SERVQUAL ASSIGNMENT

Read the scenario below and answer the questions that follow.

Dr. Ben Franklin and Dr. Betsy Ross founded the Great Creatures Veterinary Clinic in 2015, after 10 years of experience working for other practices. Ben and Betsys Clinic grew steadily (about 12% annually) through 2017. In 2017 the Clinic employed four vets (including Ben and Betsy), six vet techs and three receptionists, and was desperately in need of additional capacity. To address this need, Ben and Betsy leased the space next door, equipped, improved it, and opened it in January 2018.

Ben and Betsy plan are using the new space to increase capacity for routine services, add capacity for new services, and provide enhancements in services. In January, 2018, Great Creatures also added two vets (just out of veterinary school), two vet techs (each with 1 year of experience in vet practices), and an additional receptionist (very experienced) to support their growth.

The added physical capacity increased the waiting area so dogs and cats could be separated and people no longer had to stand while waiting. A salt-water aquarium with exotic sea life was added to give those waiting something interesting to look at. The additional space and staff allowed Great Creatures to extend Clinic hours, from 9 AM to 6 PM six days a week, to 7 AM to 9 PM six days a week.

Additional space and staff allowed Ben and Betsy to add new services. By having new staff handle the more routine services, Ben and Betsy have begun performing specialized heart surgeries on dogs and cats, which they had previously referred out to another vet. They also have time to treat more unusual pets such as birds, snakes, and potbelly pigs. These new services generate more revenue than routine services, and demand for them has grown quickly through word-of-mouth and an advertising campaign on local radio and TV. The practice grew 20% in patient count (number of pets treated) in 2018 and 35% in revenue.

To measure the quality of clinic service, Ben and Betsy began utilizing a SERVQUAL survey tool in 2016. Results of the survey, taken in November each year, follow.

Your assignment is to review the results and answer the questions following the results.

Weighted SERVQUAL scores for Great Creatures Vet Clinic Year Tangibles Reliability Responsiveness Assurance Empathy Total Score 2016 -12.5 52.5 -7.5 45.0 5.0 16.5 2017 -15.0 56.0 -18.0 45.0 5.0 14.6 2018 25.0 -20.5 52.5 -16.5 8.0 12.7 The importance attributed to each of the dimensions has been consistent across surveys as below. SERVQUAL Dimensions * Importance to Customers Points 10 35 25 The appearance of the Clinic's physical facilities, equipment, personnel and communication materials. The Clinic's ability to perform the promised service dependably and accurately. The Clinic's willingness to help customers and their pets and provide prompt service. The knowledge and courtesy of the Clinic's employees and their ability to convey trust & confidence. The caring individual attention the Clinic provides its pet owners and their pets. Total 20 10 100 For the purposes of this scenario, assume it is now February 2019. Answer the questions below. 1. Review the trends in scores for each of the five dimensions. Explain what you see happening in each dimension and discuss how customers of the Clinic are experiencing that in your answer. Explain what has caused changes in each score. 2. If you were Ben and Betsy, which dimensions' ratings would give you the most concern? Explain why and what you would you advise Ben and Betsy to do about these areas