Individual Report 303 Final Copy (edited)

2014Measuring Service Quality Effectiveness

Joshua Lucy

Sport Marketing

303SEM Sport Marketing Joshua Lucy 3776252

ContentsExecutive Summary....................................................................................... 3

Service Quality...............................................................................................4

Service Blueprinting.......................................................................................5

Identification of Critical Incidents and Potential Service Failure Points................................6

ServQual & Gaps Model.................................................................................8

Relationship Marketing..................................................................................9

Internal Marketing................................................................................................................9

Leaky Bucket Theory.............................................................................................................9

Ladder of Loyalty................................................................................................................10

Customer Relationship Management.................................................................................10

Revenue and Yield Management..................................................................12

Conclusion...................................................................................................15

Appendix..................................................................................................... 16

Figure 1...............................................................................................................................16

Figure 2...............................................................................................................................17

Figure 3...............................................................................................................................17

Figure 4...............................................................................................................................18

Figure 5...............................................................................................................................20

Figure 6...............................................................................................................................21

Figure 7...............................................................................................................................22

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Figure 8...............................................................................................................................23

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Figure 9...............................................................................................................................24

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Figure 10.............................................................................................................................25

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J&L Marketing Consultancy

J&L


Figure 11.............................................................................................................................26

Figure 12.............................................................................................................................27

Gap 1: The Listening Gap.............................................................................................................27

Gap 2: The Service Design & Standards Gap................................................................................27

Gap 3: The service Performance Gap...........................................................................................27

Gap 4: The Communication Gap..................................................................................................27

Gap 5: Differences between Expected & Perceived Quality........................................................28

References...................................................................................................29

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Executive Summary The following report will present a detailed service blueprint for Stone Mountain Adventures (Summer Camp for teenagers). It will reflect on the different levels of customisation for the attendees.

This will be supported by;

Identifying the service processes and tangible cues Identifying critical incidents Recognising where the potential service failure points are and how they could

possibly be taken out of the equation. Highlighting service recovery procedures that can be put in place to cut out any

service failures points.

I will be using a Servqual Framework to critically examine the level of service quality of Camp America. I will then identify potential “Gaps” that are likely to occur and thereby offer a solution as to how these “Gaps” can be filled.

Moving on, I will explain the importance of relationship marketing for services; then evaluate how relationship marketing strategies are put in place and executed by the employees of Camp America. Finally, I will be using Revenue (Yield) Management theories and strategies to detect how Camp America can increase their revenue and maximise their profits.

So to summarise, the areas that will be explored include:

Service Blueprints

The report will include two service blue prints based on Stone Mountain Adventures two types of customers; the teenager attending the camp and the parent of the teenager. Each of the blue prints will identify the different service processes which both teenager and parent will encounter on the day of arrival at the camp. The blueprints will also identify how long certain service points will take to occur in relation to the customer.

Critical Incidents and Service Failure Points

Critical incidents are specific moments where customers meet with the service providers. These moments are important for the service providers to make a good first impression, and are therefore vital as they will impact the future service quality perceptions on the company. The service blueprints will highlight where these critical incidents occur, where potential service failure points can arise and ultimately identify how they can be prevented.

ServQual and Gaps Model

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The use of a ServQual model will identify where potential ‘Gaps’ occur in the service encounter offered by Stone Mountain Adventures (SMA), and how these ‘Gaps’ can be filled by the implementation of relevant and reliable strategies. The result of closing these ‘Gaps’ will have a positive effect on the company, with the improvement of service quality.

Relationship Marketing (RM)

“Relationship marketing is an underlying paradigm in modern industrial marketing and service marketing.” (Gronroos, C. [1997])

The report will identify what RM strategies are used by Stone Mountain Adventures and what alternative/additional strategies could be implemented in the future for SMA.

Customer Relationship Management (CRM)

“A model for managing a company’s interactions with current and future customers.” (Gronroos, C. [1997])

CRM is seen as a pioneering concept to help drive businesses revenue streams. I will firstly identify what are the current CRM practices employed by Stone Mountain Adventures and then offer recommendations as to what CRM strategies should be introduced/implemented.

Revenue and Yield Management

Finally I will look into what strategies are implemented by Stone Mountain Adventures to increase their revenue and yield. I will then identify the current costs involved to attend the camp, and what strategies the Camp's Director uses to attract attendees throughout the year running up to the summer. I will then suggest recommendations based on my research into successful competitive camps and their pricing theories.

