Hierarchical Service Quality Scale

What it measures

A third-order hierarchical factor model of perceived service quality integrating the Nordic (Grönroos) and American (SERVQUAL) traditions. Overall service quality is composed of three primary dimensions—interaction quality, physical environment quality, and outcome quality—each defined by three subdimensions. Each subdimension is assessed with three items reflecting reliability, responsiveness, and empathy modifiers, plus global items for primary dimensions and overall service quality. Validated with 1,133 consumers across four service industries (fast food, photo developing, amusement parks, dry cleaning).

Response format

7-point Likert (1 = strongly disagree, 7 = strongly agree)

Scale items

• Overall, I'd say the quality of my interaction with this firm's employees is excellent.
• I would say that the quality of my interaction with XYZ's employees is high.
• You can count on the employees at XYZ being friendly.
• The attitude of XYZ's employees demonstrates their willingness to help me.
• The attitude of XYZ's employees shows me that they understand my needs.
• I can count on XYZ's employees taking actions to address my needs.
• XYZ's employees respond quickly to my needs.
• The behavior of XYZ's employees indicates to me that they understand my needs.
• You can count on XYZ's employees knowing their jobs.
• XYZ employees are able to answer my questions quickly.
• The employees understand that I rely on their knowledge to meet my needs.
• I would say that XYZ's physical environment is one of the best in its industry.
• I would rate XYZ's physical environment highly.
• At XYZ, you can rely on there being a good atmosphere.
• XYZ's ambiance is what I'm looking for in a [service type].
• XYZ understands that its atmosphere is important to me.
• This service provider's layout never fails to impress me.
• XYZ's layout serves my purposes.
• XYZ understands that the design of its facility is important to me.
• I find that XYZ's other customers consistently leave me with a good impression of its service.
• XYZ's other customers do not affect its ability to provide me with good service.
• XYZ understands that other patrons affect my perception of its service.
• I always have an excellent experience when I visit XYZ.
• I feel good about what XYZ provides to its customers.
• Waiting time at XYZ is predictable.
• XYZ tries to keep my waiting time to a minimum.
• This service provider understands that waiting time is important to me.
• I am consistently pleased with the [tangible] at XYZ.
• I like XYZ because it has the [tangible] that I want.
• XYZ knows the kind of [tangible] its customers are looking for.
• When I leave XYZ, I usually feel that I had a good experience.
• I believe XYZ tries to give me a good experience.
• I believe XYZ knows the type of experience its customers want.
• I would say that XYZ provides superior service.
• I believe XYZ offers excellent service.

Full scale items shown. Always cite the original source when using this scale in research.

Usage notes & scoring

SERVQUAL dimensions (reliability, responsiveness, empathy) are repositioned as modifiers of nine subdimensions rather than direct determinants. Assurance was dropped due to cross-loading; tangibles are a subdimension of outcome quality. The Social Factors subdimension has construct reliability of .72, below the .80 threshold; all other subdimensions range .82–.93. Replace 'XYZ' with the focal service provider name. Blanks in Tangibles items should be completed with the relevant tangible cue for the industry (e.g., 'food', 'results', 'facilities'). Social factors was also found to have a direct path to outcome quality beyond the environment dimension.

Citation

Brady, M.K. & Cronin, J.J. (2001). Some new thoughts on conceptualizing perceived service quality: A hierarchical approach. Journal of Marketing, 65(3), 34–49.

Keywords