Author (authors)

2.3.1 The Gap Model of Service Quality 
Zeithaml et al. (1985, 41-50) evolve the analysis model of five gaps which allows 
management to make an analytical assessment of the main causes of poor 
service quality and understand how service quality could be perfected. Lovelock 
and Christopher (2011, 406) illustrate the four potential gaps which related to the 
service providers that might lead to the fifth gap (customer gap), the gap 5 is a 
result from the discrepancy of what customers expected and what the perceived 
was delivered.
The descriptions of the full gaps model present in different views of authors as 
Grönroos (2007, 114-118), (Christopher and Lovelock. 2011, 406-408), (Wilson, 
et al., 2012, 96-103), and (Palmer 2008, 328-330) which basically adapted from 

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the initial research of (Zeithaml et al., 1985, 41-50). Figure 7 below presents 
the gap analysis model of service quality. 
Figure 7. the gap analysis model of service quality by Parasuraman et al. (1985, 44) 
1. Gap 1 (knowledge gap): management perceptions 
– customer 
expectations, it is the difference between what senior management thinks 
to customers’ expectations and actual needs (Christopher and Lovelock. 
2011, 406). Generally, company’s perceptions fail to understand what a 
customer actually needs (Palmer 2008,328). Wilson, et al. (2012, 98) 
mention the main factors that lead to provider gap 1 are: Firstly, 
insufficient marketing research and not focus on service quality. 
Secondly, lack of interaction between management and customers, and 
insufficient communication between contact employees and top 

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management due to many layers between them. Finally, lack of a market 
segment and do focus on a new customer rather than a relationship with 
customers. 
2. Gap 2 (quality specification) define as difference between management 
perception of cu
stomer’ expectation and customer-driven service design 
and standards (Wilson et al. 2012, 99). According to (Christopher & 
Lovelock. 2011, 406), the gap 
is the distinction between management’s 
understanding the customers’ expectations and the quality standards 
resided for service delivery. This gap is derived from several aspects: 
Firstly, planning mistakes or insufficient planning procedures Grönroos 
(2007, 116). Secondly, lack of customer-driven service standards and the 
absences of formal process management for setting service quality goal 
and fulfilling customers’ requirement. Finally, the physical environment or 
tangible service fail to meet customer and employees needs and 
inadequate maintenance and updating for tangible service (Wilson, et al., 
2012, 99). 
3. Gap 3 (service delivery): Customer-driven service designs and standards-
service delivery (Wilson et al. 2012, 100). It is the variance between 
service quality specifications and actually service delivery, poor 
management might lead the service providers to fail to meet service 
quality specifications (Palmer 2008, 329). In agreement with Wilson et al. 
(2012, 101) the main causes which provide this gap are: Firstly, shortages 
of human resource policies as a result of ineffective recruitment, poor 
employees-technology job fit, ambiguity and conflict the role of 
employees, lack of authorization on perceived control and empowerment 
teamwork. Second, the role of customer effects badly on the quality 
service if they don’t provide all necessary information or neglect to follow 
instructions. Third, it is difficult to control the service standards across 
intermediaries or agents. Finally, this occurs when there is scarcity of 
service recovery due to not understand what costumer’s expectations and 
why they complain, also failed to ensure the service guarantee or way to 
compensate the customers for the unfulfilled promises. 
4. Gap 4 (the market communication): external communications to 
customers -service delivery (Wilson et al., 2012, 102). It is discrepancy 

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between what the firm communicates and what it actually delivers to its 
customers, this gap is generated from two sub-gaps which firstly, the 
internal communications gap which is the distinction between what the 
firm’s advertising and sales personnel think whether, the product’s 
features, performance, and service quality level and what the company 
actually is capable of delivering. Second, the overpromise gap that could 
be produced from advertising and personnel to increasing the sale volume 
which is likely lead them to overpromise when customers become 
satisfactions less tolerance to the service provider in case of advertising 
fails to match or break the promises (Christopher and Lovelock. 2011, 
407). 
5. Gap 5 (perceived service quality): perceived service- expected service. It 
is the difference between what is service delivered in fact to customers 
and what customers perceive (Christopher and Lovelock. 2011, 407). A 
Customer assesses the perceived service based on comparing their 
experience with prior expectations (Wilson, et al., 2012, 96). The gap 
takes happens as a result of one or more of the four previous gaps 
(Palmer 2008, 330).