Gap Analysis:

Todays consumer has become increasingly demanding. They not only want high quality products
but they also expect high quality customer service. Even manufactured products such as cars,
mobile phones and computers cannot gain a strategic competitive advantage through the
physical products alone. From a consumers point of view, customer service is considered very
much part of the product.
Delivering superior value to the customer is an ongoing concern of Product Managers. This not
only includes the actual physical product but customer service as well. Products that do not offer
good quality customer service that meets the expectations of consumers are difficult to sustain in
a competitive market. SERVQUAL (service quality gap model) is a gap method in service quality
measurement, a tool that can be used by Product Manager across all industries. The aim of this
model is to:

Identify the gaps between customer expectation and the actual services provided at
different stages of service delivery
Close the gap and improve the customer service

This model developed by Parasuraman, Zeithalm and Berry in 1985 identifies five different gaps
The Customer Gap: The Gap between Customer Expectations and Customer Perceptions
The customer gap is the difference between customer expectations and customer perceptions.
Customer expectation is what the customer expects according to available resources and is
influenced by cultural background, family lifestyle, personality, demographics, advertising,
experience with similar products and information available online. Customer perception is totally
subjective and is based on the customers interaction with the product or service.
In Case of PVR cinemas:
Gap Closed
Entertainment industry is been flourishing from past few years and PVR has been the pioneer in
this industry because of the quality of services it provides. PVR has been the trend setter and
because of which it has helped its customers to build up a perception about this industry by their
offerings and kind of services.

The Knowledge Gap: The Gap between Consumer Expectation and Management
Perception
The knowledge gap is the difference between the customers expectations of the service
provided and the companys provision of the service. In this case, managers are not aware or
have not correctly interpreted the customers expectation in relation to the companys services or
products. If a knowledge gap exists, it may mean companies are trying to meet wrong or nonexisting consumer needs.
In Case of PVR cinemas:
Gap Closed

PVR in recent times have been involved on so many activities because of which they
successfully were able to connect with the customers. Following are some of the activities:

Social media communication

Good CRM practices
Good market research

The Policy Gap: The Gap between Management Perception and Service Quality
Specification
This gap reflects managements incorrect translation of the service policy into rules and
guidelines for employees. Some companies experience difficulties translating consumer
expectation into specific service quality delivery. This can include poor service design, failure to
maintain and continually update their provision of good customer service or simply a lack of
standardisation. This gap may see consumers seek a similar product with better service
elsewhere.
In Case of PVR cinemas:
Gap Closed
Following are the efforts made to close the policy gap:

Well defined blue print of services

Customer oriented service design
Good ambience
Cleanliness
Physical evidence

The Delivery Gap: The Gap between Service Quality Specification and Service Delivery
This gap exposes the weakness in employee performance. Organisations with a Delivery Gap
may specify the service required to support consumers but have subsequently failed to train their
employees, put good processes and guidelines in action.
In Case of PVR cinemas:
Gap Exists
Generally customers are satisfied with the kind of service PVR has provided to them. But there
have been few instances where customers were not satisfied with the services provided but the
quick and prompt responsiveness of PVR management has taken proper care of all the
grievances.
Following are some of the initiatives those have been taken to improve their services:

Improving HR policies
Directly connecting with the customer in case of any grievance.
Customer centric services

The Communication Gap: The Gap between Service Delivery and External
Communications
In some cases, promises made by companies through advertising media and communication
raise customer expectations. When over-promising in advertising does not match the actual
service delivery, it creates a communication gap.

In Case of PVR cinemas:

Gap Exists
Following are the reasons for the same:

Lack of education for customer

Lack of internal marketing
Lack of standardisation of services at all multiplexes