Main Article Content
Abstract
Service quality is vital in determining customer satisfaction and loyalty across industries. This paper comprehensively reviews service quality as a mediator variable, synthesising existing literature on its theoretical underpinnings, empirical evidence, and practical implications. Traditional service quality dimensions like reliability and responsiveness are discussed alongside emerging dimensions like accessibility and communication. The application of the SERVQUAL model across different industries is examined, highlighting its utility and addressing limitations, particularly in healthcare. Challenges related to standardisation, intangible aspects of care, limited scope, dynamic care delivery, biases in patient responses, lack of generalizability, and contextual factors in telemedicine are discussed. Tailored approaches considering industry-specific dynamics and customer needs are recommended to enhance service quality assessment and management.
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References
- Al-Borie, H. M., & Damanhouri, A. M. (2013). Patients' satisfaction of service quality in Saudi hospitals: A SERVQUAL analysis. International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance, 26(1), 20-30.
- Alnsour, M. S., & Alnsour, B. A. (2014). Using SERVQUAL to assess the quality of service provided by Jordanian telecommunications Sector. International Journal of Commerce and Management, 24(3), 209-218. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/IJCoMA-03-2012-0021.
- Araslı, H., Ekiz, E. H., & Katırcıoğlu, S. T. (2008). Gearing service quality into public and private hospitals in small islands: empirical evidence from Cyprus. International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance, 21(1), 8-23. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/09526860810841129. PMID: 18437935.
- Arasli, H., Ekiz, E., & Katircioglu, S. (2008). Gearing service quality into public and private hospitals in small islands: Empirical evidence from Cyprus. International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance, 21(1), 8-23. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/09526860810841129.
- Berry, L. L., Zeithaml, V. A., & Parasuraman, A. (1990). Five imperatives for improving service quality. MIT Sloan Management Review, 31(4), 29-38.
- Bozorgi, M. Mehdi. (2007). Measuring service quality in the airline using SERVQUAL model: case of IAA (Dissertation). Retrieved from https://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:ltu:diva-58964
- Bustard, J. R. T. (2019). The Smart Event Experience: A Many to Many Co-creation (Doctoral dissertation). Department of Hospitality and Tourism Management, Ulster University Business School, Ulster University.
- Carman, J. M. (1990). Consumer perceptions of service quality: An assessment of the SERVQUAL dimensions. Journal of Retailing, 66(1), 33-55.
- Chen, J., Du, H., Zhang, L., Gao, J., & Yang, W. (2022). Evaluation of Airline Service Quality Based on Improved SERVQUAL Model. In Proceedings of the 2022 International Conference on Computational Infrastructure and Urban Planning (CIUP '22) (pp. 53-60). https://doi.org/10.1145/3546632.3546880
- Chingang, D., & Lukong, P.B. (2010). Using the SERVQUAL model to assess Service Quality and Customer Satisfaction: An Empirical study of grocery stores in Umea. Master's thesis, Umeå School of Business, Spring semester 2010. Retrieved from https://www.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:327600/fulltext01.
- Cronin Jr., J. J., & Taylor, S. (1992). Measuring Service Quality: A Re-examination and Extension. Journal of Marketing, 56, 55-68. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/1252296.
- Dopeykar, N., Bahadori, M., Mehdizadeh, P., Ravangard, R., Salesi, M., & Hosseini, S. M. (2018). Assessing the quality of dental services using SERVQUAL model. Dental Research Journal (Isfahan), 15(6), 430-436. PMID: 30534171; PMCID: PMC6243813.
- Ferreira, D. C., Vieira, I., Pedro, M. I., Caldas, P., & Varela, M. (2023). Patient Satisfaction with Healthcare Services and the Techniques Used for its Assessment: A Systematic Literature Review and a Bibliometric Analysis. Healthcare (Basel), 11(5), 639. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11050639. PMID: 36900644; PMCID: PMC10001171.
