Exam 13: Services: the Intangible Product

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

Flora wants to develop a zone of tolerance analysis for her veterinary practice.What is a zone of tolerance in service quality? What types of questions would she need to ask to conduct her analysis?

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.

Customers have a defined __________ when it comes to waiting in line at a retail checkout counter.The amount of time consumers are willing to wait varies with the type of store.

Managers of fast-food restaurants struggle with a rapid turnover of personnel.Employee turnover rates of 100 to 200 percent annually are common.The work environment is difficult and customers can often be demanding.One of the first steps managers can take to help workers deliver quality service is to

Food preparation,lawn maintenance,and housecleaning services are all examples of

For years,the Mogul Sheraton,a four-star hotel overlooking the Taj Mahal in India,offered free elephant and camel rides to hotel visitors.Few customers took advantage of this service.This is an example of a __________ gap in services marketing.

Sometimes all that needs to be done to satisfy a customer complaint is to listen to the customer.

The old restaurant saying "You are only as good as the last meal served" reflects the fact that services are

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."

_________ means allowing employees to make decisions about how service is provided to customers.

To define the zone of tolerance,firms ask a series of questions about each service quality dimension that relate to all of the following except

When Marcia booked a room at the Pleasant Valley Hotel,she expected that her room would be ready when she got there,the swimming pool would be heated,the advertised singer would be able to sing,and the breakfast would be fresh.When she arrived,she had to wait for her room,found the swimming pool to be 50 degrees,realized the singer could not carry a tune,and the free continental breakfast was stale.The Pleasant Valley Hotel was experiencing a severe ___________ gap.

Airline passengers in Europe receive much greater monetary compensation when they are bumped due to overbooking than do passengers in the United States.How do airline passengers determine what is "fair" when there is a service failure?

The zone of tolerance refers to the area between customers' expectations regarding their desired service and the minimum level of acceptable service.

Procedural fairness pertains to a customer's perception of the benefits he or she received compared with the costs (inconvenience or loss).

What are some of the outcomes that result from a communication gap?

Gerald's Tire Service provides each employee with a clean,sharp-looking uniform.It also instructs employees to put all tools back where they belong and keep the work area clean and uncluttered.Gerald's Tire Service emphasizes __________ in the five service quality dimensions.

Marketers can take advantage of the variable nature of services by

Because services are intangible,it is often difficult for customers to determine how a service meets their expectations,which marketers call