Figure 3. The analysis framework
z Phase 3: The service tactics are accordingly executed by personnel or customers themselves.
In next section we will conduct two interesting scenarios to manifest the utility of our framework. The first scenario is stated based on services providers’ viewpoint.
Another is performed by customers’ viewpoint.
Scenario A
This scenario assumes that a bicycle company wants to sell a new product within multi-function. The company’s employees on sales spot would tell a customer about the features of the bicycle, such as ridding on steep roads. However, the customer might feel doubtful about whether this product could match his/her needs and the truthfulness of the bicycle functions as the company has asserted. Because the customer is not familiar with
the product/service quality of the bicycle, the perceived risk of the bicycle might be in a high level. Nevertheless, the low perceived risk sometimes might also reduce the customer’s expectations. Hence, according to the above statement, the initial desired service level and adequate service level of customer expectation could be low. Our goal is manipulate customers’ expectations, such as raising the desired service level and adequate service level, in order to raise their expectations to purchase the bicycle.
Based on the framework we mentioned earlier, the company could have the following operational strategies in order to reach the goal:
z Explicit service promises
The company can post advertisement on the popular portal websites, such like yahoo or Google, which have good selling skills in interacting with customer to raise the desired service level and adequate service level.
z Word-of-mouth
The company can build their customer relationship management system to continue to interact with their customers and build the good reputation of the company for their original customers. The desired service level and adequate service level would then be raised accordingly.
z Past experience
The company can set up an experience room to provide their customers with pre-purchase service experience. Hence, company could implement the virtual reality on the experience room to simulate within the real situation and providers can customize what customers want in real situations. The desired service level and adequate service level can then be raised.
z Perceived service alternatives
New bicycles can be augmented with different functions suggested by customers in order for the company to provide customization solutions for customers. Naturally the adequate service level will be raised.
z Self-perceived service role
Customers could know how to ride the bicycle suitably and how to perform their roles in the experience. If they perform well in the experience room, the adequate service level will be raised.
In conclusion, the company can manipulate customers’ expectations through some strategies which utilize the influencing factors according to our framework. Zeithaml et al.
(1993) noted that the desired service level is less subject to change than the adequate service level, and then the zone of tolerance will be narrower.
Scenario B
I took my wife, daughter and her friend to expend this past weekend in Taipei City.
We stayed at the ABC Inn based on the recommendation of a fellow group member. It was a good choice. The hotel was comfortable, immaculate and I was impressed with service we received throughout the weekend. The entire staffs from housekeepers to front desk to shuttle drivers were warm and friendly. We were constantly greeted with a smile and a greeting. Every question was promptly answered and the service was perfectly efficient. On Sunday we took the hotel shuttle to the main train station to catch the train into the northern part of Taiwan. The sun was unbearable and in the heat of the afternoon we returned to the hotel. I called the hotel when we were almost reaching to the train station and was assured that the shuttle would be dispatched to pick us up. Then we waited and waited and waited under the heat for almost 30 minutes. At this recovery service moment, both my desired and adequate expectation levels were higher than the first-time service. Because of the situational factors of context, especially for my adequate expectation level, the position of the zone of tolerance was reduced.
I placed another call to the hotel and calmly stated that I had called earlier and was checking on the status of the shuttle. I was placed on hold for about a minute and the woman returned to the line. She handled it just as I coach people to do it. She quickly and sincerely apologized and stated that the driver was leaving immediately and would be at the station in less than five minutes. Sure enough, the shuttle was dispatched with the information system and arrived promptly. When the doors to the shuttle opened, the driver, contact personnel, greeted us with a smile and another prompt apology. "I know you've been standing out here in the heat, so I brought you some ice cold water." With that, he handed each of us a bottle of water. He then added, "I'll get you right back to the hotel!" Owing to the hotel policy, which is to fulfill every customer’s personal need and not offend his anticipation, the driver by doing that with gentle and soft voice in order to decrease desire expectation level.
This was a classic example of service recovery, which is a strategy type that providers may confront, when service provider dropped the ball: apologize ("I care") and resolve the issue ("the shuttle is leaving immediately"). Based on the framework of this study, the solution type module would indicate key factors (e.g. apology and problems resolving) to confirm what service providers should do. At last the tactic portfolio is conducted as following statement: the staff at the ABC Inn did it one better by anticipating that customers were hot (physically and emotionally) and thirsty and brought something to cool off both customers bodies and our tempers.