- Haleem, A., Javaid, M., Singh, R. P., & Suman, R. (2021). Telemedicine for healthcare: Capabilities, features, barriers, and applications. Sensors International, 2, 100117. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sintl.2021.100117
- Hamid, S. A., Azim, M. R., Rahman, M. M., & Islam, M. S. (2023). Working conditions of the clinical health workforce in the public health facilities in Bangladesh. PLoS One, 18(11), e0294224. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0294224
- Harriet, N, Arthur, N., Komunda, M. and Mugizi, T. (2024) Service Quality, Customer Loyalty and Customer Retention among Private Health Care Services in Mbarara City. Open Journal of Social Sciences, 12, 101-126. http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/jss.2024.121008.
- Javed, S., & Ilyas, F. (2018). Service Quality and Satisfaction in Healthcare Sector of Pakistan – The Patients' Expectations. International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance, 31(6), 489-501. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJHCQA-08-2016-0110.
- Karkee, R., Lee, A. H., & Pokharel, P. K. (2014). Women's perception of quality of maternity services: a longitudinal survey in Nepal. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 14, 45. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2393-14-45.
- Ladhari, R. (May 2009). Service quality, emotional satisfaction, and behavioural intentions: A study in the hotel industry. Managing Service Quality, 19(3), 308-331. https://doi.org/10.1108/09604520910955320
- Langer, S., Chew-Graham, C., Hunter, C., Guthrie, E. A., & Salmon, P. (2013). Why do patients with long-term conditions use unscheduled care? A qualitative literature review. Health & Social Care in the Community, 21(4), 339-351. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2524.2012.01093.x
- Lemon, K. N., & Verhoef, P. C. (2016). Understanding Customer Experience Throughout the Customer Journey. Journal of Marketing. https://doi.org/10.1509/jm.15.0420
- Li, L., Wu, Y., Han, R. and Li, C. (2022) Airline Service Quality: A Variance Assessment Method Based on Complaint Statistics. Journal of Service Science and Management, 15, 416-436. http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/jssm.2022.154025.
- Lin, H. C., Xirasagar, S., & Laditka, J. N. (2004). Patient perceptions of service quality in group versus solo practice clinics. International Journal of Quality in Health Care, 16(6), 437-445. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/intqhc/mzh072 . PMID: 15557353.
- Liu, W., & Xiaohang, L. (2023). Application of SERVQUAL Model in Patient Satisfaction Survey. In Proceedings of the International Conference on Education, Humanities, and Management (ICEHUM 2022) (pp. 25). http://dx.doi.org/10.2991/978-2-38476-040-4_25.
- Meuter, M. L., Ostrom, A. L., Roundtree, R. I., & Bitner, M. J. (2000). Self-Service Technologies: Understanding Customer Satisfaction with Technology-Based Service Encounters. Journal of Marketing, 64(3), 50-64. https://doi.org/10.1509/jmkg.64.3.50.18024
- Mrak, M.K., Sokolic, D. (2019). Evolution Paths of Business Models in Personalised Medicine. In: Bodiroga-Vukobrat, N., Rukavina, D., Pavelić, K., Sander, G.G. (eds) Personalised Medicine in Healthcare Systems. Europeanization and Globalisation, vol 5. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-16465-2_12
- Oliver, R. L. (1980). A cognitive model of the antecedents and consequences of satisfaction decisions. Journal of Marketing Research, 17(4), 460-469.
- Parasuraman, A., Berry, L. L., & Zeithaml, V. A. (1993). More on improving service quality measurement. Journal of Retailing, 69(1), 140-147.
- Parasuraman, A., Zeithaml, V. A., & Berry, L. L. (1988). SERVQUAL: A multiple-item scale for measuring consumer perceptions of service quality. Journal of Retailing, 64(1), 12-40.
- Parasuraman, A., Zeithaml, V.A. and Malhotra, A. (2005) E-S-Qual: A Multiple-Item Scale for Assessing Electronic Service Quality. Journal of Service Research, 7, 213-233.
- Pine, B. J. (1993). Mass customisation: The new frontier in business competition. Harvard Business School Press, Boston.
- Raza, S. A., Umer, A., Qureshi, M. A., Dahri, S., & Dahri, S. (2020). Internet banking service quality, e-customer satisfaction and loyalty: the modified e-SERVQUAL model. The TQM Journal, ahead-of-print. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/TQM-02-2020-0019.
- Rust, R. T., & Huang, M.-H. (March 2014). The Service Revolution and the Transformation of Marketing Science. Marketing Science, 33(2), 206-221. https://doi.org/10.1287/mksc.2013.0836
- Sachdev, S.B., & Verma, H.V. (2004). the relative importance of service quality dimensions: a multi-sectoral study. Journal of Services Research,4(1), 93-116.
