Service failure in higher education institutions

2020 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 45-55 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven Kayambazinthu Msosa ◽  
Jeevarathnam P. Govender
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Service Delivery ◽  
Delivery System ◽  
Critical Incident ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Service Failure ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Service Delivery System ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Employee Response

Purpose Providing quality service is the goal of many service providers and higher education institutions are not exceptional. However, service failure may occur from time to time which may eventually lead to customer dissatisfaction with the service rendered. The purpose of this paper is to examine service failure incidents in higher education. Design/methodology/approach In this study, three categories of service failure, namely, employee response to service delivery system failure, employee response to customer needs and requests, and unprompted and unsolicited employee actions were used to categorise 45 critical incidents obtained from 30 students at a university of technology. Findings The results showed that service delivery system failures account for the biggest number (51 per cent) of service failure incidents captured in this study. Research limitations/implications The critical incident technique which relies on the respondents’ memory to recall service failure incidents was used to collect information. The drawback is that memory can be fallible and students may end up exaggerating service failure incidents. Practical implications This study can assist higher education institutional managers to understand the nature of service failure incidents that lead to student dissatisfaction. Originality/value This study is unique as it presents service failure incidents from the developing world and further provides the basis for creation of service recovery strategies.

scholarly journals A customer journey perspective on service delivery system design: insights from healthcare

2018 ◽  
Vol 35 (10) ◽  
pp. 2328-2347 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frederic Ponsignon ◽  
Andi Smart ◽  
Laura Phillips
Keyword(s):  
Service Delivery ◽  
Delivery System ◽  
Critical Incident ◽  
Service Delivery System ◽  
Patient Journey ◽  
Customer Journey ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Quality Dimensions ◽  
Design Requirements ◽  
Similarity And Difference

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to provide novel theoretical insight into service delivery system (SDS) design. To do so, this paper adopts a customer journey perspective, using it as a frame to explore dimensions of experience quality that inform design requirements.Design/methodology/approachThis study utilises UK Patient Opinion data to analyse the stories of 200 cancer patients. Using a critical incident technique, 1,207 attributes of experience quality are generated and classified into 17 quality dimensions across five stages of the customer (patient) journey.FindingsAnalysis reveals both similarity and difference in dimensions of experience quality across the patient journey: seven dimensions are common to all five journey stages, from receiving diagnosis to end of life care; ten dimensions were found to vary, present in one or several of the stages but not in all.Research limitations/implicationsLimitations include a lack of representativity of the story sample and the impossibility to verify the factual occurrence of the stories.Practical implicationsAdopting a patient journey perspective can improve the practitioner understanding of the design requirements of SDS in healthcare. The results of the study can be applied by managers to configure SDS that achieve a higher quality of patient care throughout the patient journey.Originality/valueThis paper extends existing literature on SDS design by adopting a customer journey perspective, revealing heterogeneity in experience quality across the customer journey currently unaccounted for in SDS design frameworks. Specifically, the findings challenge homogeneity in extant SDS design frameworks, evidencing the need for multiple, stage-specific SDS design requirements.

Different stages of the e-service delivery system process: belief–attitude–intention framework

2020 ◽  
Vol 48 (7) ◽  
pp. 687-706 ◽  
Author(s):  
Piyush Gupta ◽  
Amit Sachan ◽  
Rajiv Kumar
Keyword(s):  
Service Delivery ◽  
Technology Acceptance ◽  
Delivery System ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Mediating Effect ◽  
Behavioural Intention ◽  
Service Delivery System ◽  
Content Type ◽  
System Process ◽  
Customer Attitude

