Delivering Quality Service

This book contains all the necessary knowledge one needs to deliver service quality. A Parasuraman classic.

This is one of the most important books on services marketing research field. Good too to practitioners.

The authors present the SERVQUAL model as a framework for understanding and measuring service quality and also offer practical advice on how to improve service quality.Aside from the SERVQUAL model, readers craving practical business information will find Chapters 4 to 7, which communicate a four-part prescriptive model on how to improve service quality, most useful. In plain language and with many illustrative examples, the authors argue that customer service leaders must (1) know exactly what customers expect, (2) set proper service quality standards, (3) support employees in delivering quality service, and (4) never over-promise. Chapter 6 is excellent for drawing the critical link between human resources and customer service.Delivering Quality Service remains relevant even though it was published before anyone talked about Customer Relationship Management. The language is slightly dated but the concepts are timeless. In addition, by not focussing on customer management technology (a rarity in works published today) the authors put a proper emphasis on strategy.

A great book on SERVQUAL, nice layout of themes, plus a handy SERVQUAL test list to practice on your customers. Not just an academic book, but very down to earth. The only problem is that SERVQUAL is too broad to be applied in any service, you should take it with a grain of salt, but all-in-all, this book serve enough to be used as a basis for benchmarking service quality. Recommended not just for students, but to business practitioners too.