- Saleh, F., Ryan, C., & Ryan, C. (1991). Analysing Service Quality in the Hospitality Industry Using the SERVQUAL Model. The Service Industries Journal, 11(3), 324-345. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02642069100000049
- Setia, M. S. (2016). Methodology Series Module 3: Cross-sectional Studies. Indian Journal of Dermatology, 61(3), 261-264. http://dx.doi.org/10.4103/0019-5154.182410. PMID: 27293245; PMCID: PMC4885177.
- Shava, H. (2021). The relationship between service quality and customer satisfaction in the South African mobile network telecommunications industry. Journal of International Studies, 14(2), 70-83. http://dx.doi.org/10.14254/2071-8330.2021/14-2/5
- Shie, A. J., Huang, Y. F., Li, G. Y., Lyu, W. Y., Yang, M., Dai, Y. Y., Su, Z. H., & Wu, Y. J. (2022). Exploring the Relationship Between Hospital Service Quality, Patient Trust, and Loyalty from a Service Encounter Perspective in Elderly With Chronic Diseases. Frontiers in Public Health, 10, 876266. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2022.876266
- Sofaer, S., & Firminger, K. (2005). Patient perceptions of the quality of health services. Annual Review of Public Health, 26, 513-559. http://dx.doi.org/10.1146/annurev.publhealth.25.050503.153958. PMID: 15760300.
- Srivastava, A., Avan, B. I., Rajbangshi, P., et al. (2015). Determinants of women's satisfaction with maternal health care: a review of literature from developing countries. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 15, 97. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-015-0525-0.
- Verhoef, P. C., Reinartz, W., Krafft, M., & Verhoef, P. C. (August 2010). Customer Engagement as a New Perspective in Customer Management. Journal of Service Research, 13(3), 247-252. https://doi.org/10.1177/1094670510375461
- Vu, T. (2021). Service Quality and Its Impact on Customer Satisfaction [Bachelor's thesis, Honours, Marta Julita Ciach-Maheswaran]. Figshare. https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.17089454.
- Wong, A., Dean, A. M., & White, C. (1999). Analysing service quality in the hospitality industry. Managing Service Quality, 9(2), 136-143. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/09604529910257920.
- Zeithaml, V. A., Parasuraman, A., & Berry, L. L. (1985). Problems and strategies in services marketing. Journal of Marketing, 49(2), 33-46.
References
Al-Borie, H. M., & Damanhouri, A. M. (2013). Patients' satisfaction of service quality in Saudi hospitals: A SERVQUAL analysis. International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance, 26(1), 20-30.
Alnsour, M. S., & Alnsour, B. A. (2014). Using SERVQUAL to assess the quality of service provided by Jordanian telecommunications Sector. International Journal of Commerce and Management, 24(3), 209-218. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/IJCoMA-03-2012-0021.
Araslı, H., Ekiz, E. H., & Katırcıoğlu, S. T. (2008). Gearing service quality into public and private hospitals in small islands: empirical evidence from Cyprus. International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance, 21(1), 8-23. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/09526860810841129. PMID: 18437935.
Arasli, H., Ekiz, E., & Katircioglu, S. (2008). Gearing service quality into public and private hospitals in small islands: Empirical evidence from Cyprus. International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance, 21(1), 8-23. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/09526860810841129.
Berry, L. L., Zeithaml, V. A., & Parasuraman, A. (1990). Five imperatives for improving service quality. MIT Sloan Management Review, 31(4), 29-38.
Bozorgi, M. Mehdi. (2007). Measuring service quality in the airline using SERVQUAL model: case of IAA (Dissertation). Retrieved from https://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:ltu:diva-58964
Bustard, J. R. T. (2019). The Smart Event Experience: A Many to Many Co-creation (Doctoral dissertation). Department of Hospitality and Tourism Management, Ulster University Business School, Ulster University.
Carman, J. M. (1990). Consumer perceptions of service quality: An assessment of the SERVQUAL dimensions. Journal of Retailing, 66(1), 33-55.
