Ch 13

Which of the following is an example of a high tech, high human effort service interaction?

A brain surgeon using a minuscule robot to make microscopic incisions

Which of the following is most likely to lead to high levels of customer loyalty?

High customer satisfaction ratings

Zone of tolerance

Identifies the area between the desired and minimum standard of acceptable service based on five service dimensions

Service quality is defined as ______.

customers' perceptions of how well a service meets or exceeds their expectations

One of the most effective methods to assess how well a firm is delivering adequate service to consumers is to employ the ______ Model to evaluate their service provision.

Service Gaps

______ is a customer's perception of the benefits received compared to the costs.

Distributive fairness

Knowledge gap

Conduct research to better understand what customers want

Standards gap

The difference between the firm's perceptions of customers expectations and the service standards it sets

Delivery gap

The difference between the firm's service standards and the actual service it provides to customers

In the context of the Service Gaps Model, which of the following should the management do to bridge the knowledge gap?

Use marketing metrics such as service quality and the zone of tolerance

A continuing dilemma for marketers of services is to understand buyers' [...] , which means to understand in advance what they think will be delivered based on their previous experiences and knowledge.

expectations

Knowledge gap

The difference between customer expectations and what the firm perceives the customer to expect

In addition to empowering and rewarding service providers, as well as offering instrumental support, service managers are advised to

be consistent and predictable in their support

One of the characteristics that makes services different from product marketing is the fact there is tremendous ______ in delivery based on how the provider is performing the task at different times. The same waiter, for example, might provide excellent service one day, and the next day, when he is not feeling well, his delivered service might be terrible.

heterogeneity

Services are [...] , which means that they cannot be touched, tasted, or seen.

intangible

The most fundamental difference between services and goods is that services are ______.

intangible

The [...] gap is the difference between the company's perceptions of the customer's expectations and the service standards it sets.

standards

When using zone of tolerance marketing metrics, the five scores assigned to service quality dimensions will always total ______.

100%

Communications gap

Be realistic in telling potential buyers about the services that can be provided and manage those customer expectations effectively

True or False: Service providers that have high customer satisfaction ratings this year are unlikely to achieve the same level of satisfaction next year.

False

According to the Service Gaps Model, which of the following is NOT one of the gaps that might be encountered by a service provider in meeting the customer's needs? Knowledge Financial Delivery Communication Standards

Financial

Point-of-purchase surveys

Inexpensively collects customer's service perceptions in the process of exchange

Which of the following are characteristics that make marketing services different from product marketing?

Intangibility Heterogeneity Perishability

What are the benefits for service providers of using technology?

It gives customers increased control over the service. It creates less heterogeneity than human service providers do. It offers customers access to a wider variety of services and information.

The self-checkout counter at a local grocery store is which type of technological service interaction?

Low technology, low human effort

Voice-of-customer program

Systematically collects customer inputs and integrates them into managerial decisions

Which of the following are potential sources of heterogeneity of service quality at a hair salon?

The same hair stylist working at different times of the day, week, or month Two different hair stylists working at the same location

Which of the following is NOT a method to reduce delivery gaps?

Threaten to terminate employees

What is the purpose of the "management by walking around" strategy?

To provide opportunities for managers to interact with customers directly To have managers understand what their service providers face each day

True or False: Delivery gaps always result in a service failure.

True

True or False: To assess service quality, it is necessary to understand both customers' perceptions and their expectations.

True

Customer service is best represented by which of the following statements? Customer service ______.

adds to marketing efforts by helping to meet the customers' needs and wants

One way for a firm to reduce the ______ gap is to ensure that the sales force does not make promises the firm cannot keep.

communication

An effective method to assess customer service expectations is to analyze customer ______ behavior in which management is told by buyers what dissatisfies them.

complaint

An integral part of recovery of the service dilemma is to provide both distributive and procedural [...] in resolving the delays in getting all customers served.

fairness

Since humans' work output cannot be standardized to the same degree as the output of a machine, one substantial difference between the marketing of services and products is the ______ of service delivery.

heterogeneity

The primary reason there is greater heterogeneity in services than in products is because ______.

human inputs generate differences

One of the problems in using customer complaint behavior to assess buyers' service expectations is that ______.

managers often are more concerned with resolving the complaint than analyzing the essence of the problem

For the marketing manager to be able to deliver consistent quality service, it is imperative to set {...]

measurable goals that are based on customer expectations

Service providers cannot inventory or stockpile things like haircuts during slow times to "sell" later when the facility is busy. This characteristic of services is called ______.

perishability

The perceived equity of the process used to resolve complaints is called

procedural fairness

Poor service delivery can be converted into a positive interaction through service ______ an effort that resolves the problem fairly and shows the buyer that the firm is listening to the complaint.

recovery

One of the most important factors for adequate service recovery is for the provider to ______.

respond to the customer and resolve the problem quickly

Customer [...] refers to human or mechanical activities undertaken by firms to help satisfy their customers' needs and wants.

service

The failure of a service to meet the customer's expectations is known as a

service gap

When there is a service failure, customers typically want some sort of material compensation that offsets their inconvenience or loss. In other words, they want ______.

tangible restitution

The zone of tolerance refers to ______.

the area between customers' desired expectations and the minimum level of acceptable service

Procedural fairness is defined as ______.

the perceived fairness of the process used to solve complaints

Customer complaint behavior

Analyzes the unfulfilled needs of customers in regards to their perceptions of the performed service used to modify future performance

Delivery gap

Improve employee performance through support, incentives, and the use of technology

Which of the following are benefits that a service provider receives from engaging in effective service recovery?

Improved word of mouth Increased purchase intention

Which of the following are benefits that a service provider receives from engaging in effective service recovery? Improved word of mouth Lower service costs Higher levels of customer satisfaction than prior to the service failure Increased purchase intention

Improved word of mouth Increased purchase intention

Communications gap

The difference between actual service provided to customers and the service that the firm's promotion program promises

Standards gap

Set appropriate service goals and measure service performance

Which of the following would most likely cause the delivery gap to negatively impact service quality?

The company doesn't understand what the customer wants.

Which of the following usually leads to the best outcome for a service failure?

The company works with the customers to find a solution.

Which statements about dealing with service failures are true? Customers are happiest if the company listens to their complaints and then tells them what to do. The company should have a preapproved set of resolutions ready to apply. The proper approach can create a somewhat positive outcome from a negative experience. Teamwork between the company and customers usually gives the best result. The company should find a way to involve customers in the actual resolution process.

The proper approach can create a somewhat positive outcome from a negative experience. Teamwork between the company and customers usually gives the best result. The company should find a way to involve customers in the actual resolution process.

Which of the following characteristics is NOT one that distinguishes services from products? Inseparability Volatility Perishability Heterogeneity Intangibility

Volatility

Is providing rewards to employees for excellent services a key part of customer service program? Why or why not?

Yes, rewards reinforce behavior that encourages employees to continually give great service.

A firm wants to understand customers' expectations for service and the minimal level of service they will accept before going elsewhere. Which marketing metric should the firm study?

Zone of tolerance

Since service delivery is not always uniform, it is important for the provider to be sure to close the ______ gap and not promise more in their messages to buyers than they can deliver on a regular basis.

communications

In delivery of a service, one of the most important early steps is addressing the knowledge gap, or the ability to understand ______.

consumer expectations