Preece, C and Tarawneh, S (1997) Service quality for client satisfaction on design & build projects. In: Stephenson, P (ed.) Proceedings of 13th Annual ARCOM Conference, 15-17 September 1997, Cambridge, UK.
Abstract
Service quality and client satisfaction are defined in terms of the construction industry particularly design and build services in the UK. Existing theoretical models of service quality and customer satisfaction which have been applied in different industries for example airlines, banks etc. are examined. Through adoption of this approach, construction organisations offering design and build services may be able to better differentiate themselves from their competitors. By developing their own unique service culture and delivering a better quality of service this may encourage client loyalty and repeat business. The pilot study involved surveys of clients and contractors involved in design and build services. Questions concerned how clients in this sector evaluated the services being provided throughout the phases of their projects. The aim was to establish any variance in how the different parties perceived and rated the various dimensions of service quality. Based on the initial findings of this study, a number of observations were made and recommendations may be provided on how design and build contractors may improve their services. Clients' needs and expectations are dynamic and change throughout the project life-cycle. There appears to be gaps in the perceptions of clients and contractors in terms of the importance of the factors that will satisfy or dissatisfy clients throughout the contract. It is recommended that contractors should establish systemic client research to probe their expectations on an on-going basis. After-care is seen to be the weakest point in the contractor's service and needs particular attention.
| Item Type: | Conference Paper (Paper) |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | service quality; client satisfaction; design and build |
| Index terms: | variance, construction organization, survey, customer satisfaction, client satisfaction, service quality, construction industry, dimension, quality of service, design and build |
| Subjects: | health monitoring assessment and metrics, contractual arrangements, organization, client relations, data collection methods, measurement and scaling, industry analysis, public and environmental health, performance measurement, service delivery |
| Topics: | Quality Management, Health and Safety, Business Strategy, Research Practice, Stakeholder Management, Procurement |
| Descriptive scope: | 5 PCTEA |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here