Short-term and long-term quality of service

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to introduce concepts for understanding and managing short- and long-term development of customer satisfaction related to service quality. Design/methodology/approach – This study is based on empirical qualitative research in professional business-to-business services. The data were collected from in-depth interviews of highly experienced consultants and analyzed in terms of the content of the qualitative data. Findings – This study empirically identifies situations where the level of customer satisfaction with a single service rendered changes over time and is different in short and long term. It finds different short- and long- term quality levels both during a service process and in the post-purchase evaluation period. It finds that sometimes long-term quality can be provided only at the expense of short-term quality and vice versa. Research limitations/implications – The concepts of short- and long-term quality provide a simple and effective conceptual tool for understanding potential short- and long-term differences in customer satisfaction as well as the reasons for it. Practical implications – The study highlights the importance of considering quality dynamics at the level of a service rendered, both during the service process and in the post-purchase period. It helps in developing effective ways to understand and manage changes in customer satisfaction in the short and long term. It helps in developing strategies for communicating the overall value of a service to customers in “no pain, no gain” cases. Social implications – This study provides concepts for analyzing wicked problems. Originality/value – Dynamics of quality and satisfaction in services have received very little attention in research studies although the existence and relevance of the phenomenon was recognized long ago. This study introduces new concepts for understanding this phenomenon further by focusing on the short- and long-term effects of the service quality.