MSQ-Model: An Exploratory Study of the Determinants of Mobile Service Quality

Abstract

Until recently, mobile services, i.e., services that are offered to consumers on their mobile phones, have been overshadowed by their counterpart, the electronic services offered on the wired Internet, especially in Europe and the U.S. With the exception of simple SMS services, mobile services have not yet been widely adopted but will gain in importance as the technology develops and falling prices put them within the reach of most consumers. As the competition for consumers’ loyalty and share of wallet increases, it becomes crucial to understand, what the consumers value in mobile services. By understanding their service quality expectations and by developing the services accordingly, providers are able to attract users and develop a loyal user base. Based on a review of the literature, interviews with industry experts and users of mobile services, a conceptual model of mobile service quality (MSQ) was constructed. The study revealed that consumers use the wired Internet as a comparison standard when evaluating mobile services — a standard that mobile services cannot meet. Similarities were also observed between mobile and wired Internet service quality dimensions. Users evaluated mobile services on the ten dimensions: content, access, ease of navigation, ease of dialogue, aesthetics, reliability, personalization, security/privacy, responsiveness and price knowledge. The concluding remarks include a discussion of Wi-Fi and the impact of new technology on mobile services.