Abstract:

In this study, the basic and sub-reasons that cause gaps between customers’ expectations and perceptions regarding the service quality are analyzed. These reasons are discussed in the Service Quality Gap Model developed by Parasuraman, Zeithaml and Berry (1985). According to the Service Quality Gap Model, gap between customers’ service quality expectations and perceptions (Gap 5) stem from four basic gaps/reasons that may be under the control of the business. The first gap (Gap 1) stems from the fact that business cannot determine the customers’ expectations correctly, the reason of second gap (Gap 2) is that business cannot convert customer expectations to service standards/ specifications. The third gap (Gap 3) arises because business cannot provide the designated service standards, and the fourth gap (Gap 4) comes from the fact that business cannot fulfil the promised services. With a broader perspective, it focuses on the sub-reasons of the emergence of the four gaps in the Extended Service Quality Model developed by the same researchers (Zeithaml, Berry and Parasuraman, 1988). Also, suggestions have been made to reduce or prevent these reasons in the Model.

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