Exploring satisfaction with military catering services using the service quality model and importance-performance analysis

Abstract

The importance of military catering in military organizations cannot be overlooked, as it not only impacts the health and physical fitness of service members but also directly affects combat readiness and morale. This study focuses on a northern air force base, using the Parasuraman-Zeithaml-Berry service quality (SERVQUAL) model’s Gap 1 and Gap 5 as its framework. The aim is to investigate the perception gaps in catering service quality between food service providers and customer. An importance-performance analysis matrix is employed to further analyze the findings. The analysis reveals that, regarding “catering service quality,” food service providers who are actively serving without formal food service certification, and those with high school or college education, tend to place more emphasis on tangibility, reliability, empathy, and responsiveness. For service quality expectations, customers who possess a college education and have obtained a food service certification show higher expectations in tangibility and reliability dimensions. Younger customer, aged 18-25, who are uncertified and less experienced, report greater satisfaction with the catering service’s reliability, responsiveness, and assurance dimensions after their experience with the base’s services. Regarding the perception difference in Gap 1 of the SERVQUAL model, the study suggests that services should prioritize user experience and ensure transparency by publicizing findings from meal review meetings. Feedback can be gathered through a satisfaction mailbox to address and efficiently amend any service deficiencies. For Gap 5 in terms of experience, customers show particular concern for food safety measures and overall service quality, indicating that these areas should be maintained or enhanced. Regular training is recommended to improve the knowledge and effectiveness of food service providers in these critical aspects.

Keywords

Group Catering / Importance-Performance Analysis Matrix / Service Quality Model / User Satisfaction

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