Journal of Marketing Management

The Influence of Demographic Characteristics on Service Quality Perceptions
Dr. Jerome Christia; Dr. Aaron Ard

Abstract
The services industry represents an overwhelming proportion of total employment and gross domestic product in the United States. Researchers and practitioners continue to study, analyze, and describe strategies for which organizations can reap competitive advantages. The growth and increasing significance of the service sector in developed markets like the US has spawned a sizeable body of related research addressing a variety of issues such as service quality and its dimensions. Providing superior quality in service experiences is an effective approach to acquire such an advantage. In the face of increasing competition, it is in an organization’s best interest to provide customers with the best service possible. This principle is prevalent in all industries, including various types of nonprofits and profit seeking organizations. In medical services, studies have shown that a variety of variables impact the perception of service quality. An extensive literature review reveals there is evidence that a number of demographic characteristics have been linked to service quality perceptions. This paper asserts that demographic characteristics influence the outcomes of a customer or patient’s perception of the quality of a service experience. Particularly, this study proposes that age, income, occupation, status, tenure, proximity, and ethnicity can help provide insight into the types of customers or patients that patronize a medical service.

Full Text: PDF     DOI: 10.15640/jmm.v4n2a5