Subjective appraisal of service quality using fuzzy linguistic assessment

Purpose – This study proposes a conceptual model to assess the perceived service quality properly using fuzzy set theory, since customers' perceptions of service quality are generally expressed subjectively in vague linguistic termsDesign/methodology/approach – To demonstrate the proposed model, the exploratory prospect of empirical study with questionnaire is given in measuring the service quality. The customer first records his or her perception of service quality in linguistic terms. The reviewer then quantifies the perception with fuzzy numbers. By mutually comparing all the criteria, importance weights of criteria in assessing the service quality can be prioritized. The fuzzy perceived quality score is then calculated by combining the fuzzy numbers of criteria with the corresponding weights. The fuzzy scores are then transformed to linguistic terms to reflect the customer's satisfaction level of overall service quality as interpreted by the reviewer.Findings – The investigation shows that distinguish...

[1]  R. Teas,et al.  Expectations, Performance Evaluation, and Consumers’ Perceptions of Quality , 1993 .

[2]  B. Lewis,et al.  Defining and Measuring the Quality of Customer Service , 1990 .

[3]  Chris Ryan,et al.  INVOLVEMENT IN ADVENTURE TOURISM: TOWARD IMPLEMENTING A FUZZY SET , 2003 .

[4]  T. Lam,et al.  Service quality of travel agents: the case of travel agents in Hong Kong , 1999 .

[5]  Mao-Jiun J. Wang,et al.  Subjective assessment of mental workload: a fuzzy linguistic multi-criteria approach , 1994 .

[6]  Michael H. Morris,et al.  Expectations of Service Quality as an Industrial Market Segmentation Variable , 1996 .

[7]  S. Ho,et al.  Service Quality and Tourism , 1998 .

[8]  William G. Marchal,et al.  Statistical techniques in business and economics , 1991 .

[9]  R. F. Blanchard,et al.  Quality in Retail Banking , 1994 .

[10]  Mao-Jiun J. Wang,et al.  Ranking fuzzy numbers with integral value , 1992 .

[11]  Sheng-Hshiung Tsaur,et al.  The evaluation of airline service quality by fuzzy MCDM. , 2002 .

[12]  A. Parasuraman,et al.  Reassessment of expectations as a comparison standard in measuring service quality: Implications , 1994 .

[13]  Brian P. Mathews,et al.  The influence of experience on service expectations , 1997 .

[14]  Gilbert A. Churchill,et al.  Improving the measurement of service quality , 1993 .

[15]  A. Parasuraman,et al.  A Conceptual Model of Service Quality and Its Implications for Future Research , 1985 .

[16]  D. Dubois,et al.  Systems of linear fuzzy constraints , 1980 .

[17]  Claes-Robert Julander,et al.  Perceived service quality and customer satisfaction in a store performance framework: An empirical study of Swedish grocery retailers , 1996 .

[18]  Emin Babakus,et al.  An empirical assessment of the SERVQUAL scale , 1992 .

[19]  Donald J. Shemwell,et al.  Customer‐service provider relationships: an empirical test of a model of service quality, satisfaction and relationship‐oriented outcomes , 1998 .

[20]  Steven A. Taylor,et al.  Servperf versus Servqual: Reconciling Performance-Based and Perceptions-Minus-Expectations Measurement of Service Quality , 1994 .

[21]  R. Teas,et al.  Expectations as a Comparison Standard in Measuring Service Quality: An Assessment of a Reassessment , 1994 .

[22]  Norizan M. Kassim,et al.  Service quality: gaps in the Malaysian telemarketing industry , 2002 .

[23]  V. Kumar,et al.  Essentials of Marketing Research , 1998 .

[24]  D. Dubois,et al.  Fuzzy real algebra: Some results , 1979 .

[25]  C. Grönroos.  A Service Quality Model and its Marketing Implications , 1984 .

[26]  Richard T. Watson,et al.  Service Quality: A Measure of Information System Effectiveness , 1995, MIS Q..

[27]  E. Tolga,et al.  Justification of manufacturing technologies using fuzzy benefit/cost ratio analysis , 2000 .

[28]  Yu-Liang Kuo,et al.  Validating fuzzy multicriteria analysis using fuzzy clustering , 2003 .

[29]  Steven A. Taylor,et al.  Measuring Service Quality: A Reexamination and Extension , 1992 .

[30]  Christine A. Vogt,et al.  Tourists and retailers' perceptions of services. , 1995 .

[31]  Naresh K. Malhotra,et al.  Marketing Research: An Applied Orientation , 1993 .

[32]  Yoshiteru Nakamori,et al.  Factor Space Model for Fuzzy Data , 1997 .

[33]  Lotfi A. Zadeh,et al.  Fuzzy Sets , 1996, Inf. Control..

[34]  Hui-Hua Tsai,et al.  Using fuzzy numbers to evaluate perceived service quality , 2000, Fuzzy Sets Syst..

[35]  Kurt J. Schmucker,et al.  Fuzzy Sets, Natural Language Computations, and Risk Analysis , 1983 .

[36]  Deon Nel,et al.  Service Quality in a Retail Environment: Closing the Gaps , 1993 .