PurposeBased on social science theories of customer's action such as theory of planned behaviour, theory of reasoned action, and technology acceptance model, this paper adopts belief–attitude–intention model to study impact of perceived process-belief of different stages of e-service delivery system process (e-SDSP), i.e., searching process belief (SPB), agreement process belief (APB), fulfilment process belief (FPB) and after-sales service process belief (ASPB) on customer attitude and intention towards service providers. The study also focuses on the mediating effect of customer attitude on the relationship between process-beliefs of different stages of e-SDSP and their behavioural intention.Design/methodology/approachA quantitative method has been employed using data collected from 414 Indian e-retail customers. Structural equation modelling with bootstrap estimation is used to find the mediating effect of attitude.FindingsThe findings suggest that SPB and ASPB directly impact the customer attitude while APB and FPB directly impact the customer behavioural intention. The study also finds that customer attitude towards e-retailers fully mediates the effect of SPB and ASPB on the behavioural intention but there are no mediating effects for APB and FPB.Research limitations/implicationsThe sample used may not be generalizable for India, given its huge diversity and population. As the sample considers only Indian e-retail customers, this study may lack generalizability across countries.Originality/valueIn our knowledge, this study is the first step to conceptualize the process-oriented customer's perceived belief of different stages of e-SDSP and how these beliefs impact the customers' attitude and intention towards the e-retailers. The findings offer insight to managers on how they can create and cultivate customer happiness and positive behavioural intention by enhanced customer journey throughout the e-SDSP.

When service failure leads to sin

2018 ◽  
Vol 28 (4) ◽  
pp. 410-433 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yit Sean Chong ◽  
Pervaiz K. Ahmed
Keyword(s):  
Religious Identity ◽  
Critical Incident ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Service Failure ◽  
Belief Systems ◽  
Service Recovery ◽  
Dietary Guidelines ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Recovery Strategies ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the notion of “service transgression” which violates customers’ religious beliefs through observing certain dietary guidelines that shape their religious identity. While service transgression and customer forgiveness are predominantly examined using experimental procedures or questionnaire survey in existing studies, this study adopts an interpretive paradigm to explore the complexities and idiosyncratic narratives of individual perceptions. Design/methodology/approach Detailed narrative accounts of 15 participants consisting of five Muslims, five Buddhists and five Hindus; who are working adults residing in Malaysia were gathered via in-depth interviews. Critical incident technique was employed with interpretive approach being undertaken to uncover key themes that form the essence of experiences in service transgressions. Findings The responses from participants were mainly contingent to the individuals’ interpretations of their religious expectations in the assessment of the incidents. Observations from the interview protocols reveal common themes in the consideration of whether one has indeed transgressed against the religious norms, the assignment of blame and responsibility and reparation of relationships. From the findings of this study, the authors developed a typology of conflict framing categories: “damaged identity”, “identity at risk” and “identity preservation” by considering both dyadic and triadic service relationships in service failure incidents which involve a violation of customers’ religious belief systems. Practical implications The outcome of this study seeks to inform service providers on the impact of service transgression of this nature upon consumers particularly in a multi-faith society. Additionally, this study provides insights into the implementation of service recovery strategies if and when such situation arises. Originality/value By undertaking a narrative enquiry, this study uncovers personal sense making in this phenomenon within the contextual frame of societal and historical norms. The outcome of this study provides insights to service providers on the impact of service transgression upon consumers particularly in a multi-faith context such as Malaysia. Additionally, this study discusses managerial implications associated with the implementation of service recovery strategies if and when such situation arises.

