focusing on the relationship between client satisfaction and loyalty.

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Do client ' s age, gender or income affect how they may benefi t from certain services? Is the classifi cation of a service into one of the four categories of the tetra-class model, fi xed or, for example, linked to the length of time a customer has been a client or their geographical proximity? This study examines how the contribution of certain services to customer satisfaction changes in reference to his age, gender and income. Without questioning the suitability of the tetra-class model for classifying services, the authors have studied the nature of the changes in categories of services for three client-based variables and two variables linked to the service relationship. The results indicate that there are degrees of variability that alter in importance from one client segment to another and also with respect to the particular service under consideration.

The objective of this work is to study the possibilities of the tetraclass model for the evaluation of the changes in the consumer satisfaction from the provided pharmacy services during the time.MethodsWithin the same 4 months period in 2004 and 2006 were questioned at approximately 10 pharmacy consumers per working day. Every consumer evaluated the 34 service elements on a 5 points semantic-differential scale. The technique of the correspondence data analysis was used for the categorisation of the services.ResultsMost of the services have been categorized as basic ones. For the age group up to 40 years the access to pharmacy became a key element and external aspects became a secondary element in 2006 year.For the group of patients that are using the services of the pharmacy for more than 2 years, availability of phone connection, quality of answers and product prices move from plus to secondary element. The ratio quality/price moves from the group of basic to key services, visibility of the prices and hygiene became basic elements from secondary ones. During the two years period, all the service elements connected with the staff as availability, identification, good looking, confidence, dressing, advices, technical competence, explanation, and time spent with clients remain basic services. The confidentiality of the staff remains always a key element.ConclusionOur study shows that the tetraclass model allows taking more informed managerial decisions in the pharmacies, as well as, is providing information for the concrete area of services and possible measures. In case of a development of a simple statistical program for quick processing of the inquiry data, the method will became applicable and affordable even for small pharmacies.

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