Logistics Service Provider Evaluation and Selection: Hybrid SERVQUAL–FAHP–TOPSIS Model

Abstract

Production and business enterprises are aiming to improve their logistics activities in order to increase competitiveness. Therefore, the criteria and decision support models for selecting logistics service providers are significant to businesses. Fuzzy theory has been applied to almost all industrial engineering fields, such as decision making, operations research, quality control, project scheduling and many more. In this research, the authors combined fuzzy theory and a Multicriteria Decision Making (MCDM) model for the evaluation and selection of potential third-party logistics (3PL) providers. The goal is to take the advantages of these approaches and allow for more accurate and balanced (symmetric) decision making through their integration. The main contribution of this study is that it develops a complete approach to assessing the quality of the logistics service industry. The combined method of the SERVQUAL and FAHP–TOPSIS models not only provides reasonable results, but it also allows decision makers to visualize the impact of different criteria on the final outcome. Furthermore, this integrated model can provide valuable insights and methods for other areas to define service quality.