Quality Dimensions: RATER Analysis of Airline Industry
Customers don’t assess the quality of service on one dimension only, they use multiple parameters to judge the quality of the service that they are being offered. These characteristics which people consider vary from person to person, industry to industry. Even depend upon the product on offer.
Because of the intangibility and multifaceted nature of many services, it may be harder to evaluate the quality of a service than a good. Because the customers are often involved in the service production a distinction needs to be drawn between the process of service delivery and the actual output of the service. The most extensive research into service quality is strongly user oriented.
Services are broadly classified into 10 dimensions namely:
- Tangibility
- Reliability
- Responsiveness
- Competence
- Courtesy
- Credibility
- Security
- Access
- Communication
- Understanding the customer
Since most of these dimensions are overlapping they were pooled down to five dimensions as given below:
- Reliability
- Assurance
- Tangibles
- Empathy
- Responsiveness
When we look at these dimensions with respect to the airline industry we find that the following service qualities are expected by the customer.
Reliability – flights to promised destinations depart and Arrive on schedule
Assurance – trusted name, good safety record, Competent employees
Tangibles – aircraft, ticketing counters, baggage area, uniforms
Empathy – understanding of special individual needs, anticipates customer needs
Responsiveness – prompt and speedy system for ticketing, in- flight, baggage handling
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