Describe the three factors necessary for appropriate service standards.

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

(1) Standardization of service behaviors and actions. The extent to which this is possible depends upon the degree to which tasks and behaviors to be performed can be standardized (i.e., translated into a nonvarying sequential process similar to mass production of goods), where each step is laid out in order and all outcomes are uniform. This is in contrast to customization, which usually refers to some level of adaptation or tailoring of the process to the individual customer. Standardization can take three forms: substitution of technology for personal contact and human effort, improvements in work methods, or a combination of these two.
(2)  Formal service targets and goals. Successful  companies provide formal standards to guide employees in providing service. This helps companies know how well they are performing service that is critical to customers - how long it takes to conduct transactions, how frequently service fails, or how quickly they settle customer complaints. One type of formal goal involves specific targets for individual behaviors and actions. These should not be equivocal or stated in general terms, i.e., "call the customer back quickly" but should be measurable and quantifiable.
(3) Customer-, not company-, defined standards. Most companies have service standards that are company-defined. Customer-defined service standards are based on important requirements identified by customers themselves. When standards are chosen to match customer expectations and are calibrated the way customers view and express them, the firm can be more effective and efficient in providing services that customers value.