Organizational Service Orientation Scale

What it measures

The SERV*OR is a validated measure of the degree to which a service organisation has institutionalised a service orientation — the organisational-level culture, practices, and capabilities that enable the firm to deliver consistently superior service quality. Lytle, Hom, and Mokwa (1998) developed SERV*OR to fill a critical gap between service quality measurement (from the customer perspective, as in SERVQUAL) and organisational capability assessment (from the managerial and employee perspective). A service-oriented organisation is one in which service quality is embedded in its vision, leadership, human resource practices, technological infrastructure, and service recovery systems rather than dependent on individual employee discretion. The twelve SERV*OR dimensions capture the key organisational antecedents of service quality performance. Service Vision reflects the degree to which top management articulates and champions a clear service quality mission. Customer Treatment reflects the degree to which the organisation's policies ensure dignified, respectful, and personalised customer interactions. Employee Empowerment reflects the degree to which frontline employees have the authority and resources to resolve customer problems on the spot. Service Technology reflects the degree to which technology is used to enhance service delivery quality. Service Failure Prevention and Recovery reflect the proactive and reactive systems in place to minimise and address service failures. The remaining dimensions capture HR practices (rewards, training), leadership behaviours, and feedback and innovation systems that sustain service orientation over time. SERV*OR scores predict customer-reported service quality, customer satisfaction, and customer retention rates at the organisational level.

Representative items

• This company has a clear vision of what it means to deliver excellent service. (SV)
• Customers are treated with genuine respect and dignity in this organisation. (CT)
• Frontline employees here have the authority to solve customer problems without management approval. (EE)
• Technology is used effectively here to improve service delivery. (ST)
• This company has effective systems to prevent service failures before they occur. (SFP)

Citation

Lytle, R.S., Hom, P.W., & Mokwa, M.P. (1998). SERV*OR: A managerial measure of organizational service orientation. Journal of Retailing, 74(4), 455–489.