Which management practices are contributory to service quality? Part 2: Findings from in-depth interviews

Purpose - Previously, a questionnaire survey was conducted and it was found that some management practices were more influential to service quality than others. The purpose of this paper is to identify in more detail the reasons behind the survey findings. Design/methodology/approach - Eighteen in- depth interviews into a range of management practices which support service quality were conducted. Findings - It was found that there were difficulties in implementing some of the management practices due to the type of staff employed and to the nature of tasks undertaken. Research limitations/implications - As the purpose of this research is to facilitate interpretation of the quantitative data, the investigation did not go in detail beyond mass and technological services. Hence, individual organisational characteristics, individual circumstances, or details of the service offered to customers are not considered beyond the category of either mass or technological services. Originality/value - The paper identifies that the actual contribution from different management practices to service quality varied, and explains the reasons behind the diverse contributions in each type of service business.