This paper addresses the issue of service quality evaluation within the higher education sector and stresses the need to develop measures that are both psychometrically and practically sound. The paper argues that recent debate surrounding the development of such measures has been too strongly geared toward their psychometric performance, with little regard for their practical value. While the paper supports the need to develop valid, reliable and replicable measures of service quality, it is suggested that educators must not lose sight of the original purpose for which these measures were designed, i.e. their practical value in informing continuous quality improvement efforts. It critiques the use of disconfirmation models and reports on a study of students’ perceptions of quality using importance‐performance analysis (IPA). The technique allows specific failings in the quality of support issues to be identified and their importance to a quality improvement programme assessed.

PurposeService quality and customer satisfaction have traditionally been conceptualised and measured using cognitive indicators. This paper aims to build on the body of literature that recognises the role of emotions in determining customer satisfaction and future behavioural intention.Design/methodology/approachThe focus for this study was a football stadium in which respondents' evaluation of “off pitch” service quality was investigated in the context of emotions aroused by “on pitch” activities. A time‐elapsed three‐stage survey was used to evaluate the respondents and any changes over time.FindingsIn a survey of 407 match attendees, emotionally‐based satisfaction was found to be a better predictor of future behavioural intention than cognitive measures of satisfaction.Originality/valueThe paper establishes the need to use both emotional and cognitive measures of satisfaction when evaluating overall customer satisfaction and future behavioural intention. It also highlights the unique nature of customer satisfaction in a sporting events venue.

This paper seeks to investigate the conceptualisation and measurement of the service quality construct and its relationship to behavioural intention through an application of the importance‐performance technique within the Australian wine tourism industry. Many winery operators invite customers to their winery and the quality of service during the visit can impact on future wine sales. Research undertaken among a sample of visitors to Australian vineyards showed that service process factors were more closely linked to wine purchase than tangible elements. The study also provides further support for the use of importance‐performance models of service quality, as this measure was found to be significantly related to two dimensions of behavioural intention.

Wine tourism has emerged as a growing area of special interest tourism in Australia, and is an increasingly significant component of the regional and rural tourism product of Western Australia. The increased significance and growing competitiveness of this sector has led to a heightened concern by producers and consumers for the quality of services being offered, and has forced many within the industry to invest in the delivery of higher levels of service quality as a means to achieving competitive differentiation. An integral part of any organisation’s attempt to deliver on this front is a commitment to a process of continuous quality improvement. This requires a systematic approach to quality measurement. Investigates the conceptualisation and measurement of service quality and its importance to the wine tourism industry and reports the findings from a recently‐conducted survey of cellar door customers at four Western Australian wineries. Demonstrates the relative usefulness of the importance/performance methodology for cellar door operators in highlighting how wineries are performing from a customer point of view, and also what is important in terms of performance from the customers’ point of view.

Purpose-The purpose of this paper is to examine the underexplored niche market potential of craft beer, especially as it may relate to independent food and beverage operations, as a means of gaining competitive advantage. Design/methodology/approach-Data were collected through the distribution of a survey instrument to craft beer and home brewers, designed to assess the demographic profile, purchasing/restaurant selection, and decision behavior of this group and assess the likelihood of their future behavioral intentions toward continued participation in the craft beer segment. Findings-The paper reveals that craft beer and micro brew pub success has been driven by the home brew movement and continues to gain market share at the expense of broad line food service and macro beer producers. The demographic profile of this group shows age range, income, and educational levels sufficient to drive continued growth. The high satisfaction and likelihood to recommend scores support this assessment. Research limitations/implications-The sample is limited to members of the Brewers Association, the American Home Brewers Association, and craft beer enthusiasts known to members of the organization. Additionally, the survey was administered electronically limiting participation to people comfortable with this medium. Practical implications-F&B operators who demonstrate commitment to craft beer through server education, beverage list commitment, and supporting events can achieve market differentiation and dominance within the niche; leading ultimately to competitive advantage. Originality/value-This research sheds light on underexplored areas of craft beer and the opportunity for independent F&B operators to identify and penetrate an increasingly important niche market, which to date has been viewed primarily from the perspective of microbrew pubs.

Service mapping is described and illustrated in the context of evaluating and improving service quality at special events. Results of participant observation at the 1998 Margaret River Masters surfing event in Western Australia are combined with concurrent visitor survey data and direct observations to generate recommendations for improving its management. Conclusions are drawn on the utility and application of the service-mapping technique for events and on the nature of service quality at events.

This paper investigates the conceptualisation and measurement of service quality in on‐line service environments. It reports the findings from an exploratory study of consumer perceptions of service quality as they relate to an on‐line library service in a prominent public sector university in Western Australia. The results reveal the core service quality dimensions of significance to on‐line consumers and demonstrates the usefulness and relative simplicity of this measurement methodology for evaluating the service quality construct in on‐line environments. The study highlights not only how the service is perceived from a customer point of view, but also what is important to the customers in their use of on‐line services.

The SERVQUAL methodology has been challenged on a number of grounds, including the failure of many researchers to replicate the original SERVQUAL factor structure, and the unrealistic notion that consumers can form expectations about a service when they have little prior knowledge about the product. This paper explores the role of experience on the dimensions of service quality. An exploratory survey is reported in which a sample of visitors to a theme park was divided into two groups according to their level of experience of theme parks. A factor analysis of the data indicated a more complex factor structure for the group with prior experience of theme parks.