The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition (한국식품영양학회지)

The Korean Society of Food and Nutrition (한국식품영양학회)
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A Study on Customer Service Encounters at a Large Food Court Customer Using Importance-performance Analysis

대형 푸드코트 이용 고객들의 서비스 인카운터 중요도-실행도(IPA) 분석 평가 연구

  • Yoon, Hei-Ryeo (Dept. of Food Service Management and Nutrition, Kongju National University)
  • 윤혜려 (국립공주대학교 외식상품학과)
  • Published : 2008.03.31
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Abstract

An IPA model was used to evaluate customer service encounters at a large food court; also the gaps between importance and performance from were also evaluated from both perspectives. The findings of this study will be applied in order to improve service quality at various large food service operations. A total of 298 customers from a large shopping mall food court completed the study questionnaire, asking them to evaluate the important and performance attributes of service. Seven underlying dimensions were identified and labeled by factor analysis: factor 1 was "safety": factor 2 "time": factor 3 "atmosphere": factor 4 "quality of food": factor 5 "menu attributes": factor 6 "comfort": and the last and seventh factor was "comprehension". As a result of IPA analysis the overall mean scores between the importance attributes and performance attributes showed significant differences by independent t-tests(p<0.001). Quadrant I was classified with unnecessary items including interior design, proper lighting, suitable chairs, and proper room temperature. In quadrant II thirteen variables showed high scores for both importance and performance, such as various menu choices, hygienic food, dishes, chairs, food court, kitchen, and employees; proper ventilation, employee kindness, waiting time to order, and received food; automatic system for ordering-serving. Quadrant III included eight variables identified as low priority, including appearance of food, nutrient content of food, proper portions, new menu, proper music, proper location of cashier, services for children and efficiency of movement. In quadrant IV six variables were included as areas to focus management's efforts, such as food taste, proper food temperature, use of safe food materials, maintenance of food quality, existence of preferred foods, and proper food prices. These results suggest that food court customers have interests that are distinct from restaurant customers and may need to be treated differently. It is anticipated that this data will be useful to the foodservice industry in order to segment customer characteristics by different dinning behaviors.

Keywords

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