Figure 2. Figure 2 indicates that perceived service quality is the result of the consumer's comparison of expected service with perceived service. It is quite possible that the relative importance of the 10 deter- minants in molding consumer expectations (prior to service delivery) may differ from their relative im- portance vis-à-vis consumer perceptions of the deliv- ered service. However, the general comparison of ex- pections with perceptions was suggested in past research on service quality (Gronroos 1982, Lehtinen and Leh- tinen 1982) and supported in the focus group inter- views with consumers. The comparison of expected and perceived service is not unlike that performed by consumers when evaluating goods. What differs with services is the nature of the characteristics upon which they are evaluated.