Bulk shipping is a highly competitive market that is subject to volatile freight rates caused by imbalance between demand and supply as well as changes in input costs. As such companies constantly face challenges of being competitive in the market and making profit. This highlights shipping companies’ need to maintain a high level of customer satisfaction and service quality. On the other hand, the service quality expectations of shippers are beyond the terms and conditions of the charter party that often cannot specify the intangible elements of service quality. Although the concept of service quality is not new in dry bulk shipping, it is often not well understood. This paper seeks to evaluate the gap between the service quality expectations of shippers and shipping companies as a way to gain insights into shipping companies’ competitive advantage. In particular, the paper extends previous research on service quality to dry bulk shipping companies in Asia. A survey of both shippers and carriers in Asia covering various factors of shipping services is conducted, data obtained are analyzed to investigate the contribution of these factors to service quality, and the implications for shipping service quality management are discussed. The results of data analysis reveal that gaps between the service quality expectations of shippers and carriers exist, but with varying levels of significance.
History
Publication title
Proceedings of the International Forum on Shipping, Ports and Airports (IFSPA) 2010
Editors
John Jianhua Liu, Tsz Leung Yip, Xiaowen Fu, Adolf K.Y. Ng
Pagination
242-264
ISBN
978 962 367 716 5
Department/School
Australian Maritime College
Publisher
International Centre for Maritime Studies, Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Place of publication
Hong Kong
Event title
International Forum on Shipping, Ports and Airports (IFSPA)
Event Venue
Chengdu, Sichuan, China
Date of Event (Start Date)
2010-10-15
Date of Event (End Date)
2010-10-18
Repository Status
Restricted
Socio-economic Objectives
Expanding knowledge in commerce, management, tourism and services