Service quality in the legal profession: a review

Abstract

Research into the management of professional service quality, other than in health care, has been very limited, despite being particularly problematical. This paper focuses on the interactive, highly customized and labour-intensive service offered by solicitors to their commercial and corporate clients. The intangible nature of legal services, the natures of the professionals themselves and the firms within which they operate, and the perceptions of risk brought to the service by the client create additional difficulties in managing the service and measuring client perceptions of it. Yet solicitors must understand the requirements of the group of clients they seek to serve in order to design their service to match those needs. Clients have to assume the technical competence of their solicitor. Moreover, they seek confidence when buying legal services. Our research, therefore, sought to gain an understanding of the process used by commercial and corporate clients when evaluating legal service, and of the factors that are key drivers in the creation of confidence.

Service Quality in Alcohol Treatment: A Qualitative Study

“…The treatment programme actively encourages membership and fellowships of other groups (such as AA), and patients can access an aftercare group at the Treatment clinic on a weekly basis for up to a year. The literature suggests that service quality in professional services is delivered by the relationship between the service provider and the user (Stewart et al 2000) but in the treatment clinic, the research here suggests that service quality is in some part created by the service users themselves. This may reflect the residential nature of the clinic in that patients form a bond from being physically together practically 24 h a day.…”

“…The literature suggests that in professional services, customers have 'fuzzy' expectations about what they expect from the service provider and are often unsure whether the service has met their expectations (Ojasalo 2001). To some extent, these 'fuzzy' expectations can be overcome by the relationship of the professional and the client (Stewart et al 2000).…”

Culture and airline service quality

“…Bàn luận về chất lượng và hài lòng khách hàng được dựa trên cơ sở cảm nhận của khách hàng về dịch vụ (Zeithaml, Bitner, & Gremler, 2009). Một số định nghĩa chung nhất liên quan đến dịch vụ đó là định nghĩa về CLDV cảm nhậnperceived service quality (Stewart, Hope, & Muhlemann, 2000). CLDV cảm nhận như là một diễn dịch chủ quan của khách hàng về kinh nghiệm của mình (Lehtinen & Lehtinen, 1991).…”

Delivering Service Quality in Alcohol Treatment: A Qualitative Comparison of Public and Private Treatment Centres by Service Users and Service Providers

“…Furthermore, Stewart, Hope and Muhlemann (2000) suggest that accessing a professional service is perceived as involving a higher level of risk than purchasing consumer services. This is because the client does not often have the technical skills to evaluate the quality of the professional service delivery.…”

“…This is because the client does not often have the technical skills to evaluate the quality of the professional service delivery. Research in professional services has indicated that the service providerclient relationship has the most influence on the perception of service quality delivery (Stewart, et al, 2000). This is supported by the view that quality lies in the individual practice and attitudes, skills and knowledge of the healthcare providers (Leatherman & Sutherland, 1998).…”