This paper begins by explaining the new context in which public services are delivered and why improving service quality is especially relevant. The SERVQUAL model has been used in a number of public service environments to assess quality of service provision in terms of what consumers expect and what they actually receive. A particular advantage of SERVQUAL is that it is a tried and tested instrument which can be used comparatively for benchmarking purposes. The two service case examples featured in this paper illustrate the use of the SERVQUAL instrument to improve both process management and strategic planning in North Lanarkshire Council. Expectations, perceptions and gap scores are compared and their significance interpreted.