Chen, J., Du, H., Zhang, L., Gao, J., & Yang, W. (2022). Evaluation of Airline Service Quality Based on Improved SERVQUAL Model. In Proceedings of the 2022 International Conference on Computational Infrastructure and Urban Planning (CIUP '22) (pp. 53-60). https://doi.org/10.1145/3546632.3546880
Chingang, D., & Lukong, P.B. (2010). Using the SERVQUAL model to assess Service Quality and Customer Satisfaction: An Empirical study of grocery stores in Umea. Master's thesis, Umeå School of Business, Spring semester 2010. Retrieved from https://www.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:327600/fulltext01.
Cronin Jr., J. J., & Taylor, S. (1992). Measuring Service Quality: A Re-examination and Extension. Journal of Marketing, 56, 55-68. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/1252296.
Dopeykar, N., Bahadori, M., Mehdizadeh, P., Ravangard, R., Salesi, M., & Hosseini, S. M. (2018). Assessing the quality of dental services using SERVQUAL model. Dental Research Journal (Isfahan), 15(6), 430-436. PMID: 30534171; PMCID: PMC6243813.
Ferreira, D. C., Vieira, I., Pedro, M. I., Caldas, P., & Varela, M. (2023). Patient Satisfaction with Healthcare Services and the Techniques Used for its Assessment: A Systematic Literature Review and a Bibliometric Analysis. Healthcare (Basel), 11(5), 639. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11050639. PMID: 36900644; PMCID: PMC10001171.
Haleem, A., Javaid, M., Singh, R. P., & Suman, R. (2021). Telemedicine for healthcare: Capabilities, features, barriers, and applications. Sensors International, 2, 100117. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sintl.2021.100117
Hamid, S. A., Azim, M. R., Rahman, M. M., & Islam, M. S. (2023). Working conditions of the clinical health workforce in the public health facilities in Bangladesh. PLoS One, 18(11), e0294224. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0294224
Harriet, N, Arthur, N., Komunda, M. and Mugizi, T. (2024) Service Quality, Customer Loyalty and Customer Retention among Private Health Care Services in Mbarara City. Open Journal of Social Sciences, 12, 101-126. http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/jss.2024.121008.
Javed, S., & Ilyas, F. (2018). Service Quality and Satisfaction in Healthcare Sector of Pakistan – The Patients' Expectations. International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance, 31(6), 489-501. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJHCQA-08-2016-0110.
Karkee, R., Lee, A. H., & Pokharel, P. K. (2014). Women's perception of quality of maternity services: a longitudinal survey in Nepal. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 14, 45. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2393-14-45.
Ladhari, R. (May 2009). Service quality, emotional satisfaction, and behavioural intentions: A study in the hotel industry. Managing Service Quality, 19(3), 308-331. https://doi.org/10.1108/09604520910955320
Langer, S., Chew-Graham, C., Hunter, C., Guthrie, E. A., & Salmon, P. (2013). Why do patients with long-term conditions use unscheduled care? A qualitative literature review. Health & Social Care in the Community, 21(4), 339-351. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2524.2012.01093.x
Lemon, K. N., & Verhoef, P. C. (2016). Understanding Customer Experience Throughout the Customer Journey. Journal of Marketing. https://doi.org/10.1509/jm.15.0420
Li, L., Wu, Y., Han, R. and Li, C. (2022) Airline Service Quality: A Variance Assessment Method Based on Complaint Statistics. Journal of Service Science and Management, 15, 416-436. http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/jssm.2022.154025.
Lin, H. C., Xirasagar, S., & Laditka, J. N. (2004). Patient perceptions of service quality in group versus solo practice clinics. International Journal of Quality in Health Care, 16(6), 437-445. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/intqhc/mzh072 . PMID: 15557353.
Liu, W., & Xiaohang, L. (2023). Application of SERVQUAL Model in Patient Satisfaction Survey. In Proceedings of the International Conference on Education, Humanities, and Management (ICEHUM 2022) (pp. 25). http://dx.doi.org/10.2991/978-2-38476-040-4_25.
