SERVAQUA: TOWARDS A MODEL FOR SERVICE QUALITY IN POTABLE RETICULATED WATER SERVICES

The purpose of this paper is to propose a conceptual model for total service quality in the provision of networked technological services, dominated by tangible elements, with specific reference to reticulated water for customers in urban environments. A range of methods to measure the level of service provided by water utilities exists, most of which focus on the intrinsic quality of water supply, measured from the perspective of the service provider. These methodologies largely omit the quality of service as experienced by the customer, limiting their ability to drive customer centric management. A conceptual model is derived from a synthesis of literature on services quality. The face and content validity of the model are assessed using a qualitative case-study approach in which the views of organisations representing customers in this industry were sought. It was found that existing service quality methodologies cannot account for the specific context of water services, a service with high tangibility and low customer interaction. The paper concludes with suggestions for further research into this problem.