Service QualityStone Mountain Adventures operates for just seven weeks each year, so there’s only a short period of time for this small, family run business to create revenue and customer loyalty. Meaning, it’s important to ensure that every new employee that is hired, understands how important it is to offer a high quality of service throughout those seven weeks of camp.

My research has shown that throughout the years many different individuals have defined Service Quality:

“According to the prevailing Japanese philosophy, quality is “zero defects – doing it right the first time.” (Crosby, 1979)

“Conformance to requirements” (Garvin, 1983)

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“The global evaluation or attitude of overall excellence of services” (Parasuraman et al, 1985)

“Fitness for use” (Juran, 1982)

Referring to what Crosby, Parasuraman (1985), and Juran (1982) have said, Zeithaml & Bitner (2003) stated that “Service quality is a focused evaluation that reflects the customer’s perception of specific dimensions of service: reliability, responsiveness, assurance tangibles.”

These five dimensions which are stated by Zeithaml & Bitner (2003) are also known as the “RATER Model” (Zeithaml, Parasuraman, Berry, 1990) A model which highlights five dimensions of service which are considered highly important factors when it comes to a customer using any service. If “Stone Mountain Adventures” was to take the RATER Model and implement the theory into their service, the company could improve its service and in turn its customer satisfaction. Refer to Figure 3.

Service Blueprinting“Service-Blueprinting is a service planning help tool. It can be used for developing new innovative services as well as for improving existing services. The method is also appropriate for ensuring the quality of service processes” (Dr.Dornberger, U, 2009) Touching on what Dr.Dornberger (2009) has said, it’s important to identify what services the company/association has to offer in order to understand where services need amending to maintain a high level of quality service.

According to Bitner et al (2007), a service blueprint consists of five components:

i. Customer Actionsii. Onstage/Visible contact employee actionsiii. Backstage/invisible contact employee actionsiv. Support processesv. Physical Evidence

Utilising these five components, I will use a specific example for the service blueprint. Parents have booked their son or daughter to attend a teenage overnight summer camp in Pennsylvania, USA. Their son or daughter has signed up for a 1 to 7 week outdoor adventure summer camp experience. The programme offers the teenagers an opportunity to participate in two sporting activities per day, one in the morning and also another sociable activity in the evening.

The blueprint will show an example starting from the moment the booking is made to when the child falls asleep on his/her first night at the camp; from both the perspective of the parents and the teenager him/her self. Likewise, the blueprint will also identify a “cut-off” point which will indicate where the parent and the teenager have been

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separated, meaning the teenager is now experiencing the service on his/her own. This will be shown as a red line.

Refer to figure 1 and 2 for the service blueprint of “Stone Mountain Adventures”, which will be in relation to Bitner et al (2007), a framework that indicates the five components.

To interact well with kids there are certain characteristics which are needed to be selected as a counsellor;

“In short, we’re seeking talented, fun, outgoing, and enthusiastic individuals who can provide quality instruction on activities. Our philosophy is “you can never expect a camper to be more excited about an activity than you are.” (Millar, J. 2013)

What could “Stone Mountain adventures” do to make sure that the individuals they hire have enough experience?

Something that SMA does already which is efficient and reliable enough to select good candidates for the job is;

Interview candidates 1 to 1. Make sure a CRB check is done. US residents/citizens must complete our employment application so that we may

conduct a background check. International applicants are required to obtain the appropriate legal documents

including a valid work visa, green card or valid J-1. US residents/citizens must complete our employment application so that we may

conduct a background check. International applicants are required to obtain the appropriate legal documents

including a valid work visa, green card or valid J-1.

Identification of Critical Incidents and Potential Service Failure PointsWhen hired to be a counsellor for a summer camp a key characteristic is the ability to be able to let yourself go and be a bit silly, simply because you are there to make sure that this particular summer is the best the kids will have ever had and will remember always; the fun times they enjoyed and the friendships they made. However, there are times when a counsellor has to be more responsible to ensure the safety of the child. Below are four critical incidents and potential risks that may occur during the day of arrival at camp.

Tour of Camp

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“You never get a second chance to make a good first impression” (Rogers, W. 2006)

The tour of camp is the first and only interaction with the child’s parents, so it’s important to be presentable, professional and trustworthy. A counsellor needs to remember that the parent is leaving their child with someone who they have only just met, so again it’s important that the parent leaves camp with knowledge that their son or daughter is in good hands. Making sure also that the counsellor is polite and understanding with any concerns

the parent may have.

