Do Distinct Servqual Dimensions Emerge From Mystery Shopping Data?

A Test of Convergent Validity

Authors

  • Michelle Lowndes University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia
  • John Dawes University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3138/cjpe.16.003

Abstract

Service quality is commonly thought to encompass five generic dimensions: responsiveness, assurance, tangibles, empathy, and reliability. These dimensions form the basis for service measurement tools such as SERVQUAL. Research in this area using tools such as SERVQUAL has predominantly focused on customer perceptions of quality. However, another approach used by many organizations is to send trained raters into the service environment, posing as customers, to evaluate service levels. This approach is often called “mystery shopping” and is very commonly used in both private- and public-sector organizations. This study examines whether the accepted service quality dimensions derived from customer perceptions studies are reflected in service quality evaluations using mystery shopping. It finds that the dimensions that emerge from mystery shopping data resemble SERVQUAL dimensions. Furthermore, a replication found that those dimensions are reasonably stable over time. The findings suggest that data from mystery shopping surveys can exhibit convergent validity.

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Published

2001-11-21

How to Cite

Lowndes, M., & Dawes, J. (2001). Do Distinct Servqual Dimensions Emerge From Mystery Shopping Data? A Test of Convergent Validity. Canadian Journal of Program Evaluation, 16(2), 41–53. https://doi.org/10.3138/cjpe.16.003

Issue

Vol. 16 No. 2 (2001): Fall

Section

Articles

License

Copyright (c) 2001 Michelle Lowndes, John Dawes

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