Question 1

Which of the following statements best describes the communication gap?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following statements best describes...

Question 2

A local utilities company has set up an online mechanism to pay bills that provides information to customers online so that the customers do not have to drive down to the local office.This service has improved customer satisfaction immensely and encouraged timely payment and resolution of issues.This strategy helps to reduce the company's:

Accepted Answer

The online mechanism is helping to bridge the delivery gap by providing an easier and more convenient way for customers to pay their bills and obtain information. This results in improved customer satisfaction and encourages timely payment and resolution of issues.

Question 3

An event management company that specializes in wedding receptions and birthday parties clarifies with clients the services it can actually provide and the number of guests it can handle before taking on an assignment.The company is trying to reduce the communication gap by:

Accepted Answer

The company is trying to reduce the communication gap by making sure that it only promises what it can actually deliver. This ensures that clients are not disappointed and that the company does not overcommit itself.

Question 4

The evaluation of service quality by defining the zone of tolerance will help the hotel to reduce which gap?

Accepted Answer

The zone of tolerance refers to the range of acceptable service quality by the customer. By defining the zone of tolerance, the hotel can understand the customer's expectations better and aim to deliver service within that range, reducing the knowledge gap between the hotel and the customer.

Question 5

The hotel scored high on the responsiveness dimension,indicating that the customers are happy with the:

Accepted Answer

Responsiveness dimension refers to the willingness of employees to help customers and provide prompt service. Therefore, customers who rated the hotel high in this dimension are likely satisfied with the compliance and prompt service of the employees.

Question 6

Jimmy's car garage provides great service to its customers by providing tips and guidelines to manage automobiles.The strategy used by the garage to reduce the standards gap is:

Accepted Answer

Achieving service goals through training is the strategy used by Jimmy's car garage to reduce the standards gap. This involves improving the skills and knowledge of service providers to meet customer expectations and deliver high-quality service.

Question 7

Kathy plans a weekend getaway to a natural lake resort known for its migratory birds.On arrival,she learns that the hotel is overbooked.Reception places Kathy in a lower-priced shared accommodation instead of the studio room that she had booked.Kathy decides not to book with the resort again.The service provider was unable to recover the service failure because:

Accepted Answer

The service provider failed to adequately compensate Kathy for the inconvenience of being placed in a lower-priced shared accommodation instead of the studio room she had booked, leading to her decision not to book with the resort again.

Question 8

Joanne bought a gift for her friend's birthday from an online website.The service provider failed to deliver the gift on the day it had promised.To compensate,the service provider provided coupons to Joanne a week later,which she could use to make more purchases online from them.The service recovery strategy that the service provider used in this instance was:

Accepted Answer

The service provider used a fair and equitable solution to make up for failing to deliver on their promise. By providing coupons for future purchases, they compensated Joanne for the inconvenience caused. This is an example of finding a fair solution as a service recovery strategy.

Question 9

A local grocery store has set up an automatic billing counter for customers who buy fewer than five items so that they need not wait long to check out.This has made the billing process efficient,and customers are very satisfied.This strategy reduces the:

Accepted Answer

The answer of A local grocery store has set up...

Question 10

Tom,who works as a flight attendant,puts in long hours serving customers.The management,noticing his efforts,recommends him for the Star of the Year award.This reward strategy will help in reducing which gap?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Tom,who works as a flight attendant,puts in...

Question 11

Kerry Inc.,a garment exporter,established detailed guidelines pertaining to garment shipping and return policies of its firm.This move has tended to reduce consumer grievances and uncertainty associated with international shipping.Which of the following has been established by Kerry in the given scenario?

Accepted Answer

Kerry Inc. has established detailed guidelines pertaining to garment shipping and return policies, which indicates that it has established procedural fairness. Procedural fairness refers to the perceived fairness of the processes and procedures used to make decisions or resolve complaints. By having clear and transparent guidelines, Kerry Inc. has reduced consumer grievances and uncertainty associated with international shipping, thereby establishing procedural fairness.

Question 12

A fast-food outlet offers home delivery.When Chris calls to place an order,the restaurant informs him that the delivery of the order will be delayed because of a delivery staff shortage.Which of the following is most likely to be reduced by the fast-food outlet by using the strategy given in the scenario?

Accepted Answer

The communication gap is most likely to be reduced by the fast-food outlet by informing Chris about the delay due to a delivery staff shortage, as it involves providing customers with realistic expectations about delivery times, thereby managing their expectations and reducing misunderstandings.

Question 13

A customer's perception of the benefits he or she received compared with the costs that resulted from a service failure is called:

Accepted Answer

The customer's perception of the benefits received compared with the costs resulting from a service failure refers to the distributive fairness, which is the perceived fairness of the outcome or result of a service encounter. Procedural fairness relates to the fairness of the process or procedures followed, while the service gap refers to the gap between customer expectations and the actual service provided. The delivery gap pertains to the gap between service quality specifications and the actual service delivery, while the communication gap reflects the gap between what is communicated by the company and what the customer understands.

Question 14

Most customers allotted a high importance score for the reliability dimension.This shows that most of the customers give importance to:

Accepted Answer

The reliability dimension refers to the ability of employees to provide service accurately and consistently. Customers who prioritize this dimension expect the hotel employees to deliver reliable and error-free service.

Question 15

Despite a firm's best efforts,sometimes service providers fail to meet customer expectations.In such a scenario,which of the following provides a unique opportunity to a firm to demonstrate its customer commitment?

Accepted Answer

Providing service recovery is the best option in such a scenario as it allows the firm to demonstrate its customer commitment by acknowledging the mistake and taking corrective action to make things right for the customer. By providing prompt, efficient, and effective service recovery, the firm can even turn dissatisfied customers into loyal ones, thus retaining their business and improving overall customer satisfaction. Focusing on the service quality dimension of tangibles, broadening the communication gap, narrowing the zone of tolerance, or widening the service gap are not effective ways to demonstrate customer commitment in this scenario.

Question 16

Which of the following service gaps did Mark and Julia experience when they visited the Valley Resort?

Accepted Answer

Mark and Julia experienced a delivery gap, as the service they received did not meet the expected standards of the resort. They were not satisfied with the cleanliness and comfort of their room, and the restaurant service was slow and of poor quality.

Question 17

The CEO of a services company routinely attends the team meetings of the company.He understands customer problems and provides solutions based on his experience and by following a standard,well-defined process.This works as a cue to the employees to emulate the CEO in the way problems are handled.Which of the following strategies is being exemplified in this scenario?

Accepted Answer

The CEO attending team meetings and providing solutions based on a well-defined process shows a commitment to service quality, emphasizing the importance of customer satisfaction to the employees.

Question 18

Which of the following strategies will help a firm in reducing the standards gap?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following strategies will help...

Question 19

Harris Inc.,a multinational retailer,introduced a new initiative to improve its customer service across its stores.In its recent initiative,Harris has authorised its store representatives to make their own decisions to help their customers.In the context of service delivery,which of the following best describes Harris's initiative?

Accepted Answer

Harris's initiative of authorizing its store representatives to make decisions to help customers is an example of empowering service providers. This approach increases employee empowerment and autonomy, which can ultimately improve customer satisfaction.

Question 20

A company that specializes in water purifiers recently installed a system at John's house.John realizes that the system is faulty because the purifier developed a leak within a few days of installation.John calls the company's service team,which goes over the problem in detail with him and then sends service personnel to John's house to fix the problem.In this scenario,the company tried to resolve the issue by:

Accepted Answer

The answer of A company that specializes in water purifiers...

Quiz 10: Product, Branding, and Packaging Decisions