Measuring Service Quality in IT Services: Using Service Encounters to Elicit Quality Dimensions

ABSTRACT

Recent growth of personal computing and networked systems have resulted in Information Systems (IS) departments facing a heavy demand on their services. Based on internal marketing concepts, IS services need to use a measure of service quality for their internal customers. Studies carried out recently, suggest SERVQUAL as a possible measure of IS service quality. However, there are some issues that relate to their discriminant validity and appropriateness. A bottom-up approach to elicit service quality dimensions is explored using service encounters in a health organization. The results indicate that while the dimensions of responsiveness and assurance seem to be important, there is a need to re-look at these broad dimensions as more specific dimensions may be more appropriate for IS settings.