Defining "quality" can be confusing. There are numerous possible interpretations, especially in the service sector. Despite this, quality is seen as a major factor in customer acquisition and retention. Describes a model of service quality based around operational issues, directly relevant to issues of staff skills and training; and based on three dimensions of outcome/process, hard/soft and objective/subjective, giving a total of eight service types. Developed from survey data and in-depth interviews with staff and customers carried out within retail banking, it is suggested that the operations orientation makes it universally acceptable. Concludes that the benefits to the organization from a correct match between staff skills and customer expectations include a higher and more consistent perceived quality by customers, and, very probably, a greater level of job satisfaction among staff.

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