An exploratory study of the effects of experience on consumer perceptions of the service quality construct

The SERVQUAL methodology has been challenged on a number of grounds, including the failure of many researchers to replicate the original SERVQUAL factor structure, and the unrealistic notion that consumers can form expectations about a service when they have little prior knowledge about the product. This paper explores the role of experience on the dimensions of service quality. An exploratory survey is reported in which a sample of visitors to a theme park was divided into two groups according to their level of experience of theme parks. A factor analysis of the data indicated a more complex factor structure for the group with prior experience of theme parks.