Measuring physical distribution service quality

The quality of the physical distribution service industrial purchasers receive from suppliers has been shown to be an important consideration in industrial purchasing decisions. To better understand the criteria used to assess physical distribution service quality, the literature on physical distribution and service quality was examined, and interviews with purchasing managers were conducted. Based on the results of the literature reviews and interviews, plus a 2-step data-gathering process, a valid and reliable measurement instrument for perceptions of physical distribution service quality (PDSQ) was developed and refined. The process used to produce the instrument measuring PDSQ followed Churchill's (1979) guidelines for developing better measures of marketing constructs, as well as Gerbing and Anderson's (1988) updated paradigm for the assessment of unidimensionality. The model is based on the technical or outcome dimensions of timeliness, availability and condition.