Introduction to services: Concepts, contribution and reasons for the growth of services sector,difference in goods and service in marketing, myths about services, characteristics of services,concept of service marketing triangle, service marketing mix, GAP models of service quality.Marketing challenges in service industry.
Consumer behaviour in services: Search, Experience and Credence property, consumerexpectation of services, two levels of expectation, Zone of tolerance, Factors influencingcustomer expectation of services.Customer perception of services-Factors that influence customer perception of service, Serviceencounters, Customer satisfaction, Strategies for influencing customer perception.
Understanding customer expectation through market research: Key reasons for GAP 1,using marketing research to understand customer expectation, Types of service research, Buildingcustomer relationship through retention strategies –Relationship marketing, Evaluation ofcustomer relationships, Benefits of customer relationship, levels of retention strategies, Marketsegmentation-Basis & targeting in services.
Customer defined service standards: “Hard” & “Soft” standards, process for developingcustomer defined standardsLeadership &Measurement system for market driven service performance-key reasons for GAP-2service leadership- Creation of service vision and implementation, Service quality as profitstrategy, Role of service quality In offensive and defensive marketing.Service design and positioning-Challenges of service design, new service development-types,stages. Service blue printing-Using & reading blue prints. Service positioning-positioning on thefive dimensions of service quality, Service Recovery.
Employee role in service designing: importance of service employee, Boundary spanning roles,Emotional labour, Source of conflict, Quality- productivity trade off, Strategies for closing GAP3.Customer’s role in service delivery-Importance of customer & customer’s role in servicedelivery, Strategies for enhancing-Customer participation, Delivery through intermediaries-Keyintermediaries for service delivery, Intermediary control strategies.
Role of marketing communication-Key reasons for GAP 4 involving communication, fourcategories of strategies to match service promises with delivery, Methodology to exceedcustomer expectation.Pricing of services-Role of price and value in provider GAP 4, Role of non monitory cost, Priceas an indicator of service quality –Approaches to pricing services, pricing strategies.
Physical evidence in services: Types of service spaces- Role of service scapes, Frame work forunderstanding service scapes & its effect on behaviour-Guidance for physical evidence strategies.