“Something as simple as a smile and a "thank you" goes a long way in elevating the customer service experience.” (Callahan, J. 2012)

Although Callahan (2012) talks about a different type of customer service in relation to what a counsellor should consider in terms of customer service, he’s trying to say that something as simple as a smile or reassurance will go a long way to elevate the customers (parents) confidence in the staff.

What could “Stone Mountain Adventures” do to avoid lack of professionalism?

The Director of the camp could gather all the counsellors to attend 2 weeks of training prior to the campers arriving, to teach and mentally prepare them for specific circumstances they may encounter which they are unfamiliar with. For example, teaching counsellors key customer service skills.

Food

Food is another highly important factor/critical incident to consider. When first dropped off at camp the parents will leave medical/dietary information about the child, some of this information will identify specific food types that the child must not consume or come in contact with. This is why it’s important that counsellors and chefs are informed on all medical/dietary information from that first moment they get dropped off at camp. Main meals are their only source of energy so is vital that all campers have enough when it comes to breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Finally all food should be checked and confirmed cooked before serving, this is because;

“CDC estimates that each year roughly 1 in 6 Americans (or 48 million people) gets sick, 128,000 are hospitalized, and 3,000 die of foodborne diseases.” (CDC, 2011)

Refer to Figure 4.

What could “Stone Mountain Adventures” do to avoid food disasters?

1. Produce handouts of medical/dietary information for any campers or staff that may have specific food allergies etc. This should then be circulated to every counsellor and chef.

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2. Have the kitchen, fridges and food stores checked before and after food service to ensure that food is properly stored and that cleanliness is observed at all times.

First Interaction with Children

This is a critical incident because it is the first time you are with the child without their parent(s) being around. The child may feel vulnerable in terms of getting upset and home sick, so once again making a good first impression is very important. Making sure that kids feel safe under your supervision, and potentially being that person they to turn to when times are hard is a characteristic needed as a counsellor. For some of the kids this could be their first experience at an overnight summer camp, so again making them feel safe and welcome is important on their first night at the camp.

Watching Over Kids on Their First Night

Watching over the kids on the first night is the final critical incident because this is the night when all the kids are very excited and are full of energy. However, it’s important for the ‘onstage employees’ to make sure the kids have enough sleep so that they are ready for the next day of activities. Another important factor is making sure the kids are safe during the night, as there is only ever one counsellor on duty to each cabin each night, it is the duty of a counsellor to ensure the safety of the kids during the night as they are the only adult and therefore are responsible for the wellbeing of the kids.

“Studies show that sleep deprivation slows the release of growth hormone. Sleep is also necessary for learning a new skill, so this phase of sleep may be critical for some athletes.” (Mah, C. 2013)

What could “Stone Mountain Adventures” do to avoid sleep deprivation? Have the kids participate in a strenuous activity an hour before bed to tire them out, and simply have the counsellors make sure they stay in their beds at all times after ‘Lights Out’, allowing them to have 10 minutes to talk before finally going to sleep.

Refer to figure 1 and 2 to identify where these areas of critical incidences are located.

ServQual & Gaps Model“Service quality is a measure of how well the service level delivered matches customer expectations. Delivering quality service means conforming to customer expectations on a consistent basis.” (Lewis and Booms 1983)

Regarding what Lewis and Booms (1983) have quoted, they are suggesting that any type of service should always live up to customer expectations no matter how high those expectations are. The only reason a customer would have high expectations on service quality would be from previous high quality service they or their

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family/friends had experienced, or whereby a lot of money had been invested into that company's service training for which it had won awards/accolades. This also links with the ServQual Model.

Within ‘Stone Mountain Adventures’ there are potential ‘Gaps’ which can occur between the offering and delivering of services, which could in return have a negative effect on their service quality. A method of identifying those ‘Gaps’ is to use the ServQual Model shown in Figure 5.

Refer to Figure 12 for a list of ‘Gaps’ referring to Zeithaml’s, Parasuraman’s, A, Berry’s, Leonard’s, L, & Valarie’s, A. (1985) ServQual Model which could open in “Stone Mountain Adventures” service offering, delivering, and practices that Jud Miller (Director) could implement to close these ‘Gaps’.

