Many reasons exist for managers not being aware of what customers expect: they may not interact directly with customers, may be unwilling to ask about expecta- tions, or may be unprepared to address them. The four key factors responsible for gap 1 are the service provider's inadequate marketing research orientation, lack of upward communication, insufficient relationship focus, and inadequate service recovery. The importance of both relationship marketing and service recovery are discussed later in this book. By building stronger relationships, understanding customer needs over time, and implementing recovery strategies when things go wrong, gap 1 the customer expectations gap can be minimized