Thẻ ghi nhớ: Chapter 13: Services: The Intangible Product | Quizlet

customer service:

human or mechanical activities firms undertake to help satisfy their customers' needs & wants

service:

any intangible offering that involves a deed, performance, or effort that can't be physically possessed

how much of U.S. GDP do services account for?

about 80%

what are the four fundamental differences between services marketing & product marketing?

1. services are intangible

2. services have inseparable production & consumption

3. services are heterogeneous

4. services are perishable

describe the difference that services are intangible:

- they can't be touched, tasted, or seen

- difficult to convey the benefits; difficult to promote

describe the difference that services have inseparable production & consumption:

- services are produced & consumed at the same time

- the customer is rarely able to try the service before purchasing it and it can't be returned

describe the difference that services are heterogeneous:

- the quality of the service varies

- an inferior service can't be recalled

- to reduce variability, some firms replace humans with machines

heterogeneity:

variability in the quality of the service

describe the difference that services are perishable:

they can't be stored for use in the future

service gap:

delivery of the service fails to meet customers' expectations

Service Gap Model:

designed to encourage the systematic examination of all aspects of the service delivery process & prescribe the steps needed to develop an optimal service strategy

what are the four types of service gaps?

- knowledge gap

- standards gap

- delivery gap

- communication gap

knowledge gap:

difference between customers' expectations & the firm's perception of the customers' expectations

how can firms close a knowledge gap?

determining what customers really want by doing research using metrics like service quality & zone of tolerance

standards gap:

difference between firm's perceptions of customers' expectations & the service standards it sets

how can firms close a standards gap?

- setting appropriate standards

- training employees to meet or exceed standards

- measure service performance

delivery gap:

difference between firm's service standards & the actual service provided to customers

how can firms close a delivery gap?

- empowering service providers

- providing support & incentives

- using technology where appropriate

communication gap:

difference between actual service provided & the service the firm's promotion promises

how can firms close a communication gap?

be more realistic about their services

what are customers' expectations about a service based on?

their knowledge & experiences

in what ways can customers' expectations vary?

- vary according to the type of service

- vary according to the situation

what are the five distinct service dimensions that customers generally use to determine overall service quality?

- reliability

- responsiveness

- assurance

- empathy

- tangibles

reliability:

ability to perform service dependably & accurately

responsiveness:

willingness to help customers & provide prompt service

assurance:

knowledge of & courtesy by employees & their ability to convey trust & confidence

empathy:

the caring, individualized attention provided to customers

tangible:

appearance of physical facilities, equipment, personnel, & communication materials

voice-of-customer (VOC) program:

collects customer inputs & integrates them into managerial decisions

zone of tolerance:

an important metric; difference between what customer really wants & what they'll accept before going elsewhere

empowerment:

allowing employees to make decisions about how service is provided to customers

instrumental support:

managers need to provide systems & equipment that is required to properly perform the service

what does "service recovery" refer to?

in the event of a service failure, firm should try to make things right with the customer

what are the elements of service recovery?

- listening to customers & involving them in service recovery

- finding a fair solution

- resolving problems quickly

distributive fairness:

customer's perception of the benefits they received after a service failure compared with the costs

procedural fairness:

perceived fairness of the process used to resolve a service failure