Course Description
Examination of the nature and features of services that distinguish marketing of services from marketing of physical goods. Emphasis is placed on adapting the marketing mix to retain customers and build loyalty. Models of services marketing, including the service profit chain and the service quality gap model, are introduced.
Athena Title
Services Marketing
Equivalent Courses
Not open to students with credit in MARK 4500E
Prerequisite
MARK 3000 or MARK 3000E or MARK 3000H or MARK 3001 or MARK 3001H or MARK 3001E
Semester Course Offered
Offered every year.
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
Upon completion of this course, the student should be able to: • Explain the distinguishing features of services as compared to physical goods and explain their impact on the marketing mix. • Review a service experience and determine the factors that influenced the quality of the service provided. • Apply the concepts of product development and management in a service setting. • Effectively promote a service. • Understand the variables involved in pricing a service and be able to able those variables to a specific service environment. • Apply concepts of demand management in a service setting. • Analyze the delivery of a service using the service quality gap model. • Understand the importance of customer retention for service profitability and be able to implement ways to improve retention.
Topical Outline
• Importance of services • Distinguishing features of services as compared to physical goods • Concepts and application of customer loyalty and relationship marketing • The elements of and the application of the service quality gap model • The dimensions of service quality • The elements of and the importance of the service profit chain • Determining, understanding, and influencing customer perceptions of quality • Designing a customer focused service process • Delivering quality service • Complaint management • Adapting promotional strategies for services (promotion element of the marketing mix) • Revenue management and pricing issues unique to services (pricing element of the promotional mix) • Measuring customer satisfaction after service delivery • Management and marketing of services capacity and demand management • The use of technology in marketing services
Syllabus