Identification of performance gaps in service interactions that influence customer satisfaction

Abstract: This thesis project is aimed to investigate how gaps in the form of mistakes and flaws can be identified and minimized during customer service interactions. The Service Concept model by Goldstein et al. (2002) is used to create strategic alignment and to minimize the gap between customers’ needs and the company’s intentions of the delivered service. Also, Watkinson’s (2013) principles on how to create satisfied customers and enhancing the customer experience is used as well as Chien et al. (2002) framework for customer satisfaction. The GAPS Model by Parasuraman et. al. (2004) is also used to identify service quality gaps. The study is designed following the case study methodology. Data was collected through a qualitative means, interviewing a mix of employees at three levels (back-office, front-end and managers) at the service department at company Services1. Major findings were that customer expectations, quality and objectives, alignment of service strategy and execution, communication, relationships, customer satisfaction knowledge, motivation and engagement, and sharing customer feedback of the customer service were not unified and clear for all the levels. There are mismatches in the previous topics at Services1 that influence performance in customer satisfaction.