Relationship MarketingRelationship marketing in short is; strategies which help to identify, establish, maintain, enhance, modify, and terminate a relationship with customers. Relationship marketing has become a key element over the years in the sporting industry as Gronroos (1994) explains below, and is an especially important concept when it comes to summer camps.

“Relationship marketing (RM) is meriting an increasing amount of attention in marketing research, and has already become a key enterprise marketing activity in recent decades” (Grönroos, 1994).

Internal MarketingThe return on relationship model (Gummesson, 1999), as shown in figure 6, suggests that the key to a successful business is to have a strong relationship between the customer and organisation, which will ultimately lead to good service quality and good customer satisfaction. ‘Stone Mountain Adventures’ has a ten day staff training pre-camp policy which gives the staff the opportunity to get to know one and another and form friendships. Like Gummesson (1999) has stated, satisfied employees lead to a higher quality of service which in return leads to satisfied customers/campers.

Leaky Bucket TheoryReferring to Figure 7, Payne (1991) talks about how the importance of retaining a high level of customers is vital for the future of the company. However, Payne also mentions that no matter how effective the relationship between customer and company is, there will always be a loss in customers, but the acquisition of new customers should cover this loss.

The leaky bucket theory in relation to ‘Stone Mountain Adventures’, when new campers sign up for the camp that’s filling up the bucket, when campers get to old or can’t attend the camp anymore is when the bucket is emptied.

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Ladder of LoyaltyRefer to Figure 8 to view the ‘Ladder of Loyalty’ by Christopher (1991). The theory is based upon 6 steps which identify different stages of relationship development. The first three steps focus on the acquisition of customers, the remaining three concentrate on further development of customer relationship to the organisation.

The ladder starts with ‘Suspects’, potential customers that come across any source of advertising done by the camp. Next to follow are ‘Prospects’, a potential customer that has a serious interest in the promotion they have seen is more than likely to book their son or daughter into the teen summer camp. Once the customer has made a booking, they automatically become a ‘First Time Customer’ which means a direct relationship has been formed.

If the relationship is taken further, then the ‘First Time Customer’ develops into a ‘Repeat Customer’, which is where relationship marketing is established. At this stage the company should be thinking about making the customer into a loyal one (returning to camp year after year). Should the customer reach beyond this stage they become a ‘Supporter’. Once this stage is achieved the customer becomes a customer that’s more likely to attend the camp more than once or twice and potentially talk to other families about the camp positively. The final step is the customer becoming an ‘Advocate’. Advocates represent the highest level of loyalty. An ‘Advocate’ customer will more than likely attend the camp every year and always encourage other families to attend.

Customer Relationship Management“Customer relationship management is a business process which based on all customer specifications identifies the pattern of customer behaviour and leads to customer knowledge. Customer Relationship Management forms the relationship with the customer and will be effective about products or services. Customer relationship management is defined by four elements of a simple framework such as knowledge, purpose, sale and service.” (Rygielsk, 2002)

Touching on what Rygielsk (2002) has said, relating this to ‘Stone Mountain Adventures’ it’s important that every camp experience, for both camper and employee is a successful one. A successful camp experience often increases word-of-mouth activity, repeat business and willingness on the customers/campers part to provide positive information on behalf of the organisation.

Below I have provided a list of what techniques ‘Stone Mountain Adventures’ uses in relation to Customer Relationship Management.

An employee's attitude is as important as that of a customer when it comes to CRM, for the reason that a happy Counsellor has the same capabilities of a camper when it

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comes to the willingness to provide information on behalf of the organisation; without counsellors there would be no campers. So the importance of bringing back the counsellor or making sure they leave the camp happy is just as important as the campers. SMA therefore makes sure their employees are treated like family when it comes to leaving the camp. Ways in which SMA does this:

Sends out monthly updates on what’s happening at the camp Personal emails to counsellors to see how they are getting on

See Figure 9

For campers SMA has to consider how to move campers from having a ‘one off’ experience to becoming summer camp ‘Advocates’. See Figure 8.

SMA offers loyalty bonuses to entice campers to return, the technique they use is based on the amount of times they attend the camp, the more times they attend the higher discount they receive, for example:

Second time campers receive a $250 off the original price Third time campers receive a $500 off the original price Fourth time campers receive a $750 off the original price…..and so on.

Referring back to the ‘ladder of loyalty’ the more times the camper returns to the camp the higher up the ladder they go.

