Purpose -Despite the rapid growth and internationalisation of services and financial services in particular, managers realise that to successfully leverage service quality as a global competitive tool, they first need to correctly identify the antecedents of what the international consumer perceives as service quality. This paper aims to examine the differences: in perceptions of service quality; and in the ranking of quality dimension between the bank customers of five Balkan countries: Greece, Bulgaria, Albania, FYROM and Serbia. Design/methodology/approach -Bahia and Nantel proposed a specific scale for measuring perceived service quality in retail banking consisting of six dimensions of service quality: effectiveness and assurance; access; price; tangibles; service portfolio; and reliability. This instrument was used for collecting data in the context of banking services from the five Balkan countries. T-test and factor analysis were employed to answer the research questions. Findings -The results suggest that Greek customers perceived receiving the highest level of service quality. Differences and similarities between the countries were also reported related to the degree of importance attached to the BSQ dimensions of service quality. Practical implications -The results have significant implications for banks in developing operational, marketing and human resource strategies in the Balkan context. Originality/value -The international bank managers need to understand the value of environmental differences between countries in terms of economic development, political situation, socio-cultural system and the level of sector maturity. Accordingly they can emphasise the various dimensions of service quality differently and in addition focus on commonalities to introduce quality initiatives in the Balkans.

Despite the dithyramb on training found throughout the literature, its impact on organizational performance still remains a 'black box' yet to be unlocked. Indeed, neither the intervening process nor the factors that mediate training effectiveness have been substantively explored or linked together in a framework. In this paper, gaining insights from the concept of the balanced scorecard and using the service profit chain as a strategy map, an attempt is made to formulate a casual linkage value chain that highlights one possible route through which training can impact organizational performance. Using a predictive design, data were collected from multiple sources (employees, customers, and the bank's financial records) and raters from a sample of 30 branches of a Greek bank. The findings confirmed a framework illuminating a value exchange process ignited by training. More precisely, the results suggested that a formal, structured, and long-term approach to training, as well as certain pre-and posttraining conditions and activities, improve training effectiveness by creating positive perceptions about the training's value. The generated for employees value results to higher levels of job satisfaction which boosts employee loyalty, creating in this sense value for the organization. This value is reflected to customers, in terms of better service quality, and reciprocated to the organization through higher customer satisfaction and branch loyalty leading to improved profitability at the branch level.

If you would like to write for this, or any other Emerald publication, then please use our Emerald for Authors service information about how to choose which publication to write for and submission guidelines are available for all. Please visit www.emeraldinsight.com/authors for more information. About Emerald www.emeraldinsight.comEmerald is a global publisher linking research and practice to the benefit of society. The company manages a portfolio of more than 290 journals and over 2,350 books and book series volumes, as well as providing an extensive range of online products and additional customer resources and services.Emerald is both COUNTER 4 and TRANSFER compliant. The organization is a partner of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and also works with Portico and the LOCKSS initiative for digital archive preservation. AbstractThis paper discusses the service quality of Greek banks on the basis of their customers' perceptions, and analyses how gender differences affect customers' perceptions of service quality dimensions such as effectiveness and assurance, access, price, tangibles, service portfolio, and reliability. The results of an empirical study of 1,260 customers of Greek banks generally support the hypothesis that gender affects service quality perceptions and the relative importance attached to various banking service quality dimensions. This paper provides important information for bank managers to use in developing operational, human resource, and marketing strategies, and in targeting those strategies in terms of the gender differences in quality perceptions among their customers.

PurposeNational Health Systems (NHS) experience low trust and lack of public confidence while receiving strong pressure from governments and societies to improve their quality and compete effectively. The purpose of this paper is threefold. First, to investigate how patients perceive service quality in Greek NHS hospitals. Second, to assess patients' perceptions, expectations and the relevant gaps concerning the quality provided by public hospitals. Third, to determine the relative importance of quality dimensions in influencing patients' overall quality perceptions.Design/methodology/approachEmpirical research using the SERVQUAL instrument was conducted in six NHS hospitals located in North Greece. A total of 137 usable questionnaires were collected.FindingsThe research results revealed a three‐dimension SERVQUAL construct, which proved to be a valid, reliable and flexible tool for measuring quality in Greek hospitals. The human factor was revealed as being the most critical dimension of quality, reflecting the significance of the traditional view of the doctor‐patient relationship. Quality gaps are illuminated, suggesting that there is room for improvement initiatives.Practical implicationsThe paper provides guidelines to hospital managers and policymakers as to developing strategies that aim at meeting patients' expectations of service quality and restoring trust in public hospitals.Originality/valueThe paper sheds light on service quality, a critical aspect of hospital performance, drawing attention to patients' orientations. The study gives support to the view that quality in hospitals can be determined, measured and systematically monitored with the goal of responding to patients' needs.

Purpose This study aims to uncover the underlying multiple intervening mechanisms between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and customer loyalty. Social identity and social exchange theories offer the ground for prediction that the primary outcomes of CSR initiatives are customer–company (C–C) identification and customer trust, which in turn affect customer loyalty. Also, the differential effect of CSR behaviors toward specific stakeholder groups on customer attitudes and behaviors are examined. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from 333 customers of telecommunication companies in Greece. Structural equation modeling was used to test the postulated relationships. Findings The findings demonstrate that both C–C identification and customer trust intervene in the relationship between customer perceptions of CSR and customer loyalty; however, the identification mechanism is stronger than the trust mechanism in building customer loyalty while C–C identification seems to drive customer trust. Moreover, out of the three CSR components (customers, employees, and society/environment) that were considered as relevant to customers and were investigated, customer-centric activities were found to be the stronger predictor of both C–C identification and customer trust. Also, CSR toward society/environment was found to positively influence C–C identification. Practical implications The findings of this research can assist practitioners in effectively conceptualizing CSR image from a customers’ point of view and designing their company’s CSR and communication strategies to boost positive customer responses and strong long-term relationships. Originality/value The current study provides further insights into the complex relationship between CSR and customer responses and the impact that different CSR activities may have on customers.