Attempt all the problems.
Section – A
problem1) What constitutes service quality in the restaurant? Take the ex of a leading restaurant in your city and evaluate quality gap based on the Gaps model.
problem2) Investigate the reasons that prompted location of the following at a particular site in your neighbourhood. How good was the decision? Give reasons.
a) A fast –food restaurant
b) A barber’s shop
c) A travel agent
d) An auto repair shop
e) Cinema
f) NIIT computer centre.
Section – B Case Study
Other day when I was withdrawing money from ATM of a leading private sector bank, a text message flashed on my cell phone’s screen: “you have withdrawn Rs.15000/- from ATM”. The only problem was that machine had not disgorged any cash at all. I waited for the few minutes, hoping that my money will come out of the dispenser, but that did not happen.
The private sector bank where I had my account for last few years provides very good service. They have good online and mobile banking systems, and for most of my banking needs I don’t normally visit their branch. Most of my banking transactions are taken care of through my laptop and handheld devices.
The area where bank fares badly is its ATMs. Despite enjoying distinction of being India’s largest Private sector bank, they have some of the worst ATM machines. For a number of days every month, the bank ATM close to my house remains shut due to mechanical failures. Even on days when the ATM is working, one cannot be sure if one’s transaction will go through properly.
Though, this was the first time that my account was being debited for the amount that I had not received from ATM. Unfortunately I was withdrawing money after banking hours, so I informed the guard about the situation. After a suspicious glance he asked me to lodge a complaint on the phone. After several unsuccessful attempts guard reluctantly informed me that ATM machine malfunctioned quite often as it was very old.
“Do people get their money back in such cases?” I asked, hoping that guard will say yes.
“I do not know what happens later, but there have been occasions when some customers have tried to pick up a fight with me, when they did not get money from the ATM,” he said.
As it was getting late at night, I decided to get back home and lodge the complaint through online banking service – and if that did not work, I will visit the bank the next morning. On reaching home, I logged into bank’s website, where I saw that the Rs. 15000/- was already credited back to my account. The credit was marked as ‘ATM withdrawal reversed’. It was solace for me that my money was back into my account.
Of course, the wrong transaction must not have been recorded in first place. It was sheer waste of time, and more importantly, not only did I spend anxious moments but I also had to return without much-needed cash.
There must be some kind of quality check on ATM machines. Banks must not be allowed to get away with the installation of sub-standard ATMs; they must get their machines checked regularly for faultless functioning.
Case problems:
problem1) What is the problem highlighted in case? Analyse it from the point of view of image building. (which is very essential in case of service organizations).
problem2) “The problem and its timely rectification by bank highlight what characteristics of service marketing”. Describe.
problem3) “Do you think that the individual who has gone through this problem in the case lost confidence for a moment or will lose it forever, though he is aware of both the positive and negative sides of the bank being a client for such a long period”. Comment on the above statement.
problem4) What corrective measures must bank take to reinstate confidence and to maintain its relationship?