E-service quality: comparing the perceptions of providers and customers

Purpose - This study aims to identify the similarities and differences between the perspectives of providers and customers regarding the important dimensions and attributes of e-service quality (e-SQ). Design/methodology/approach - Ten criteria are proposed for assessment of e-SQ in both business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-consumer (B2C) transactions. Confirmatory factor analysis confirms the validity of grouping these criteria into five proposed dimensions. The e-SQ dimensions and criteria are then ranked in terms of their importance by a survey of respondents from small and medium-sized enterprises with experience in conducting e-business in Greece. The results are compared with selected surveys of customers' perceptions from the literature. Findings - The results indicate that the providers' perceptions are in agreement with customers' perceptions with regard to e-SQ dimensions, but not with regard to specific criteria (items) within those dimensions. The study also finds that providers have similar perceptions of the importance of the suggested e-SQ criteria in B2B and B2C electronic transactions. Research limitations/implications - The findings should be generalised with care if extrapolated to other socio-cultural settings and specific industries. Practical implications Managers should recognise that there might be differences between their views of e-SQ and those of their customers. Originality/value - This is one of the few studies to have focused on the perceptions of providers in assessing e-SQ.