Exploring dimensions and challenges of services quality in banking sector of Pakistan: a focus group methodology

Abstract

Service quality, due to its enduring impact on organisational performance, has become a central concern of service-oriented organisations. Due to the nature of its services and continuous interaction with customers, banking sector of Pakistan has become more progressive towards establishing service of quality standards and its monitoring and evaluation process during the recent past. However, there are concerns that the standards set by top management of Pakistani banks do not translate into delivery of quality service by lower level managers. Therefore, it is important to explore how banking sector institutes understand service quality, and how this understanding contrasts with the existing body of knowledge. In this respect, the current study investigates the issue of service quality in the context of banking sector of Pakistan. The study explores the dimensions of service quality and the challenges faced by management to provide promised quality service in the banking sector of Pakistan. The study incorporates qualitative research design with focus group as methodology for data collection. Focus group methodology is useful when the research is exploratory in nature, researchers want to benefit from the knowledge and experience of the respondents and the cultural aspects related to the studied phenomenon are pertinent to be considered. Findings revealed that service quality is a contextual phenomenon in Pakistan and the interpretations of different stakeholders about its dimensions and delivery vary across parts of the country.