<Dd> P is the individual's perceptions of given service delivery </Dd> <Dd> E is the individual's expectations of a given service delivery </Dd> <P> When customer expectations are greater than their perceptions of received delivery, service quality is deemed low . When perceptions exceed expectations then service quality is high . The model of service quality identifies five gaps that may cause customers to experience poor service quality . In this model, gap 5 is the service quality gap and is the only gap that can be directly measured . In other words, the SERVQUAL instrument was specifically designed to capture gap 5 . In contrast, Gaps 1 - 4 cannot be measured, but have diagnostic value . </P> <Table> Summary of Gaps with Diagnostic Indications <Tr> <Th> Gap </Th> <Th> Brief description </Th> <Th> Probable Causes </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Gap 1 <P> The Knowledge Gap </P> </Td> <Td> Difference between the target market's expected service and management's perceptions of the target market's expected service </Td> <Td> <Ul> <Li> Insufficient marketing research </Li> <Li> Inadequate upward communications </Li> <Li> Too many layers of management </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Gap 2 <P> The standards Gap </P> </Td> <Td> Difference between management's perceptions of customer expectations and the translation into service procedures and specifications </Td> <Td> <Ul> <Li> Lack of management commitment to service quality </Li> <Li> Employee perceptions of infeasibility </Li> <Li> Inadequate goal setting </Li> <Li> Inadequate task standardisation </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Gap 3 <P> The Delivery Gap </P> </Td> <Td> Difference between service quality specifications and the service actually delivered </Td> <Td> <Ul> <Li> Technical breakdowns or malfunctions </Li> <Li> Role conflict / ambiguity </Li> <Li> Lack of perceived control </Li> <Li> Poor employee - job fit </Li> <Li> Poor technology - fit </Li> <Li> Poor supervision or training </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Gap 4 <P> The Communications Gap </P> </Td> <Td> Difference between service delivery intentions and what is communicated to the customer </Td> <Td> <Ul> <Li> Lack of horizontal communications </Li> <Li> Poor communication with advertising agency </Li> <Li> Inadequate communications between sales and operations </Li> <Li> Differences in policies and procedures across branches or divisions of an entity </Li> <Li> Propensity to overpromise </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> </Table>

In the context of evaluating service quality refers to the ability to provide prompt service