SERVPERF

What it measures

A performance-only reformulation of SERVQUAL that measures service quality as consumer perceptions of actual service performance, without the paired expectations component. Cronin & Taylor argued that the gap (perception minus expectation) scoring of SERVQUAL was psychometrically inferior to perceptions-only measurement, and that SERVPERF better captures the service quality construct and predicts satisfaction and purchase intentions more strongly. SERVPERF uses identical items to SERVQUAL but administers only the perception half of each pair — halving respondent burden and eliminating conceptual problems with expectations measurement. It has largely superseded SERVQUAL as the preferred operationalisation in hospitality, tourism, and services marketing research.

Response format

Likert (1–7, strongly disagree to strongly agree) — perceptions only; no expectation items

Scale items

Tangibles — physical facilities, equipment, and appearance (Likert 1–7, strongly disagree to strongly agree)

• [Company] has up-to-date equipment.
• [Company's] physical facilities are visually appealing.
• [Company's] employees are neat in appearance.
• Materials associated with the service are visually appealing.

Reliability — ability to perform promised service dependably and accurately

• When [company] promises to do something by a certain time, it does so.
• When you have a problem, [company] shows a sincere interest in solving it.
• [Company] performs the service right the first time.
• [Company] provides the service at the time it promises to do so.
• [Company] insists on error-free records.

Responsiveness — willingness to help customers and provide prompt service

• Employees of [company] tell you exactly when services will be performed.
• Employees of [company] give you prompt service.
• Employees of [company] are always willing to help you.
• Employees of [company] are never too busy to respond to requests.

Assurance — knowledge, courtesy, and ability to inspire trust and confidence

• The behaviour of [company's] employees instils confidence in you.
• You feel safe in your transactions with [company].
• Employees of [company] are consistently courteous.
• Employees of [company] have the knowledge to answer your questions.

Empathy — caring, individualised attention the firm provides

• [Company] gives you individual attention.
• [Company] has operating hours convenient to all its customers.
• [Company] has employees who give you personal attention.
• [Company] has your best interests at heart.
• Employees of [company] understand your specific needs.

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

Usage notes & scoring

Five subscale scores; total SERVPERF score = mean across all 22 items. Replace 'XYZ Company' with the specific service provider. SERVPERF is preferred over SERVQUAL when respondent burden is a concern and when the goal is predicting satisfaction and behavioural intentions rather than diagnosing specific service gaps. Brady, Cronin & Brand (2002) extended SERVPERF into a hierarchical service quality model.

Recommended companion scales

Citation

Cronin, J.J., Jr., & Taylor, S.A. (1992). Measuring service quality: A reexamination and extension. Journal of Marketing, 56(3), 55–68.

Keywords