Identification and quantification of influent factors in perceived quality of the e-service provided by a university

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to develop a multiple item scale for measuring perceived quality in e-service provided by a university. Design/methodology/approach – The authors used a two-step methodology: a qualitative part to identify relevant dimensions and indicators in e-service and a numerical survey to assess preferences and evaluations of 252 users, regarding indicators of e-service quality, as well as a global degree of satisfaction with the overall e-service. Multivariate and structural techniques helped extracting guidelines for improving perceived quality. Findings – The authors refined a scale by factor analysis, remaining five dimensions and 15 items. The five dimensions are: trust, convenience, responsivity, empathy and personalization. The authors found out that trust, responsivity and empathy, at a 0.01 level, are directly related with the overall satisfaction with e-service. Research limitations/implications – Specific results are not generalizable to others universities, but the method can be replicated in others e-service providers. For continuity, the authors recommend multicriterial methods for prioritizing indicators. For confirmatory analysis, the authors suggest a new survey with a larger sample, aggregating new indicators by more qualitative research. Practical implications – The method can help universities to evaluate and eventually reformulate their strategies in dealing with e-services users. Originality/value – The paper helps clarify how to structure and organize indicators related to e-service perceived quality and how to identify those activities that can help managers to improve it.