In the eye of the beholder

2020 ◽  
Vol 54 (5) ◽  
pp. 1087-1116
Author(s):  
Shahin Sharifi ◽  
Gerri Spassova
Keyword(s):  
Service Delivery ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Service Failure ◽  
Experimental Conditions ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Customer Information ◽  
Service Failure And Recovery ◽  
Self Construal ◽  
Public Nature ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of interdependent vs independent self-construal on service satisfaction, following the observation of failure and recovery experienced by a fellow customer. Design/methodology/approach Three experiments were conducted to test the research hypotheses. Findings After service failure, interdependent observers react less favorably compared to independent observers. After high recovery compensation, interdependent observers react more favorably compared to independent observers. The effects are driven by differences in perceived interactional and distributive justice. Research limitations/implications This study uses three scenario-based experiments to test the hypotheses. While providing greater control of the experimental conditions, the external validity of the results is to some extent sacrificed. Moreover, this research does not investigate observers’ reactions to the interactional aspect of recovery. Practical implications When handling service failure, firms are required to anticipate and address not only the responses of the target customers involved but also those of potential observers. Providers can accordingly use available customer information to gauge customers’ likely self-construal and to adjust their service delivery and recovery tactics. Providers can influence observing customers’ reactions by creating a servicescape that activates a desired self-construal. Originality/value This research is one of a few to examine the effect of service failure and recovery on observing customers, and the first to do so via the lens of self-construal. It contributes to the literature on service failure and recovery and the literature on self-construal and has practical implications for service providers. The value of this research is further highlighted given the increasingly public nature of services and the multicultural context of service delivery.

Negative emotions in Mexican, Puerto Rican and Spanish hospitals

2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 17-37
Author(s):  
Carmen Otero-Neira ◽  
Carmen Padin ◽  
Juan Carlos Sosa Varela ◽  
Maria Santos Corrada ◽  
Irma Magana ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Puerto Rican ◽  
Critical Incident ◽  
Critical Incidents ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Service Failure ◽  
Negative Emotions ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Service Failures

Purpose – This paper aims to assess negative emotions in Mexican, Puerto Rican and Spanish service settings in the hospital industry. The paper also attempts to validate previous findings in existing theory and previous studies across three national samples and describes the similarities and differences in negative emotions between Mexican, Puerto Rican and Spanish service settings. Design/methodology/approach – The current study comprised Mexicans, Puerto Ricans and Spaniards who experienced a service failure (i.e. critical incident) in hospital settings within the past year. A descriptive research design was followed, and a self-administered questionnaire was applied to gather the data from respondents. Findings – The three-dimensional construct of negative emotions commonly identified in existing theory and previous studies of negative emotions turned out to be four in the current multinational study. Research limitations/implications – The four-dimensional construct of negative emotions thus revealed is relevant and valuable to research. A number of research limitations are provided, all of which provide opportunities for further research in assessing negative emotions in service settings. Practical implications – Service providers need to manage and deal with the negative emotions in service failures in an appropriate manner. It is necessary that the front-line staff identify and understand the reasons behind service receiver’s negative emotions in service failures, and that they act accordingly to reduce the intensity of critical incidents and the overall negative consequences. Originality/value – The negative emotions assessed provide a fruitful contribution and do not only complement additional facets to existing theory and previous studies of negative emotions in service settings but also fortify the notion that further research is required to gain an enhanced understanding and additional insights into them across countries and cultures, just as it is crucial to manage the occurrence of negative emotions in critical incidents accurately.

Service failure and recovery in technology-based business networks

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 2-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
João Reis ◽  
Marlene Amorim ◽  
Nuno Melão
Keyword(s):  
Service Delivery ◽  
Operations Management ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Service Failure ◽  
Case Study Research ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Customer Complaints ◽  
Service Failure And Recovery

Purpose This paper aims to investigate how service providers are using their channels to support the handling of customer complaints in a technology-based business network (Tb2N) environment. It aims to discuss the implications from existing misalignments between the service delivery debilities and the complexity of the Tb2N recovery process. Design/methodology/approach This study used an exploratory case study research conducted in a Portuguese private bank. Data collection involved multiple sources for corroboration purposes, such as reports from customer complaints, semi-structured interviews, direct observation and official documents. Data were analysed to identify paths and relationships between constructs, to reduce data, to enable interpretation and to achieve valid and reliable results. Findings The case analysis revealed four types of Tb2N debilities: weaknesses in what concerns the channel migration to new technologies, automated physical and virtual barriers in accessing the firms’ common channel, non-automated barriers concerning the cross-training of employees and, finally, barriers concerning the service operations management. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first attempt to characterize the service failure and recovery in a Tb2N context. Complaint management is an essential tool for managers, as failures in service delivery are inevitable and the recovery of such encounters encompasses significant challenges. For academics, this is the first effort to discuss a growing topic in the operations management literature. Further investigation is needed, and with this contribution, the authors expect to stimulate other researchers to provide their contribution.

