Comparison of Wegmans and Jusco in Service Quality

Executive Summary

This report discussed about the comparison of service quality performance between Wegmans and local store, JUSCO. JUSCO's service gaps also have been identified and some suggestions were recommended to close the gaps.

Section 1 looked at evaluation of Wegmans service quality performance for customers and employees. Wegmans was evaluated based on the five service dimensions: reliability, responsiveness, assurance, empathy and tangibility. Wegmans acted reliably by keeping low prices for top forty families' product for a year. Employees were encouraged to do anything that they deem fit to meet customers' needs including providing individualized services and attend to customers' enquiries promptly. Customers can be assured of the quality service received as Wegmans employees are well educated and trained even before the store opens for business. Apart from the supermarket, Wegmans has other in-store facilities such as pharmacy, wine store, bakery and day care centre.

Section 2 focused in local supermarket. JUSCO too, was evaluated based on the five service quality. JUSCO performed reliably by guarantees that its house brand (JUSCO Selection) will give customers' satisfactions in best choice and best value compared to commercial brand in the market. Although JUSCO is aimed at maximizing ‘Customer First philosophy', JUSCO needs to put in more effort to educate and train its employees to achieve company's philosophy as it has been noticed that the employees were somehow lack in competency and compassion when dealing with customers. Besides a supermarket, JUSCO other in-store facilities include general merchandize store, food court and amusement centre for parents and children. Overall, Wegmans performed superiorly in its services delivery as compared to JUSCO.

Section 3 pertained to identifying service gaps in JUSCO. The services where it fails to meet customers' expectations were identified in knowledge gap, standards gap, delivery gap and communication gap. JUSCO has many ongoing sales throughout a year but these promotions may or may not capture the targeted market or increased sales.

Customers may expect some common standards is constantly uphold, for instance trolley should be available at the designated area, hand soup and toilet roll should be available all the time apart from maintaining the cleanliness of the washroom. When employees were not given empowerment or encouragement to take whatever action they deem necessary to meet customer needs, even if it means not following company policies, this will make employees' job difficult especially when they deal with unreasonable or difficult customer. JUSCO needs to be cautions and deliver what it can promises only, for example sales item which was advertised in promotion programme. If it is a limited stock, it should be stated