Service Quality and Customers’ Willingness to Pay for Vehicle Repairs and Maintenance Services

Abstract

This study assesses customer perception, customer expectation of service quality and their willingness to pay for vehicle repairs and maintenance services among patrons of small scale auto mechanics services in the Kumasi metropolis. Many organisations view service quality as only a support mechanism, rather than a viable competitive strategy. The SERVQUAL model was used to determine how customer expectation and perception of service quality influence the willingness to pay for auto mechanical services. A descriptive design was used and data was collected from two hundred (200) customers within the Kumasi Metropolis using questionnaire design. The data was analysed using SPSS. It was found that all the determinants of service quality (SERVQUAL); tangibility, reliability, responsiveness, assurance and empathy have a relationship with willingness to pay. However, customers’ perceptions of service quality offered by mechanical service industry did not meet their expectations (all gaps scores recorded negative except one). For the purpose of expanding knowledge in the field of the small scale auto mechanic industry future researchers should investigate into the factors influencing service quality in the small scale auto mechanics that engage in vehicle repairs and maintenance; service quality and customer satisfaction, how they are measured in terms of customer Willingness-To-Pay for vehicle repairs and maintenance services