Exam 13: Services: the Intangible Product

Empowerment becomes more important when the service is

The old cliché "Service with a smile" recognizes the fact that

By providing good customer service, firms ________ their products.

After observing a customer verbally abuse a server, the first thing a manager can do to ensure quality service is to

How can services marketers use customer complaints to better understand customer expectations?

Today, almost every sales rep can immediately check the company's inventory and production schedule electronically. This allows sales reps to sell what is available and make promises to customers that they can keep. This technology has improved service delivery through

Food preparation, lawn maintenance, and house cleaning services are all examples of

All of the following are recommended strategies for service recovery except

Debbie spoke to the customer service representative at Sprint Cellular and was told her text messages would be unlimited on her plan. However, when she got her bill, she had been charged extra for text messages. She called the company and was told that since she didn't record the conversation, they couldn't verify what she was told and she'd have to pay the bill. Explain which service gap(s)occurred in this instance.

What are the three key components of every service recovery situation?

SouthEast Eye Care is finding it difficult to distinguish itself from the competition since their services aren't something they can describe in terms of touch or taste. Which aspect of service is causing difficulty for the company?

Explain the concepts of emotional support and instrumental support. When are they important?

Pete's marketing research returned the finding that customers were staying away from his coffee shop because of a lack of services like gift cards, seasonal selections, and special orders. Pete was shocked. "Nobody ever asks about that stuff! If it were that important, people would ask about it." Pete is likely suffering from a(n)________ gap.

Carlisle Paint Corp. provides computers for store associates to use to search for paint colors requested by customers and to place special orders. These computers are an example of

Services are considered heterogenous which means they cannot be stored for use in the future.

The ________ gap can be reduced by managing consumers' expectations and promising only what can be delivered or possibly even a little less.

Rachel had several unpleasant experiences trying to find the merchandise she needed at a large home improvement store. The employees-when she could find them-rarely seemed to know where anything was outside of their own departments. But on her most recent visit, she was pleasantly surprised to find that the store had installed kiosks where she could get information quickly and accurately. The store had found a technological solution to the services marketing issue of

The new restaurant manager asked the chef, "Are you sure you know how to make steak tartare?" Which of the service dimensions was the restaurant manager expressing concern about?

When managers understand what their service providers are facing on a day-to-day basis by directly observing them and talking to customers, it is called "management by walking around."

Bryan has been directed by his boss to determine if the company is meeting customers' service quality expectations. One of Bryan's problems is that services are ________, making evaluation of service quality difficult.