effect on firm responsiveness in product-harm crises. Further, the authors build on the global supply chain management literature that has shown the effect of upstream activities (i.e. foreign production) on downstream activities (i.e. product quality). Specifically, the authors show that upstream activities can not only affect product quality, but also the ability of firms to respond to those product qualities in a timely fashion.

Drivers of contract renewal in international B2B services: a firm-level analysis

2017 ◽  
Vol 35 (3) ◽  
pp. 358-376 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Jeremy Williams ◽  
M. Sajid Khan ◽  
Rania Semaan ◽  
Earl R. Naumann ◽  
Nicholas Jeremy Ashill
Keyword(s):  
Product Quality ◽  
Customer Value ◽  
Customer Relationships ◽  
Firm Level ◽  
Industrial Firms ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Contract Renewal ◽  
The Usa ◽  
National Boundaries

Purpose A key issue for B2B industrial firms is to better understand the drivers of customer value and contract renewal decisions, due to the long-term supplier-customer relationships. When the B2B firm is operating across national boundaries, there is added complexity to the renewal decision, because the drivers are also influenced by cultural considerations. The purpose of this paper is to examine the main drivers of customer value creation and contract renewal intentions, for a large B2B firm operating in both the USA and Japan and compare the two data sets. Design/methodology/approach The company, which provided the data for the study, is a US Fortune 100 firm in the facilities management industry, operating worldwide. Data were collected using a survey questionnaire from a sample of the firm’s customers in two of its largest markets, the USA and Japan. The authors used PLS to analyze the data, and compare and contrast the drivers. Findings The findings highlight both similarities and differences across the two countries for the most influential drivers of customer value and contract renewal. Although no differences were found when examining the effect of relational drivers on contract renewal, differences were observed for utilitarian drivers: product quality and price. Practical implications The authors expected the relational drivers of contract renewal to be stronger in the high-context culture of Japan, but found that there were no differences with the US market. While relational drivers are important in the decision-making process in both countries, it seems that managers should focus more on price considerations in Japan. In contrast, product quality is relatively more important in the USA, when negotiating contract renewals with customers. Originality/value Noticeably absent from the B2B services literature is its application to international markets. In particular, research is lacking on the specific drivers of customer value and contract renewal intentions in the USA and Japan, despite the importance of long-term on-going contractual relationships in these markets. This study has provided additional insights into the complex world of contract renewal between international buyers and sellers of large industrial systems.

The impact of dependence and relationship commitment on logistics outsourcing

2015 ◽  
Vol 45 (9/10) ◽  
pp. 887-912 ◽  
Author(s):  
Baofeng Huo ◽  
Chen Liu ◽  
Mingu Kang ◽  
Xiande Zhao
Keyword(s):  
Service Quality ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Equation Model ◽  
Relationship Commitment ◽  
Third Party ◽  
Logistics Outsourcing ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Relational Factors ◽  
Dependence Relationship ◽  
The Impact

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to develop a theoretical framework involving dependence, relationship commitment, logistics outsourcing and service quality to exhibit the roles of the relational factors involved in logistics outsourcing and their outcomes. Design/methodology/approach – Based on data collected from 361 companies in Greater China, the authors use the structural equation model approach to examine the hypothesized relationships. Findings – Both normative and instrumental relationship commitment are necessary for third party logistics (3PL) users to cope with their goal dependence on 3PL providers. However, only normative relationship commitment is necessary when users perceive switch dependence. Normative relationship commitment also plays a more important role than instrumental relationship commitment in facilitating the adoption of 3PL logistic outsourcing. In addition, both basic and advanced outsourcing practices have a positive effect on service quality. Originality/value – This study contributes to both 3PL theories and practices by clarifying how relationships between 3PL users and providers in China are managed.

CSR report assurance in the USA: an empirical investigation of determinants and effects

2014 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 130-148 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles H. Cho ◽  
Giovanna Michelon ◽  
Dennis M. Patten ◽  
Robin W. Roberts
Keyword(s):  
Firm Value ◽  
Market Valuation ◽  
Third Party ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Stakeholder Orientation ◽  
Valuation Model ◽  
Country Level ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Low Incidence ◽  
Industry Membership

Purpose – The authors aims to examine, first, what factors appear to lead those US companies that do obtain assurance on their CSR reports to do so, and second, whether this assurance appears to be valued by market participants. Design/methodology/approach – The authors use logistic regression analysis to determine what factors explain the choice to seek assurance. For the second stage of the analysis, the authors rely on Aboody et al.'s market valuation model to examine the association between CSR report assurance and firm value. Findings – The authors find that industry membership and disclosure extensiveness both appear to influence the choice to attain third-party assurance on CSR reports in the USA. However, the results also indicate that the assurance is not associated with higher market value for report-issuing companies. Research limitations/implications – The authors examine only large firms and limit the investigation to a single year. Further, the authors do not examine market valuation effects where a broader stakeholder orientation might influence these relations. Practical implications – The results suggest that improving the incidence of CSR report attestation in the USA may require efforts from the assurance community to better identify the potential benefits of the practice. Originality/value – This is the first study to focus on CSR report assurance in a setting where country-level influences appear to limit adoption of the practice. As such, the findings are potentially important for understanding both the low incidence of assurance and what might be necessary to increase its use.

scholarly journals Consumer Perceptions and Expectations of Garden Center Product and Service Quality

1997 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 12-15
Author(s):  
Jay T. Hudson ◽  
Bridget K. Behe ◽  
Harry G. Ponder ◽  
William E. Barricks
Keyword(s):  
Service Quality ◽  
Product Quality ◽  
Customer Expectations ◽  
Customer Perceptions ◽  
Quality Perceptions ◽  
Quality Dimension ◽  
Quality Dimensions ◽  
Service Quality Dimensions ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Perceptions And Expectations

Abstract We compared consumers' product and service quality perceptions and expectations from five traditional garden centers (TGC) and three non-traditional garden center outlets (NTO) in Charlotte, NC. Customers from both outlets had similar expectations of service and product quality. However, TGCs better met customer expectations with higher perceptions scores and smaller gap scores. Service quality gaps were the difference between customer perceptions and expectations. Gaps were identified for both outlets on four of five service quality dimensions and for the single product quality dimension. TGC and NTO customers ranked assurance and responsiveness as the most important service quality dimensions. Empathy was more important than reliability to TGC customers but their importance was reversed for NTO customers. Both customer groups ranked tangibles as the least important service quality dimension and retailers did not have a gap on this dimension.

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