An Incentive which SMA offers to all the final year campers or Alumni Campers.

They are given added luxuries. These luxuries include:

Designing the Theme for the final dance Create paper plate awards to campers and counsellors Get first choice to daily activities Perform ritual skits which previous Alumni have done.

In relation to what Rygielsk has mentioned, the current director has allowed these added luxuries to be done based on customer knowledge, which is due to the customer/camper previously attending the camp numerous amount of times.

Revenue and Yield Management“The core concept of yield management is to provide the right service to the right customer at the right time for the right price” (Cathy, 2001)

“In some respects, early yield management could be seen as tactical, rather than strategic and had a narrower focus” (Goodfellow, 2013)

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An example related to SMA of what GoodFellow’s (2013) has stated would be the camp director receiving a booking from a camper, whereby ‘secondary’ spend in other areas would not be considered yield management (SMA Hoodies, other merchandise).

“Revenue management is seen as a development of yield management, in some ways that is considered more strategic and looks at ‘the bigger picture’, considering the fuller implications from a strategic perspective, so has a broader focus.” (Goodfellow, 2013)

Cathy talks about a specific strategic lever of yield management which is commonly found when talking about this subject, known as the ‘Four C’s’:

Calendar – Controlling when a sale/booking is made. Clock – Tactic which is revolved around the time the service is delivered. Capacity – Involves the state of available capacity and the ability to get by effectively

through the peaks of customer demand. Cost – “The core tactic is to charge customers the highest price that they feel is fair

for the service they will receive” (Cathy, 2001)

This section will be based on the Four C’s strategic theory set by Cathy (2001).

Calendar

SMA are partners with an association called ‘Camp America’ who specialise in getting people from all around the world involved with being a counsellor for the summer in selected countries (Australia, United Kingdom, United States). The Director of each camp will send a selected few to represent their camp to, ‘Camp Fairs’ all around the UK, where they will be able to sign up a certain amount of people. On the other hand this same method is done over in the States and the United Kingdom for kids aged 11-17 who are interested in attending their summer at a camp, there are recruitment fairs where kids will have the opportunity to talk to past campers and current counsellors to find out information and ask related questions.

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Clock

SMA offers a pick-up service for an additional charge which offers a van service which will pick up the son/daughter from the airport they are flying to, and then drop them back off after camp. See Figure 10. This is an effective way of making sure the camp have control of when the camper arrives at camp, therefore not having to rely on lateness from the parents. The process which the camp goes through to picking the kids up from the airports shown is; two counsellors will leave during the day before to travel to the city where the airport is located, stay overnight and pick the kids up early the next day to bring them back to camp, this is done due to safety precautions to reduce the chances of the driver being tired at the wheel of a vehicle with 12-15 kids inside.

Capacity

The capacity at SMA is 60 children per session (2 week period), referring to what Cathy (2001) has stated, it’s important to make sure that in between sessions when customer demand is at the highest peak, to make sure service quality is kept at a high quality. For the reason that it’s important for every camper to experience their first day at camp their most exciting, even though for a counsellor this could be there 3rd or 4th time meeting and greeting 60 new campers which can become tedious and tiring, the level of service quality needs to be maintained at a high level. In relation to other types of businesses summer camps are different when it comes to selling available spaces last minute for a smaller price, this is something camp directors cannot do, and all camps have a set price for a specific period of time at camp. This cannot be done simply because prices of camp can likewise not be increased, its simply first come first serve. Another reason why prices don’t fluctuate is because camps all around America have been designed to be affordable, and if this isn’t the case there are alternative ways to afford sending a child to camp, such as financial help through organisations such as ‘Wildflower Camp Foundation’ a foundation which helps families afford to send their child to camp.

“The mission of the Wildflower Camp Foundation is to offer scholarship assistance for summer camp and enrichment programs to families in which a parent has died” (Wildflower, 2013)

Cost

Finally ‘Cost’ is simply about selecting the correct price like Cathy (2001) mentions, “The core tactic is to charge customers the highest price that they feel is fair for the service they will receive” (Cathy, 2001). Like previously mentioned in ‘Capacity’ the prices of camp are usually affordable, meaning all camps will have a similar price to be able to

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attend, see figure 11. Figure 11 shows two different prices between SMA (60 Campers) and one of the most recognised camps in America, ‘Cheley’ (500 Campers). Two completely different camps but yet only $1,100 dollars between them when staying over an 8 week period. Not a lot considering the differences in size. So again like ‘Capacity’ cost is something a camp cannot alter in terms of prices to attend.

