A framework for analyzing the quality of the customer interface

The service encounter plays a critical role in determining customer satisfaction. It is the service firm's 'moment of truth'. Surveying and building upon the existing literature, Gabriel Bitran and Maureen Lojo develop a framework for evaluating and improving the quality of the customer interface. They discuss the dimensions of quality and describe six basic phases of service encounters. The management of waiting time, personal interactions, and gaps between customers' expectations and perceptions are also addressed.