Abstract:
Research suggests that customers do not perceive quality of service in a
unidimensional way but rather evaluate quality based on multiple factors.
Parasuraman, Zeithaml, and Berry (1988) proposed five specific dimensions of
service quality that apply across a variety of service contexts. The five dimensions
are reliability (ability to perform the promised service dependably and accurately),
responsiveness (willingness to help customers and provide prompt service),
assurance (employees’ knowledge and courtesy and their ability to inspire trust and
confidence), empathy (caring, individualized attention given to customers), and
tangibles (appearance of physical facilities, equipment, personnel, and written
materials). The present study tests whether these five dimensions or factors do
determine perceived service quality of physiotherapy centers in Dhaka City. The
study also measures the relative importance of these five dimensions in determining
perceived service quality of physiotherapy centers in Dhaka City and test the
variability of the levels of these five dimensions or factors across age, educational
level, and gender. The study finds that reliability is the most important factor
followed by tangibles, and empathy is the third important factor followed by
responsiveness. Assurance is found to be the least important factor. It also finds that
these five factors or dimensions vary across age, educational levels, and gender.
