4. 4 BASIN UNITED SOCCER CLUB SERVICE AUDIT
Introduction
Purpose of Report
The purpose of this report is to conduct a service audit for Basin United Soccer Club. The
aim is to identify the services provided by the organization to its members and the
surrounding community, and establish any gaps that may exist in delivering those
services to the best of their ability. Once the gaps are identified, if any, then
recommendations will be provided to give direction on ways to minimize and eventual
eliminate the gaps in service between Basin United and their customers.
Background
Basin United Soccer Club (BUSC) is a non-profit organization that facilitates soccer
competitions and program for residents of Klamath County. BUSC is located at Steen’s
Sports Park, where it has a 60,000 square foot indoor soccer complex that contains a full
size field, concession stands, and offices. The organization also controls four outside
fields located at Steen’s Sports Park to host games for recreation and Classic leagues, as
well as high school and collegiate matches. BUSC hopes to become a prominent provider
of recreational activities for the entire Klamath Basin.
5. BASIN UNITED SOCCER CLUB SERVICE AUDIT 5
Service Gaps
The following outlines the tool used to analysis the service of BUSC. The Gaps model of
service quality focuses on the customer gap, which is the difference between customer
expectations and perceptions. In order to close the customer gap, four provider gaps
should be minimized or closed to achieve the best possible service. These gaps occur
within the organization providing the service. In analyzing the services offered by BUSC,
the following provider gaps – Listening Gap, Service Design and Standards Gap, and
Communication Gap.
Listening Gap
The listening gap is the difference between customer expectations of service and
company understand of those expectations. The primary reason that many firms do not
meet customer expectations is that firms lack an accurate understanding of exactly what
those expectations are. The following areas are of concern when a listening gap exists
between an organization and its customers.
• Inadequate customer research orientation
• Lack of upward communication
• Insufficient relationship focus
• Inadequate service recovery
Conducting multiple research strategies to better understand customers, building strong
relationships, and implementing recovery strategies can help minimize the listening gap
that could be hindering your organization.
6. 6 BASIN UNITED SOCCER CLUB SERVICE AUDIT
Service Design and Standards Gap
The service design and standards gap refers to the difference between company
understanding of customer expectations and the development of customer-driven service
designs and standards. The following areas can lead to a service design and standards gap
for organizations.
• Poor service design
• Absence of customer-driven standards
• Inappropriate physical evidence and servicescape
Having appropriate service design for identified customers and publics, established
customer driven-standards, and strategies for effectively designing physical evidence and
servicescape to meet customer expectations will help reduce this gap.
Communication Gap
The communication gap illustrates the difference between service and delivery and the
service provider’s external communications. Promises made by a service company
through media advertising, sales force, and other communications may raise customer
expectations. Service companies frequently fail top capitalize on opportunities to educate
customers to use services appropriately. The following are areas needs to be addressed to
minimize the gap.
• Lack of integrated services marketing communications
• Ineffective management of customer expectations
• Overpromising
• Inadequate horizontal communications
• Inappropriate pricing
7. BASIN UNITED SOCCER CLUB SERVICE AUDIT 7
Customer must manage all communications to customers to ensure appropriate
expectations are received when discussing their service delivery, and understand to
effectively price the services offered to customers.
