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The Gap Model

The GAP Model, derived from the SERVQUAL Model, analyzes the disparity between service quality performance and customer expectations through five core components: tangibles, reliability, responsiveness, assurance, and empathy. It identifies four key gaps that contribute to the overall service quality gap, including management perception, service quality specification, service delivery, and external communication. Additionally, the document outlines the four I's of services—intangibility, inconsistency, inseparability, and inventory—which highlight the unique characteristics of services compared to physical goods.

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7 views

The Gap Model

The GAP Model, derived from the SERVQUAL Model, analyzes the disparity between service quality performance and customer expectations through five core components: tangibles, reliability, responsiveness, assurance, and empathy. It identifies four key gaps that contribute to the overall service quality gap, including management perception, service quality specification, service delivery, and external communication. Additionally, the document outlines the four I's of services—intangibility, inconsistency, inseparability, and inventory—which highlight the unique characteristics of services compared to physical goods.

Uploaded by

sre.training.center
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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The GAP Model

The SERVQUAL Model is an empiric model by Zeithaml, Parasuraman


and Berry to compare service quality performance with customer
service quality needs. It is used to do a gap analysis of an organization’s
service quality performance against the service quality needs of its
customers. That’s why it’s also called the GAP model.

It takes into account the perceptions of customers of the relative


importance of service attributes. This allows an organization to prioritize.
There are five core components of service quality:

 Tangibles – physical facilities, equipment, staff appearance, etc.


 Reliability – ability to perform service dependably and accurately.
 Responsiveness – willingness to help and respond to customer need.
 Assurance – ability of staff to inspire confidence and trust.
 Empathy – the extent to which caring individualized service is given.

The four themes that were identified by the SERVQUAL developers were numbered and labelled as:

1. Consumer expectation – Management perception gap (Gap 1)


Management may have inaccurate perceptions of what consumers
(actually) expect. The reason for this gap is lack of proper market/customer
focus. The presence of a marketing department does not automatically
guarantee market focus. It requires the appropriate management
processes, market analysis tools and attitude.

2. Service Quality Specification gap (Gap 2)


There may be an inability on the part of the management to translate customer
expectations into service quality specifications. This gap relates to aspects of service
design.

3. Service delivery gap (Gap 3)


Guidelines for service delivery do not guarantee high-
quality service delivery or performance. There are several
reasons for this. These include: lack of sufficient support
for the frontline staff, process problems, or
frontline/contact staff performance variability.
4. External communication gap (Gap 4)
Consumer expectations are fashioned by the external
communications of an organization. A realistic expectation
will normally promote a more positive perception of service
quality. A service organization must ensure that
its marketing and promotion material accurately describes
the service offering and the way it is delivered
5. These four gaps cause a fifth gap (Gap 5)
which is the difference between customer expectations
and perceptions of the service actually received Perceived
quality of service depends on the size and direction of Gap
5, which in turn depends on the nature of the gaps
associated with marketing, design and delivery of
services.So,Gap 5 is the product of gaps 1, 2, 3 and 4. If
these four gaps, all of which are located below the line that
separates the customer from the company, are closed
then gap 5 will close.

The four I's of Services are

 Intangibility: Services cannot be touched, felt, or seen in the same way as


physical goods. They lack physical presence and are experienced rather than
possessed.
 Inconsistency (or Variability): Services can vary in quality and performance
due to their dependence on factors such as human interaction and other
external variables.
 Inseparability: Services are often produced and consumed simultaneously,
meaning that the service provider and the consumer are often involved in the
service delivery process.
 Inventory (or Perishability): Unlike goods, services cannot be stored for
future use. They are time-sensitive and must be consumed when they are
produced.

These four characteristics help differentiate services from tangible goods and
shape how services are marketed, managed, and delivered.

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