Validating SERVPERF Model in Government Agencies

1 The Journal of Human Resource and Adult Learning Vol. 6, Num. 1, June 2010 84 Validating SERVPERF Model in Government Agencies Dr Mass Hareeza Ali P M Dr Noor Azman Ali P M Dr Alias Radam Department of Marketing and Management, Universiti Putra Malaysia ABSTRACT The research measures on the service quality assessment in three research samples of tax-collecting Government Agencies by using customer as the respondents. Customers are vital in service organization as they are aimed at reactive targets, they are the people who are directly involved in shaping and formulating the eventual product (Irons, 1997).

2 Customers view and expectations will be used to analyze the service quality assessment in particular tax collector Government Agencies . The present study seeks to address the following objectives; (1) to examine the customers perceptions of the service provided in three tax collecting Government Agencies ; (2) to identify and analyze the relative importance of factors contributing to the service quality offered by Malaysian tax- collecting Agencies . Result from the research was expected to contribute new information in the development criteria for measurement of quality of service particularly in the tax-collecting Agencies in Malaysia.

3 It also will generate an improvement in service quality provided by the Agencies that would help to solve or act as helpful sources in making effective decisions. The result would help the Agencies to improve their level of service to both their employees and customers. Keywords: SERVPERF , Service Quality, Customer Satisfaction, Malaysia INTRODUCTION In today s changing global environment, many businesses are facing intensifying competition and rapid deregulation, and in order to achieve competitive advantage and efficiency, businesses have to seek profitable ways to differentiate themselves.

4 One strategy that has been related to success is the delivery of high service quality, especially during times of intensive competition both domestically and internationally (Rao and Kelkar, 1997). This concept has been the subject of many conceptual and empirical studies, and it is generally accepted that quality has positive implications for an organisation s performance and competitive position. As service quality is becoming a major part of business practice, it is important to be able to measure and research its effectiveness. The purpose of this paper is to examine the different dimensions of service quality and determine which dimensions best predict overall service quality in the hospitality industry by applying a modified version of SERVQUAL (Parasuraman et al.)

5 , 1988). This kind of information has practical implications for managers of hotels as they can direct their resources to improving weak service dimensions and to refining their marketing efforts so that customer expectations are met by the service delivered. The study seeks to address the following objectives: The Journal of Human Resource and Adult Learning Vol. 6, Num. 1, June 2010 85 1. to examine the customers perceptions of the service provided in three tax collectors Government Agencies 2. to identify and analyse the relative importance of factors contributing to the service quality offered by tax collector agency LITERATURE REVIEW Gronroos (1990) has noted that product quality was traditionally linked to the technical specifications of goods, with most definitions of quality arising from the manufacturing sector where quality control has received extensive attention and research.

6 Conversely, Crosby (1979) defined quality of goods as conformance to requirements ; Juran (1980) defined it as fitness for use ; while Garvin (1983) measured quality by counting the incidence of internal failures (those observed before a product left the factory) and external failures (those incurred in the field after a unit had been installed). These product-based definitions of quality may be appropriate to the goods producing sector, however, knowledge about the quality of goods is insufficient to understand service quality (Parasuraman et al., 1985). Since the 1970s, marketing researchers have acknowledged the importance of service quality in developing business relationships and in managing their product offers to the market (Brown et al.)

7 ,1994). The construct of service quality has received increased scrutiny during the last few decades (Kotler, 2000). Earlier to this, Converse (1930) had emphasized the importance of services in the field of marketing. In the contemporary marketplace service quality is recognized as one of the most important factors in developing and maintaining successful relationships (Svensson, 2002). Services differ from physical goods in several characteristics (Gro nroos, 2000): services are intangible and heterogeneous; the production, distribution, and consumption of services are simultaneous processes; service is an activity or process; service is a core value created in buyer-seller interactions; customers participate in the production of services; services cannot be kept in stock; and there is no transfer of ownership in service transactions.

8 Services are thus produced, distributed, and consumed in the interaction between the service provider and the service receiver. Accordingly, services must be viewed from an interactive perspective. Svensson (2001a) noted that service quality contributes to the strength of interpersonal, intra-organisational, and inter-organisational service encounters. Service quality is an important construct in services marketing (Gro nroos, 1990, 2000), industrial marketing (Ha kansson and Snehota, 1995), and relationship marketing (Morgan and Hunt, 1994).

9 It has also gained increased attention in consumer marketing (Kotler et al., 1999). Service quality in a service encounter is recognized as being dependent upon the interactive process between the service provider (the seller) and the service receiver (the buyer) (Brown et al., 1994; Czepiel, 1990; Echeverri, 1999; Gro nroos, 2000; Gummesson, 1995; Heskett et al., 1990; Larsson-Mossberg, 1994; Normann, 1992; Svensson, 2001a, 2002). This interactive process has been described as a theatre , a show , or a performance . Nevertheless, despite the importance of the interactive process in a service encounter, the construct of service quality still lacks thorough development in terms of its interactive qualities.

10 Research has produced a number of classifications of services that emphasise only the service receiver s perspective (Chase, 1978; Converse, 1930; Edvardsson, 1996; Gro nroos, 1979, 2000; Hill, 1977; Judd, 1964; Kotler, 1980; Lovelock, 1980, 1983; Rathmell, 1974; Sasser et al., 1978; Schmenner, The Journal of Human Resource and Adult Learning Vol. 6, Num. 1, June 2010 86 1986; Shostack, 1977; Thomas, 1978; Vandermerwe and Chadwick, 1989), but researchers have only recently emphasised the importance of interaction between actors in a service encounter (Brown and Swartz, 1989; Echeverri, 1999; Parasuraman et al.)