Ch. 13 Marketing Practice Exam

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

Empowerment

In training service providers, service quality goals should be general to allow for the various needs of consumers. (T/F)

False

Procedural fairness pertains to a customer's perception of the benefits he or she received compared with the costs (inconvenience or loss). (T/F)

False

Renatta was employee of the month at Sonic Subs, primarily because she provided excellent customer service by serving food quickly. This relates to the reliability service dimension. (T/F)

False

The knowledge gap is where "the rubber meets the road," where the customer directly interacts with the service provider. (T/F)

False

The marketing of services differs from the marketing of products because services are tangible and separable from the service provider. (T/F)

False

What is the problem associated with service quality standards such as "be nice" or "do what the customers want"?

They are not specific.

Distributive fairness pertains to a customer's perception of the benefits received compared to the costs of the inconvenience or loss. (T/F)

True

Firms that primarily sell products view service as a method to maintain a sustainable competitive advantage. (T/F)

True

In the service context, empowerment means allowing employees to make decisions about how service is provided to customers. (T/F)

True

Marriott Hotels trains its front desk employees to dress neatly and conservatively to project a professional image. This relates to the service dimension of tangibles. (T/F)

True

The communication gap can be reduced by managing customer expectations. (T/F)

True

The zone of tolerance refers to the area between customers' expectations regarding their desired service and the minimum level of acceptable service. (T/F)

True

In countries like the United States, services

account for an increasing share of jobs.

The service dimension called ________ refers to the ability of the firm's employees to convey trust and confidence.

assurance

Roanoke Hardware was in bad financial shape. It owed so much money that vendors put the store on a cash-only delivery basis. As a result, the store had a dwindling inventory of goods to sell. Whenever a customer asked about an unavailable item, the owner directed the sales staff to say that it was on backorder and would be in stock next week. When the customer returned, the item was still unavailable. The owner's policy created a(n) ________ gap.

communication

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

communication

When there is a significant difference between the service customers receive and the service the firm promotes, the firm has a ________ gap.

communications

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

customer complaints.

Marketers can take advantage of the variable nature of services by

customizing services to meet customers' needs exactly.

A ________ gap always results in a service failure.

delivery

A(n) ________ gap exists when a firm knows what it needs to do to meet customers' service expectations, but sometimes fails to do it.

delivery

In services marketing, the saying "where the rubber meets the road" refers to whether or not a(n) ________ gap exists.

delivery

The customers at Janelle's Quik 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 Janelle 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. Janelle's shop is suffering from a ________ gap.

delivery

When travelers are bumped from overbooked flights, they are frequently offered vouchers good for future travel. The dollar value of the voucher is the airline's estimate of

distributive fairness.

Using technology and ________ are two ways a delivery gap can be reduced in size.

empowering employees

Empowerment is when ________ are authorized to make decisions to help their customers and, as a result, service quality generally improves.

frontline employees

Today, almost every sales representative 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

greater ability to obtain information.

One approach marketers are using to reduce service ________ is to replace people with machines whenever appropriate.

heterogeneity

Which of the following refers to variability in a service's quality?

heterogeneity

Although firms such as restaurants have difficulty controlling service quality from day to day, they do have control over

how they communicate the services they promise.

Effective service recovery efforts can lead to

increased positive word of mouth.

Empowerment becomes more important when the service is

individualized

The marketing of services differs from product marketing because services are

inseparable.

Barnes & Noble bookstores have computers available for associates to use to search for books requested by customers and to place special orders. These computers are an example of

instrumental support.

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.

intangible

If a firm promises more than it can deliver

it creates a communication gap.

A ________ gap reflects the difference between customers' expectations and the firm's perception of those customer expectations.

knowledge

Jacques manages an upscale French restaurant in the Philadelphia area. His restaurant offers a few specials each evening in addition to its regular menu. Jacques has trained his servers to report comments and requests for items that have previously been offered only as specials. Jacques uses this information to reduce the ________ gap in services marketing.

knowledge

Because customers have different needs and expectations, the key to distributive fairness in service recovery is to

listen to the customer.

Service providers often encounter rude and unreasonable consumers. Services marketing managers can reduce the delivery gap, even for these customers, by

providing support and incentives for their employees.

Celeste will let only Martiné cut her hair. She has tried other stylists, but she knows from experience that Martiné cuts her hair well every time. For Celeste, ________ is the most important of the five service quality dimensions.

reliability

The new hotel manager asked the pastry chef, "Are you sure you know how to cook Baked Alaska?" Which of the service dimensions was the hotel manager expressing concern about?

reliability

Which of the following are recommended strategies for service recovery?

resolving problems quickly

When choosing where to eat lunch, Bart's major service criterion is speed: being seated promptly and served his meal quickly. For Bart, ________ is the most important of the five service quality dimensions.

responsiveness

Which service gap is the Ritz-Carlton Hotel trying to address when it takes time and spends up to $1,700 to train a new employee?

standards gap

Danielle was looking for a venue for her wedding reception. When she visited one potential location, she noticed that the landscaping was not complete, and there was stained carpet in the lobby. Which of the service quality building blocks caused Danielle to select an alternative venue?

tangibles

Most customers want to achieve a fair solution following a service failure. Which of the following factors affect a person's perceptions of "fairness" in these kinds of situations?

the customer's experience with other firms

When Jamie checked into his Orlando hotel, the front desk clerk informed him that his room would not be ready for another 20 minutes. Jamie 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.

zone of tolerance