Question

DiSCUSSION QUESTIONS 1. Using the Service Gaps Model, identify potential areas that Tiger might not be fulfilling. How can Tiger address these gaps? 2. How can Tiger utilise the five distinct service dimensions to reposition itself in the airline industry? 3. How has Tiger attempted to rectify service recovery problems that emerged from the suspension crisis?
For question3

Answer 1

Answer to 1)

Identify the areas that tiger might not be fulfilling:

The service gap model is identifying the gaps between the customer expectations and actual services and finds the ways to close the gap and improve the service.

In this case, the areas that tiger is not focusing can be:

• The cost of travel. The customers prefer other airlines for their lower costs and hence tiger is lagging behind in this aspect.
• Tiger is also not satisfying its customers on the point of punctuality.
• The main reason for its suspension which is the safety. Tiger has not given importance to the safety of its customers.
• Quality of service – where the customers were not happy with the 45 minute check in cut off policy.

How can tiger address these gaps.

• Tiger must try to reduce the cost of the service offered as any customers would prefer a product or service that is having lower costs.
• The quality of service in which tiger faces problem. Tiger can reduce the check in time from 45 minutes to 30 minutes like how other airlines do by discussing the issue with the management.
• Tiger must also take into consideration the safety of the customers. This can be done by providing some special safety measures to the air passengers which other airlines may not be doing and tiger can be appreciated for its innovation as well..
• There can be clear definition of the terms and conditions. Tiger can do this by making a specific note of this in the airline ticket or by sending messages to its customers. So that they get a clear picture of the conditions.

Answer to 2)

The five service dimensions are:

Tangibles, reliability, responsiveness, assurance and empathy.

Tangibles: tiger airlines can provide some unique physical facilities to its customers like providing some free refreshments, adopting some new methods of communication to the customers like sending messages to them about the travel date, time, about the travelling terms and conditions etc. through their mobile phones or by sending notifications to them regarding their travel date and time etc.

Reliability: the above mentioned services must be performed by tiger without fail. It is also necessary to perform the services accurately to satisfy the customers. This will also help tiger to revive back after its crisis and an opportunity to create good impression in the customer’s mind by fulfilling the promises.

Responsiveness: this can be related to punctuality. They must be ready to help the customers and provide prompt service. They can help the customers by majorly focusing on senior citizen customers by helping them to board the flight. Punctuality is without delay service to the customer.

Assurance: this includes creating trust and confidence by the employees to the customers. Safety aspects can be covered here which is safety travelling by the customers by exercising due care and diligence while operating the flight and also providing safety to the belongings of the customers to help them receive their baggage without any damage after the arrival at the destination.

Empathy: it is the individual attention that the firm provides its customers. Every customer is important for tiger and it is necessary to provide individual care to each passenger.

Answer to 3)

Service recovery problems: the following measures can be considered as an attempt to improvement after the recovery crisis:

• It attempted by expanding its destinations.
• Introduced a new airbus for operating in two nearby air routes.
• It attempted for on time departures compared to all other Australian airlines and was the third best performing airline.