Customer dissatisfaction often arises when there is a significant disparity between what customers expect and what they perceive they receive. This gap can be explained through the following steps:
* Customer Expectations: Customers form expectations based on marketing, previous experiences, and word-of-mouth. These expectations shape their perception of what the service or product delivery should be like.
* Perceived Performance: This is the customer's perception of how well the product or service actually meets their expectations. This perception is influenced by the actual performance, communication, and interaction with the company.
* Performance Gap: When there is a discrepancy between the expected performance and the perceived performance, it creates a performance gap. This gap is often due to overpromising and underdelivering, miscommunication, or a genuine shortfall in the product or service quality.
* Impact on Customer Satisfaction: The larger the gap between what customers expect and what they perceive they receive, the higher the probability of dissatisfaction. This is because unmet expectations lead to disappointment, frustration, and a negative overall experience.
References
* Kotler, P., & Keller, K. L. (2016). Marketing Management. Pearson.
* Parasuraman, A., Zeithaml, V. A., & Berry, L. L. (1985). A Conceptual Model of Service Quality and Its Implications for Future Research. Journal of Marketing, 49(4), 41-50.