When dealing with satisfaction, it is important to distinguish the differences between measuring the satisfaction received from products and from services. The factors that contribute to perceived quality and perceived value differ for products and services (Groth and Dye, 1999). There are several differences that affect the quality in their delivery. Here we will discuss a brief list of these differences.
Products are tangible, therefore the quality and comparison with other products is much simpler then with a service. Since the overall benefit of a service is intangible, the consumer is receiving an experience or a product that they cannot see, touch, taste, smell or feel, and it is more difficult for them to precipitate the perceived value (Rushton and Carson, 1989).
Another difference is the fact that a customer can return or exchange products if they are defective or if they do not match with their expectations. The service must be delivered properly the first time because it cannot be returned or exchanged (Hubbert et al, 1995). The possibility of a refund is always there, however the experience is already complete and the customer cannot forget or replace the dissatisfaction received (Hubbert et al, 1995). In other words, the damage has been done, and the consumer will now have a poor perception of the service received.
Services are mbore likely than products to provide human interaction that affects how the quality will be perceived (Groth and Dye 1999). In fact, the perception of the quality of the service received is greatly impacted by the interaction with the service providers and how well they delivered the service. These differences between products and services are but a few of the qualities that separate them into such distinct categories. .
The customer satisfaction model.
In order to discuss customer perception of service, the model detaining to the creation of value of service to a customer must first describe.