Final answer:
The GAP model identifies discrepancies between a company's actual system performance and its external communications to customers as a communication gap, which is part of its service quality framework.
Step-by-step explanation:
The gap referred to in the GAP model is the discrepancy between actual system performance and what is communicated to customers through marketing or information channels. This can be the result of poor design choices made in the early stages of development, which may lead to an inability to fulfill customer expectations as inferred from the company's external communications.
When the delivered quality falls short of what the customer expects based on the company's communications, Gap 4 of the GAP Model, also known as the communication gap, occurs. Businesses need to align their marketing messages with the actual performance of their service or product to maintain customer satisfaction and trust.