ConclusionConsidering all the aspects and elements that I have touched on throughout this report, I believe that for a very small family orientated camp Stone Mountain Adventures has done very well in terms of its service quality. In addition, I feel the partnership they have with the organisation ‘Camp America’ is a very efficient and successful way to obtain summer camp counsellors and campers. Below are a couple testimonials from previous campers which highlight the success SMA has achieved in terms of the quality of service it has provided.

“This is my first year at SMA and I am definitely planning on coming back. Two hours after I arrived at camp I had already made friends. Every day there is something fun

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to do. I love that you can choose your activities every day. Because it is a small camp everyone gets to know each other immediately. We’re like a family. But this has been one of the best summers of my life and I won’t forget the great friends, counsellors, and memories I’ve made here!” Olivia, 14, Yardley, PA

“This was my first year at SMA and it was beyond belief! My cabin was wonderful and we mostly got along. The counsellors were great. I have met so many amazing people here and they are so real. love this camp beyond words! This was my best summer yet!” Anna, 13, Chicago, IL

Based upon the recommendations that I have made within this report, I believe it could be used by Stone Mountain Adventures to overcome any potential service problems in the future. The report could also be used by anyone with an interest in opening their own summer camp, as the report may help them better understand the level of service quality that is needed for a successful summer camp operation.

Appendix

Figure 1

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Figure 2

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Figure 3

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Figure 4This table shows the “Estimated annual number of domestically acquired, foodborne illnesses, hospitalizations, and deaths due to 31 pathogens and unspecified agents transmitted through food, United States.”

Foodborne Agents

Estimated annual number

of illnesses (90% credible

interval)

%

Estimated annual number of

hospitalizations (90% credible

interval)

%

Estimated annual

number of deaths

(90% credible interval)

%

31 known pathogens

9.4 million (6.6–12.7 million)

2055,961

(39,534–75,741)44

1,351 (712–2,268)

44

Unspecified agents 38.4 million(19.8–61.2 million)

8071,878

(9,924–157,340)56

1,686(369–3,338)

56

Total 47.8 million (28.7–71.1 million)

100127,839

(62,529–215,562)100

3,037 (1,492–4,983)

100

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Figure 5Figure 5 shows the ServQual Model referenced from the Journal A Conceptual Model of Service Quality and its Implications for Future Research by Zeithaml, Parasuraman, A, Berry, Leonard, L, & Valarie, A. (1985).

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Figure 6Return on Relationship Model (Gummesson, 1990)

Figure 7The Leaky Bucket Theory of Business (Payne, 1983)

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Figure 8Ladder of Loyalty (Christopher, 1991)

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Figure 9Email From Jud Millar to myself over the Christmas holidays.

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Figure 10Screen shot taken from the ‘SMA’ website showing transport options.

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Figure 11The two screen shots below show comparison between the rate of a full summer at SMA (a small family orientated camp) to ‘Cheley’ (one of the most popular camps in America).

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Figure 12

Gap 1: The Listening GapThis gap illustrates the problems between management perceptions of customer expectations and their expected service. This error would have occurred due to the director himself as a result of insignificant market research. For example, if the director selected the wrong sporting activities in relation to the location of the camp in terms of available facilities in and around the area, interest to sign up for the camp would be low.

A lack of upward communication could also be a cause of this ‘Gap’. The camp could benefit in an increased interest if the importance of upward communication is stressed to the staff when employed. For example, a lot of kids asking counsellors to do basketball as a activity which hasn’t been promoted on the website, notifying the director could lead to this sport being a mandatory sport at the camp in the future. Therefore increasing customer satisfaction and potentially attracting higher numbers at the camp.

Gap 2: The Service Design & Standards GapPoor service design from the director of camp can also lead to problems. Should the director incorrectly perceive service quality specifications, the overall offering of service will be affected. For example if the day to day activity does not run smoothly or does not plan out as expected, activities can become tedious and may not be to the standard that was anticipated; therefore leading to a decrease in customer satisfaction.