Meuter, M. L., Ostrom, A. L., Roundtree, R. I., & Bitner, M. J. (2000). Self-Service Technologies: Understanding Customer Satisfaction with Technology-Based Service Encounters. Journal of Marketing, 64(3), 50-64. https://doi.org/10.1509/jmkg.64.3.50.18024
Mrak, M.K., Sokolic, D. (2019). Evolution Paths of Business Models in Personalised Medicine. In: Bodiroga-Vukobrat, N., Rukavina, D., Pavelić, K., Sander, G.G. (eds) Personalised Medicine in Healthcare Systems. Europeanization and Globalisation, vol 5. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-16465-2_12
Oliver, R. L. (1980). A cognitive model of the antecedents and consequences of satisfaction decisions. Journal of Marketing Research, 17(4), 460-469.
Parasuraman, A., Berry, L. L., & Zeithaml, V. A. (1993). More on improving service quality measurement. Journal of Retailing, 69(1), 140-147.
Parasuraman, A., Zeithaml, V. A., & Berry, L. L. (1988). SERVQUAL: A multiple-item scale for measuring consumer perceptions of service quality. Journal of Retailing, 64(1), 12-40.
Parasuraman, A., Zeithaml, V.A. and Malhotra, A. (2005) E-S-Qual: A Multiple-Item Scale for Assessing Electronic Service Quality. Journal of Service Research, 7, 213-233.
Pine, B. J. (1993). Mass customisation: The new frontier in business competition. Harvard Business School Press, Boston.
Raza, S. A., Umer, A., Qureshi, M. A., Dahri, S., & Dahri, S. (2020). Internet banking service quality, e-customer satisfaction and loyalty: the modified e-SERVQUAL model. The TQM Journal, ahead-of-print. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/TQM-02-2020-0019.
Rust, R. T., & Huang, M.-H. (March 2014). The Service Revolution and the Transformation of Marketing Science. Marketing Science, 33(2), 206-221. https://doi.org/10.1287/mksc.2013.0836
Sachdev, S.B., & Verma, H.V. (2004). the relative importance of service quality dimensions: a multi-sectoral study. Journal of Services Research,4(1), 93-116.
Saleh, F., Ryan, C., & Ryan, C. (1991). Analysing Service Quality in the Hospitality Industry Using the SERVQUAL Model. The Service Industries Journal, 11(3), 324-345. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02642069100000049
Setia, M. S. (2016). Methodology Series Module 3: Cross-sectional Studies. Indian Journal of Dermatology, 61(3), 261-264. http://dx.doi.org/10.4103/0019-5154.182410. PMID: 27293245; PMCID: PMC4885177.
Shava, H. (2021). The relationship between service quality and customer satisfaction in the South African mobile network telecommunications industry. Journal of International Studies, 14(2), 70-83. http://dx.doi.org/10.14254/2071-8330.2021/14-2/5
Shie, A. J., Huang, Y. F., Li, G. Y., Lyu, W. Y., Yang, M., Dai, Y. Y., Su, Z. H., & Wu, Y. J. (2022). Exploring the Relationship Between Hospital Service Quality, Patient Trust, and Loyalty from a Service Encounter Perspective in Elderly With Chronic Diseases. Frontiers in Public Health, 10, 876266. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2022.876266
Sofaer, S., & Firminger, K. (2005). Patient perceptions of the quality of health services. Annual Review of Public Health, 26, 513-559. http://dx.doi.org/10.1146/annurev.publhealth.25.050503.153958. PMID: 15760300.
Srivastava, A., Avan, B. I., Rajbangshi, P., et al. (2015). Determinants of women's satisfaction with maternal health care: a review of literature from developing countries. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 15, 97. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-015-0525-0.
Verhoef, P. C., Reinartz, W., Krafft, M., & Verhoef, P. C. (August 2010). Customer Engagement as a New Perspective in Customer Management. Journal of Service Research, 13(3), 247-252. https://doi.org/10.1177/1094670510375461
Vu, T. (2021). Service Quality and Its Impact on Customer Satisfaction [Bachelor's thesis, Honours, Marta Julita Ciach-Maheswaran]. Figshare. https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.17089454.
Wong, A., Dean, A. M., & White, C. (1999). Analysing service quality in the hospitality industry. Managing Service Quality, 9(2), 136-143. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/09604529910257920.
Zeithaml, V. A., Parasuraman, A., & Berry, L. L. (1985). Problems and strategies in services marketing. Journal of Marketing, 49(2), 33-46.