| Animal health service providers are often unreflective on matters of client centrality, despite acknowledgement in contemporary society of the important socio-economic contribution associated with the keeping of animals. Furthermore, parallel human health service provision has long identified with the dynamic role of the client in service provision and, service quality models have been readily applied to many medical health care sectors. Based on the analysis of key sector stakeholders: clients; veterinarians; and veterinary paraprofessionals, the objectives of this paper are to conceptualise service quality and co-creation and to develop effective working models for the sector. Sector dimensionality structure was revealed using a two-phase methodological approach.
The method comprised semi-structured interviews (n=13) and contextualised surveys (n=647) with stakeholder representatives. Interview data were subject to thematic analysis (NVivo) and survey data explored using Exploratory Factor Analysis and Chi-squared testing (SPSS). Qualitative and quantitative results revealed six dimensions of service quality in the animal health sector: Empathy, bespoke outcome, professional integrity, value for money, confident relationships and access.
The paper concludes that the factors affecting client active engagement in the service encounter are multi-faceted and complex, and that managing value co-creation is of benefit to positive service outcomes.
The core contribution of this paper is the application of service marketing and quality theory to the animal health industry, proposing that adoption of a client-led rather than service-led approach to animal health care to be pivotal to service quality and, thereby improving client loyalty, treatment compliance and outcome.
Authors:
Pyatt, A.Z.*, Senior Lecturer Animal Science & Veterinary Pharmacy Department of Animal Production, Welfare and Veterinary Sciences Harper Adams University Newport, Shropshire, TF10 8NB, United Kingdom Email: apyatt@harper-adams.ac.uk Wright, G., Chair of Strategic Marketing Manchester Metropolitan University Business School Email: G.Wright@mmu.ac.uk Walley, K., International Programme Coordinator Harper Adams University Newport, Shropshire, TF10 8NB, United Kingdom Email: kwalley@harper-adams.ac.uk Bleach, E.
Senior Lecturer Animal Physiology
Department of Animal Production, Welfare and Veterinary Sciences
Harper Adams University
Newport, Shropshire, TF10 8NB, United Kingdom
Email: ebleach@harper-adams.ac.uk
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