Impact of Iso Certification in Service Marketing: An Analysis of Education Services

Impact of ISO Certification in Service Marketing: An Analysis of Education Services

This paper outlines a research study to explore the implications of ISO 9000-certifications in the marketing of education services. ISO 9000 is underscored as being an indication of enhanced quality, and improved quality is proven to yield superior perceived image, customer trust, perceived performance, perceived service quality, customer expectations and perceived value, which in turn result in higher levels of customer satisfaction the ultimate aim of service marketers.

Customers are part of the global trend for increasing quality, requiring products and services of increasingly higher standards. This forces organizations to focus on improving the value proposition they are offering as perceived by the customer. Globalised market is characterized by universality; competing organizations are endeavoring to get across to their target markets that what they have to offer is distinguished from that of their competitors through superior quality. The result of such an offering will bring about improved perceived image and value, and so more and more organizations internationally have dedicated considerable time and resources to enhance quality.

One way for service firms to achieve success in this area is to work on standardizing procedures. The International Organization of Standardization (ISO) was created to foster the application of standardization which would lead to the easy and efficient evolution of the international exchange of products and services. At present, when considering the quality structure of companies, the ISO 9000 standards have gained international acceptance as the ideal to be adopted and followed. Among many other industries, service sector has already got initiated to take the ISO 9000 standards as the norm to be followed while doing business. Although the number of international companies that are rushing to delve into the ISO 9000 certification process is continually rising, the paucity of international literature tackling this topic and the availability of such research in the education services have directed me to undertake such a study by assessing the importance of being ISO 9000-certified on the service providers and the customers of education industry.

The impetus for improving Quality of higher education and scrutiny by the accreditation agencies and the corporate employers is gaining momentum in India. There are many Quality management tools and techniques, which could be adopted in the field of education, to diagnose a system and identify