scholarly journals Service experiences and dyadic value co-creation in healthcare service delivery: a CIT approach

2015 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 443-462 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kofi Osei-Frimpong ◽  
Alan Wilson ◽  
Nana Owusu-Frimpong
Keyword(s):  
Service Delivery ◽  
Critical Incident ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Healthcare Delivery ◽  
Holistic View ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Creation Process ◽  
Critical Areas ◽  
True Value ◽  
Service Experiences

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate value co-creation processes from the focal dyad of the patient and the physician and how their experiences in the consulting room affect the value that is created. Design/methodology/approach – Semi-structured interviews incorporating the critical incident technique (CIT) were conducted with 8 doctors and 24 outpatients in selected hospitals in Ghana, exploring their experiences during their encounter in the service delivery impacting on the value creating healthcare opportunities. An abductive and thematic analytical approach was used to identify 76 useable critical incidents that had clear consequences on both the outcome of the service and the service experiences of the patient. Findings – The study reveals three critical areas needed to support the value co-creation process and respective elements or activities to be considered during the service encounter. The critical areas comprise of the social context, beliefs and perceptions, and partnership between the focal dyad. The findings also suggests that patients do not consider “getting well” as the only value that they seek, but also the total experiences they go through in the consulting room. Also some physicians find it difficult to accept the recent changes in the patients’ behaviour and attitudes, resulting in knowledge conflict that adversely affects actors’ experiences in the consulting room. Research limitations/implications – The study considered only one of the many professionals in the healthcare delivery, which may affect the true value perceptions of the patient. Practical implications – The study provides service providers understanding of the processes that influence the patients’ experiences and value creation and the changing trends in the patient’s attitudes. The findings suggest a need for providers to take a holistic view of the service delivery and consider the critical areas, which could impact on the overall service outcomes. Originality/value – This study extends the research on CIT to exploring the value co-creating processes in the healthcare setting. This also provides clarity in understanding the interdependence of the two actors and how this is managed as a resource in the value co-creation process at the micro level.

scholarly journals An in-depth case study of a modular service delivery system in a logistics context

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Frédéric Ponsignon ◽  
Phil Davies ◽  
Andi Smart ◽  
Roger Maull
Keyword(s):  
Service Delivery ◽  
Delivery System ◽  
Economies Of Scale ◽  
Single Case ◽  
Analytical Techniques ◽  
Service Delivery System ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Analysis Process

PurposeThe objective of this work is to empirically investigate the design of a service delivery system that supports the provision of modular service logistics offerings.Design/methodology/approachAn in-depth single-case study relying on interview data and extensive documentary evidence is carried out in the business-to-business (B2B) logistics sector. Three main analytical techniques are used to make sense of the qualitative data: thematic analysis, process mapping and the application of modular operators.FindingsA modular service delivery system comprises three types of processes that collectively deliver modular offerings. The platform consists of core processes that enable the collection, transport and delivery of physical items for all offerings (modular and non-modular). Dedicated modular processes are mandatory and exclusive to individual modular offerings. Optional modular processes are shared across several modular offerings. Interfaces regulate physical (e.g. parcels or parts) and information (e.g. booking data) inputs provided by the customer in order to control the interdependencies within these different process types.Practical implicationsThe identification of three process types and their interdependencies provides detailed insights into how managers can design modular logistics services that benefit from economies of scale and meet increasingly variable customer requirements. The importance of well-designed interfaces among the customers, the service offering and the service delivery system is highlighted.Originality/valueThis study extends previous modularity studies in service logistics. It is the first study to apply modular operators to determine the presence of modularity in the service delivery system and to establish the role of different process types in enabling modularity in the service delivery system.

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