Customer Perceptions of Quality and Service System Design

Quality is a broad and pervasive philosophy that can signi cantly affect a rm’s competitiveness (Powell 1995; Sousa and Voss 2002). The academic literature contains an extensive discussion of various quality management systems and philosophies (Crosby 1979, 1984, 1996; Deming 1986; Garvin 1987; Juran 1988), together with the factors and practices driving these systems (Flynn, Schroeder, and Sakakibara 1994; Hackman and Wageman 1995; Ahire, Golhar, and Walter 1996). Since the inception of quality as a management philosophy, numerous companies have adopted various quality control systems such as total quality management (TQM), six-sigma, andCONTENTS3.1 Introduction ... 59 3.2 The Dimensions of Service Quality ... 61 3.3 A Model for Understanding Consumer Expectations andPerceptions ...63 3.3.1 Precontact Awareness Stage ...63 3.3.2 First and Subsequent Contacts ...65