Introduction
Maintaining high quality of services provided by an organisation is very important for it to have a sustainable business (Asogwa, Asadu, Ezema, Ugwu, Ugwuanyi, 2014). The satisfaction of customers will arise from the type of services provided by the organisation. With this regard, desirable results can be achieved through effective and careful incorporation of quality in all services a business provides. For effective delivery of quality services in firms, researchers have proposed that the process must be monitored to yield better results. Monitoring involves activities such as putting employees under check or analysing the usefulness of a particular system in a firm. In reality, services render by a business are essential in determining the ability of a firm to retain clients and gain many more (Bailey, 1991). The problem is, however, is how organisations can provide high quality services to ensure satisfaction of customers. The benefit of understanding how to provide quality services is that the firms will gain customer loyalty which will translate into high profitability.
Literature review
Application of service quality is not limited to any field. Quality is necessary in all the fields that aims at satisfying the recipient of the service whether or not the aim is to make profit. It is needed in profit making firms, provision of services by public institutions such as healthcare and in carrying out philanthropic activities. The quality of service that a firm offers could be an ideal tool to be used in marketing a business organisation (Berry & Parasuraman 1991). Truthfully, businesses can reap best outcomes and achieve their objectives if only the aspect of service quality is adhered to. To be precise, the concept of service quality is a vital instrument that can be used to transform processes in firms.
Moreover, service quality extends to security departments such as police and military arms. In the process of pursuing justice and maintain peace in our communities, quality remains to be an emphasis that must be observed. In Spain, for example, police officers are trained to offer services to the public that is dominated by high quality. So to speak, different organizations in the world have borrowed from others or shared the concept of service quality. If aspect of high quality standard are observed in all disciplines, a lot more would be attained (Tarí, 2006).
Of more importance, there are several principles that can be applied to achieve high standards of services offered. Service quality requires steadfast business-customer relationships that are founded on the strong organisational beliefs (Zeithaml & Parasuraman 2004),. For an enterprise, clients should be considered to comprise a crucial component without which business activities will not be significant. Therefore, bearing in mind that clients are important persons to business will be appreciated by rendering the best services that will motivate them to continue transacting it such an n organization. Once customer are satisfied by the type of services a firm provides to its clients, the business is likely to gain a competitive edge since it will continue to expand to increased demands from customers for such services obtained in that firm (Berry, Bennett & Brown, 1989).
Theoretical framework
- Service quality and customer satisfaction
Customer satisfaction determines their nature of choice that will in turn impact a business either positively or negatively (Oliver, 1990). Satisfaction, as argued by some scholars, is just an attitude that clients form towards a particular concept or product or service. When a person feels that his/her pleasure has been met, that can be defined as satisfaction (Ko, 2008). It grows out of customers’ psychological influence and perceptions that are developed based on how organizations treat their clients.
Both satisfied and dissatisfied customers have direct influence on businesses. Satisfied customers will talk to more clients to transact with the business while the dissatisfied will talk ill about the firm to discourage many from buying from the same enterprise (Ko, 2008). It is important to maintain the customers as the cost of gaining new ones may be expensive due to the experience that existing customers know about services offered by the business. This is why treating first hand customers may be crucial in laying down the foundation for gaining more customers.
- Customer loyalty
Loyalty covers the aspect of attachment between customers and business that makes the buy another times regardless of there being other options the customer would choose from (Kendall, 2010). Service quality plays an integral role in enhancing customer loyalty. The loyalty can be evident by customers’ referrals and repeated purchase (Parasuraman et al., 1985). As far as air transport is concerned, it is important to enhance services through security agencies at the airport t to attract more travellers. Loyalty starts with improved services at the departure and arrival bays where the level of security is supposed to be excellent to protect clients. An important advantage of heightened security is to develop trust in customers to make them long-term partners in the travel business. Service quality is the independent variable since it influences the level of customer satisfaction and loyalty. The dependent variable is customer loyalty since it is affected by quality service. The moderating variable is customer satisfaction since it determines the relationship between quality service and customer loyalty.
Theoretical framework
Figure 1: framework for quality of service, customer satisfaction and loyalty.
As shown in figure 1, there is a direct relationship between the variable is service quality, customer satisfaction and loyalty. Customers will be motivated to continue transacting in business with the airport if the services offered especially in the security sector are of high quality. In essence, many clients adore partners that value their desires, which can only be met through improved quality of service.
Research questions
How should a firm define service quality for better understanding in the whole organisation?
What impact does customer loyalty have on the airport businesses with respect to viability of airport security?
Hypothesis of the study
The research will utilize the following hypotheses based on the theoretical framework presented in the study:
H1. There exist a strong connection between service and customer satisfaction.
H2. There exist a strong connection between cost and customer satisfaction.
H3. There is a strong connection between customer satisfaction and customer loyalty.
These hypotheses have been specifically selected to give a description of the relationship among the various variables that will finally affect the satisfaction of the customers and their loyalty. The measurements will assist in finding how the quality of service will influence customer satisfaction and how service cost relates to quality in satisfying customers’ needs. Finally the measurements will show the extent to which customer satisfaction affect their loyalty.
Conclusion
In conclusion, this paper discusses the need for services quality in organization. The paper provides a literature review as presented by different scholars and the relevance of their studies to the current business as pertaining airport security. As has been observed form the discussions, eservice quality in the security departments of airport businesses can be attached to customer satisfaction which in turn will influence some customers to refer others to the enterprise. In this case, customer loyalty will be achieved; thus, expanding the profit margins of organizations that run airport companies.
References
Asogwa, B., Asadu, B., Ezema, J., Ugwu, C., & Ugwuanyi, F. (2014). Use of ServQUAL in the Evaluation of Service Quality of Academic Libraries in Developing Countries. Retrieved March 27, 2016, from http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2947&context=libphilprac
Bailey, D. (1991). Inside quality service. Managing Service Quality: An International Journal, 1(5).
Berry, L., & Parasuraman, A. (1991). Marketing services: Competing through quality, 3-12. New York: Free Press. Retrieved March 27, 2016, from
Berry, L., Bennett, D. R., & Brown, C. W. (1989). Service quality: A profit strategy for financial institutions. Homewood, IL: Dow Jones-Irwin.
Kendall, H. (2010). Quality service, competitive business, 76-100
Ko, K. (2008). Service dimensions of service quality impacting customer satisfaction of fine dining restaurants in Singapore. Retrieved March 27, 2016, from http://digitalscholarship.unlv.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1687&context=thesesdissertations
Tarí, J. J. (2006). Improving service quality in a Spanish police service. Total Quality Management & Business Excellence, 17(3), 409-424. Retrieved March, 2016.
Zeithaml, V. A., & Parasuraman, A. (2004). Service quality. Cambridge, MA: Marketing Science Institute.
