South Africa has recently seen a significant increase in international student enrolments in recent years. In order to be competitive, attention needs to be given to service quality with a view to being the institution of preference. This paper therefore seeks to assess international students' expectations and perceptions of service quality. A census was conducted among the 215 international students, using the SERVQUAL model as the measuring instrument. The results indicate that there are gaps between international students' expectations and perceptions on the five service quality dimensions. An analysis of variance was conducted to test for significant differences between three biographical variables viz. faculty of study, qualification enrolled for and region of residence versus the five dimensions of service quality, on both expectations and perceptions. Recommendations are presented on how the institution can enhance service quality among its international students.

Recent legislative changes have permitted rapid expansion of pharmacy chains in South Africa. The early effect of this appears to be lowered prices and greater competition amongst pharmacy chains. Whilst research has been conducted on general aspects of customer service quality in various industries, there appears to be few studies on customer satisfaction within the South African retail pharmaceutical sector in particular. This paper therefore seeks to assess customer satisfaction at a selected pharmacy chain within the greater Durban area. A study was conducted among 400 customers, using the SERVQUAL model as the measuring instrument. The results indicate that there are gaps between customers' expectations and perceptions on the five service quality dimensions. The chi square test was performed to determine significant differences between four biographical variables viz. gender, age, educational level of respondents and frequency of shopping versus the five dimensions of service quality, on both expectations and perceptions. Recommendations are presented on how the pharmacy chain can enhance service quality in order to offer superior customer service in the face of growing competition.

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Over the past few years, higher education institutions (HEI’s) have experienced dramatic changes, in their structuring, funding and student numbers. The tertiary education sector in South Africa faces many new challenges, including, more recently, various mergers and the transformation of technikons into universities of technology. This transformation as not only brought about a change of status in these institutions, but also the mergers of intrinsically different institutions. The broadening of access to higher education under the present government policy has seen a growth in the number of international student applications to tertiary institutions. In an increasingly competitive market for international students, institutions need to provide an optimum service. International students’ perceptions of HEI’s facilities and services are becoming more important. It is apparent that there is a need to measure international students’ expectations and perceptions of service quality at the Durban University of Technology (DUT). The aim of this study was to investigate customer service quality at DUT. The objectives of this study were: to determine international students’ expectations of customer service at DUT; to evaluate international students’ perceptions of customer service at DUT; to identify any gaps between expectations and perceptions of customer service at DUT; and to identify customer service expectation and perception differences according to biographical variables. The instrument used to assess the international students’ expectations and perceptions of service quality was the SERVQUAL questionnaire, measuring expectations and perceptions according to the five quality dimensions. For the purposes of this study, a census was conducted. Hence, a survey was conducted among all international students enrolled in the 2010 academic year. One hundred and ninety two international students were surveyed using the SERVQUAL questionnaire. Data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistical techniques. Conclusions and recommendations were thereafter drawn from the literature and the findings of the study. The study shows that international students’ expectations of service quality exceeded their perceptions on the five service quality dimensions used in the SERVQUAL questionnaire. The smallest dimension gap score proved to be tangibles and reliability, both being equal, while the largest gap score of the study proved to be empathy followed by assurance and responsiveness. Therefore, it is recommended that DUT attend to these gaps and ensure that necessary strategies are implemented so that international students receive a high level of service quality in all areas of the service dimensions.