Exam 13: Services: the Intangible Product

One use of marketing research is to provide an effective means to understand consumers' service expectations and their perceptions of service quality.

What should a service provider do when a customer gets emotional about the service failure?

An excellent,inexpensive,and readily accessible method for assessing customers' service expectations is

The customers at Marielle's coffee shop want to grab a quick cup of coffee before boarding the commuter train into the city.The sign in the window promises "Quick,In-and-Out Service," and usually Marielle's keeps that promise.But one morning,customers were frustrated when the staff behind the counter showed more interest in gossiping about their social lives than in waiting on customers.Marielle's shop is suffering from a ________ gap.

The communications gap can be reduced by managing customer expectations.

Empowerment of employees helps address the delivery gap because

When visiting a museum,you would expect to find knowledgeable museum guides who would be able to give you historical information on the museum's collections and special exhibitions.If you did not find any trained museum guides to assist you,then the museum has which type of gap? Explain why you chose your answer.

One of the reasons service failures need to be addressed quickly is to

The knowledge gap is where "the rubber meets the road," where the customer directly interacts with the service provider.

What are the potential gaps in the Gaps Model? What is it designed to do?

Randall arrived at the hotel to find that,although he had a guaranteed reservation,the hotel had no rooms available.He became angry when the hotel made him a reservation at a more expensive hotel but refused to pay the difference in room rates.Randall was upset because,in his opinion,the hotel's solution did not incorporate

Training service providers to know exactly what a "good job" entails is setting service

The concept of __________ refers to the area between customers' expectations regarding desired service and their minimum levels of acceptable service.

When marketers say that services are __________,they are referring to the fact that services cannot be touched,tasted,or seen,like a pure product can.

Nicole knows her restaurant is understaffed today.She is hoping to get through the day without falling below her customers' __________,the difference between what her customers want and what they will accept before going elsewhere.

Yolanda manages a Best Sleep Inn along an interstate highway.She knows from experience that 5 to 10 last-minute customers will call after 8 p.m.each evening looking for a room and asking the price.Yolanda has empowered her staff to offer discounts when the motel is largely vacant and to quote the standard price when the motel is close to full.She knows her service is __________,meaning that if no one stays in the room,it generates no revenue that evening.

If a firm promises more than it can deliver,

The Gaps Model is designed to highlight those areas where

When John checked into his Orlando hotel,the front desk clerk informed John that his room would not be ready for another 20 minutes.John didn't mind waiting; he had arrived well ahead of the standard check-in time and this wait time fell within his __________,the area between his expectations regarding desired service and the minimum level of service he will accept.

Bob's Motel shows photos of a wide,sandy beach on its website,leading visitors to assume the motel is located on or near the beach.However,in reality Bob's Motel is located half a mile from the beach.Which of the service quality gaps does this demonstrate?