Developing universally applicable service quality assessment model based on the theory of consumption values, and using fuzzy linguistic preference relations to empirically test three industries

Abstract

Service quality is an important factor for a successful company. The SERVQUAL model is widely used. However, it has been controversial over the past 30 years. This research aims to develop a service quality measurement model that can be supported in conceptualization and universal applicability, and uses this model to identify the most important key factors of service quality for three industries. First, based on the theory of consumption values, this study used conceptualization and the modified Delphi method to develop a service quality assessment model—the consumption values-based service quality model (CV-SQ). The CV-SQ model was then used in con-junction with the fuzzy linguistic preference relations (Fuzzy LinPreRa) method to address MCDM problems. The findings suggested that the most important key factors of service quality comprised safety in the aviation companies, innovativeness in the travel agencies, and comfort in the hotels. The CV-SQ model can be supported by theoretical and empirical tests in conceptualization and universal applicability, and has made theoretical contributions to service quality management. The research results have provided practical contributions to the improvement of service quality in the three industries. What is more noteworthy is the weight of epistemic value ranked first and second among the three industries, but it had not been included in any service quality aspect classification schemes during the past three or four decades.