An empirical assessment and application of SERVQUAL in mainland China's mobile communications industry

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to assess the SERVQUAL instrument reliability and validity and apply the SERVQUAL instrument in China's mobile communication setting. Design/methodology/approach – A mail survey was conducted at a major mobile communications company in mainland China. Instrument reliability and validity were examined. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted. Findings – The adapted SERVQUAL instrument is a valid and valuable tool to measure service quality. Service convenience is an important additional dimension of service quality in China's mobile communications setting. The dimension of “empathy” may need revision. Research limitations/implications – Future research involves assessment of the service convenience dimension and examination of the relative importance of SERVQUAL dimensions in other settings. Practical implications – SERVQUAL is a valid instrument to measure service quality in China's mobile communications setting. Providing convenience to customers also is critical for service quality improvement. Improvements to some SERVQUAL dimensions may be more beneficial than improvements to others. Originality/value – This is a pioneer study of the SERVQUAL scale in China's mobile communications setting. This study provides useful insights and guidance for managers to measure and improve service quality.