INLS 237: MARKETING INFORMATION SERVICES
ASSIGNMENT - Short Exercise 2
Spring 2006
Overview. There are two possible exercises listed below -- the first deals with customer-defined service standards and the second with the servicescape (physical evidence) of the quality of service. Choose whichever one you would like to do.Exercise on Customer-Defined Service Standards If you are interested in the academic setting, check out the SERVQUAL adaptation by ARL (Association for Research Libraries) -- LibQUAL+. The 2005 LibQUAL+ Survey Highlights article is fun to examine -- many colorful charts with a flash tutorial to explain the survey in more detail. There is also a LibQUAL+ Policies and Procedures Manual for those who want more in-depth information on this ARL initiative. There are also links to some marketing materials from Mercy College & St. John's University.
SERVQUALdimensions include Tangibles, Reliability, Responsiveness, Assurance, and Empathy. The ARL adaptation, LibQUAL, has only three dimensions: Information Control (ability to find an item), Affect of Service (helpfulness and competency of staff), and Library as Place (for individuals and groups). If you were to design an SQI (Service Quality Index) for an organization of your choice, what combination of elements would you include? Please describe. What do you think are the 1-2 customer top priorities for service? (You will probably need to specific one customer group as customer groups may differ).
Exercise on the Servicescape
For an organization of your choice, identify the elements of physical evidence (facility exterior and interior and other tangibles) that most or all the customers see. Pick two or three of the facility aspects and at least one of the other tangibles and describe it from the customer perspective. What inferences do you think the customer makes from these physical aspects? Do you have any recommendations for change as a result of this analysis?
You may use a website or a physical site for this exercise.
Post your completed exercise to the appropriately labeled discussion forum. This exercise is due February 21. Be prepared to discuss and to generalize the responses to a variety of LIS situations.
Rev. Feb. 15, 2006.
