This document summarizes an empirical study on the quality of information services for businesses. Through interviews with experienced business professionals, the study identified several typical problems: information service providers sometimes send less experienced representatives or lack expertise in the client's specific field, and they may provide standardized solutions that do not address the client's unique needs. The service process can also have issues, like consultants not dedicating enough time or discussion to projects. The document provides recommendations for both businesses purchasing information services and service providers, such as ensuring the client is sufficiently involved and defining clear quality criteria for the work.

1. Quality assessment of information
services for business organizations:
expectations and problems
Erika JANIŪNIENĖ
Lina MARKEVIČIŪTĖ
Vilnius university
Communication faculty
Information Science in the Age of Change Innovative Information service

2. Outline
• Foundation of the study and theoretical
framework
• Empirical research and results:
• Research questions
• Metods
• Respondents
• Findings
• Recommendations

3. Foundations of the study

4. Concept of information services
for business
Information service is an intellectual method of
providing information, involving identification
of specific information needs and delivering
users value added, solution oriented information,
which is paid for on agreed terms.

5. Importance of information service
for business
STRATEGIC
GOALS
SOLVING BUSINESS MANAGEMENT PROBLEMS
BUSINESS PROCESS OPTIMIZATION
CHANGES IMPLEMENTATION

6. Characteristics of information services
quality
CHARACTERISTICS
OF INFORMATION
SERVICE
QUALITY
Information quality
Information service
process quality
Expected and perceived
service quality
Competencies quality

7. Empirical research and results

8. The aim of the empirical study
to identify typical information services quality
problems as well as to provide recommendations
for improving information services quality.

9. Methods
• Qualitative research method – individual in-depth interview.
• The selection of informants was made on several criteria:
– work experience in more than one business companies (at least two
companies);
– experience of collaboration with information services providers (at least
three cases);
– representation of different companies.
• The collected material was analysed with the method of content
analysis.

10. Empirical research objectives
1. Identify typical problems regarding specific
and general competencies of service
providers.
2. Identify typical problems regarding
information provided.
3. Identify typical problems regarding the
service process.
4. Identify typical problems regarding
satisfaction of customer expectations.

11. General and specific competencies
of service provider
The consultant sends his/her
representative with less
experience.
The consultant has no experience
in the specific field of the client
and cannot offer constructive and
tested solutions.
Consultants are excellent in
selling themselves.
For specific problem may
offer advanced / efficient
solutions.

12. Quality of provided information
High quality of non-specific,
general information received
from service providers.
There are occasional errors and
inaccuracies in documents for
specific cases.
Standardized stereotypical
solutions, which totally fail to take
into account resources and
possibilities available to the
company.

13. Quality of service process
Action plan is agreed with
customer.
The consultant takes an active part
in search for a solution of the
problem.
Gives as much time as is required
by the situation or is needed to
reach the goal.
Consulting based on moderation.
Consultant allows to suggest that
these questions go beyond the
limits of the contract.
The consultant is late in answering
emails and return calls.
In most cases there is no discussion
on the work done, results achieved,
or possibilities for future
developments.

14. Customer expectations
The best price and quality ratio.
How well the consultant is able
to mobilise the team for changes
and persuade it in the benefits
of the proposed solution.
The consultants are reluctant
to take responsibility for flaws
in their work.

15. New category
of information service quality assessment
The level of involvement
of the client organisation itself
in the process of problem solution.
If the client organisation is not sufficiently involved, it
does not dedicate enough time for consultations and does
not allocate enough other resources needed to solve the
problem, therefore the service result cannot be best
possible.

16. Recommendations

17. Recommendations for organisations intending
to purchase information services
To be sufficiently involved into search for solution on
organisation’s side; in this case, the consultant is likely to
put more effort and organisation can expect to receive a
higher value service.

18. Recommendations for organisations intending
to purchase information services
Before signing the contract, to evaluate what is the
experience of the consultant in the specific
business field of the client. If consultant’s
experience is not very wide, it is advisable to lower
one’s expectations and increase involvement from
organisation’s side;

19. To define in the contract the concrete
requirements for the quality of the service process,
its results and effects. If the requirements are not
met, it could justify lowering the price for the
provided service.
Recommendations for organisations intending
to purchase information services

20. Recommendations for information
service providers
• To make sure that the client is involved in the process of search
for solution of the problem;
• To define quality criteria of the service and, at the end of the
process, to assess the service quality together with the client. To
adjust the price of the service accordingly;
• To keep contact with clients after the end of the contract.

21. Quality assessment of information
services for business organizations:
expectations and problems
Lina MARKEVIČIŪTĖ
Erika JANIŪNIENĖ
Vilnius university
Communication faculty
Information Science in the Age of Change Innovative Information service