The validity of the SERVQUAL and SERVPERF scales: A meta‐analytic view of 17 years of research across five continents

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose is to investigate, the difference between SERVQUAL and SERVPERF's predictive validity of service quality.Design/methodology/approach – Data from 17 studies containing 42 effect sizes of the relationships between SERVQUAL or SERVPERF with overall service quality (OSQ) are meta‐analyzed.Findings – Overall, SERVQUAL and SERVPERF are equally valid predictors of OSQ. Adapting the SERVQUAL scale to the measurement context improves its predictive validity; conversely, the predictive validity of SERVPERF is not improved by context adjustments. In addition, measures of services quality gain predictive validity when used in: less individualistic cultures, non‐English speaking countries, and industries with an intermediate level of customization (hotels, rental cars, or banks).Research limitations/implications – No study, that were using non‐adapted scales were conducted outside of the USA making it impossible to disentangle the impact of scale adaptation vs contextual differences on the modera...