Managing Agent Service Quality Performance Framework on Strata Housing Scheme Management

Abstract

Issues pertaining to weaknesses of service delivery by Managing Agent (MA) in strata housing schemes gain a serious and continuous attention by many parties. In this context, the term Managing Agent refers to the Joint Management Body (JMB) and Management Corporation (MC) that can be found in a stratified residential property. Among other issues that consistently being highlighted include several aspects such as maintenance, complaints on property damages, security and residents welfares. Studies on Service Quality (SERVQUAL) had been conducted in most services industries including banking, retails, telecommunications, real estate agency, local authorities etc. Nevertheless, studies on service quality performance of strata housing schemes are still under-researched. Thus, this research seeks to study the Service Quality (SERVQUAL) performance delivered by Managing Agent in strata housing schemes. The main objective of the research study is to evaluate the residents expectation and perception towards the service quality performance delivered by the managing agents. The second objective is to reveal the gap between the residents expectation and perception towards the quality of service. This research study had selected 10 condominiums and apartments around Kuala Lumpur as its case study. As many as 30 questionnaire surveys were distributed to each of the selected condominium and apartment residents to reach a total of 300 respondents. It was recognized that there are five generic dimensions in the measurement of Service Quality (SERVQUAL) which are Tangible, Reliability, Responsiveness, Assurance and Empathy and a total of 22 statements of expectation and 22 statements of perceptions were developed to measure the Managing Agents Service Quality on strata housing scheme management. In the research study, frequency Analysis was used to determine the mean score for each statement and subsequently identifying the Service Gap. The results show that the highest expectation of the residents is the Assurance dimension whereby the residents expect the employee of excellent Managing Agent have the knowledge to answer their inquiries. Meanwhile the highest perception is the Empathy dimension whereby the Managing Agent employees understand the residents specific needs. The analysis also reveals that the largest Service Gap was found in Assurance dimension followed by Reliability and Responsiveness dimensions. In conclusion, the research study managed to evaluate the highest expectation and perception of the residents in the strata housing scheme and also identifying Service Gaps between the residents expectation and perception towards service quality provided by the Managing Agent. The outcome has alerted the Managing Agents to take immediate corrective action to improve the quality of service to the residents in the strata housing schemes.