Gap 3: The service Performance GapThis gap is between the delivery of service and service quality specifications. For example the hiring of camp counsellors is one of the most important parts to a successful camp, again referring to the philosophy of the camp set by the director, “In short, we’re seeking talented, fun, outgoing, and enthusiastic individuals who can provide quality instruction on activities. Our philosophy is “you can never expect a camper to be more excited about an activity than you are.” (Millar, J. 2013) If the director selects the wrong counsellors for the job that don’t follow this philosophy the service delivery will be affected.

Gap 4: The Communication GapLack of integrated service marketing communications within the camp could seriously affect campers. Consistency is a key characteristic needed for a successful camp to be run, this is because campers returning to camp from the previous year will have high expectations of service quality so it’s imperative to match that expectation or even to improve upon the level of service.

A form of promoting which the camp does well is offer ‘Camper Testimonials’ on the website, so that new campers/future campers can relate to kids similar to themselves in what to expect. Therefore, not promising more in communication than the camp can deliver.

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Below is a quote by Parasuraman (1985 reemphasising what I have previously stated:

“If expectations play a major role in consumer perceptions of service quality (as the services literature contends), the firm must be certain not to promise more in communications than it can deliver in reality.” (Parasuraman, A. 1985)

Another aspect to consider is ‘horizontal communication’ which can prove imperative. The backstage contact of staff preparing booking for campers is a good example of ‘horizontal communication. This is a key aspect in order for the camp to ensure they are organised by the time the camper’s parents drop off their son/daughter at camp, so all paperwork can be signed and confirmed.

Gap 5: Differences between Expected & Perceived Quality The final gap highlights the potential differences between what the customers expected prior to arriving at the camp; and their perception of the quality of service during/following their visit. This will often happen when campers are promised certain elements that the camp then fails to deliver.

For example: Campers being promised an outing to Hershey Park (A Hershey chocolate themed Amusement Park), campers will naturally be expecting the outing to Hershey Park. If they do not get the outing it will reflect negatively on their overall expectations and therefore their level of satisfaction will be diminished.

As Parasuraman (1985) states below this will in the long run lead to a decrease in customer satisfaction.

“Promising more than can be delivered will raise initial expectations but lower perceptions of quality when the promises are not fulfilled” (Parasuraman, A. 1985)

ReferencesReference Books:

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Zeithaml, V (2009). Delivering Quality Service. London: Free Press. p34-56.

Reference Journals/Articles:

Callahan, J. (2012). CSDecisions. The importance of making a great first impression. 1 (2), p22.

Crosby, P. (1992). Three Experts on Quality Management. Quality Definitions. 2 (3), p3.

Dr.Dornberger, Utz. (2009). Service Blueprinting. What is Service Blueprinting. 1 (2), p4.

F, Good. (2013). Revenue and Yield Management. Difference between yield management and revenue. 1 (7), 93.

Hasanzadeh, M. (2013). Effect of Knowledge Management on Success of Customer Relationship Management . Research Background. 4 (6), 840.

Parasuraman, A. (1991). Understanding Customer Expectations of Service. Sloan Management Review. 32 (3), p39.

Yang, D. (2007). Review and Prospect of Relationship Marketing . A Citation Analysis. 3 (3), p1.

Zeithaml, Parasuraman, A, Berry, Leonard, L, & Valarie, A. (1985). A Conceptual Model of Service Quality and its Implications for Future Research . Insights from Exploratory Investigation. 49 (44), p41-50.

Reference Websites:

CDC. (2011). CDC Estimates of Foodborne Illness in the United States. Available: http://www.cdc.gov/foodborneburden/2011-foodborne-estimates.html. Last accessed 19th Dec 2013.

Cheley. (2013). Cheley Summer Camp. Available: http://www.cheley.com/. Last accessed 30th Dec 2013.

Dr.Juran, J. (2009). Total Quality Management. Available: http://totalqualitymanagement.wordpress.com/2009/06/07/dr-joseph-juran/. Last accessed 18th Dec 2013.

Millar, J. (2013). Job Opportunities. Available: http://www.sma-summers.com/staff/job-opportunities/. Last accessed 19th Dec 2013.

Quinn, E. (2013). Do athletes need extra sleep. Available: http://sportsmedicine.about.com/od/anatomyandphysiology/a/Athletes-Sleep.htm. Last accessed 19th Dec 2013.

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Individual Report 303 Final Copy (edited)

Documents

relationship marketing

service blueprinting

internal marketing

yield management

contents executive summary

servqual gaps model

leaky bucket theory

ladder of loyalty