Chapter 13- Marketing

When a hotel has a service delivery problem such as a broken air conditioning system on a very hot weekend, one critical element of service recovery is to ______.

find a solution that seems fair to all customers

Which of the following products or services is considered perishable in the sense that it cannot be stockpiled?

a dental exam

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

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

Tangibles

appearance of physical facilities, equipment, personnel, and communication materials

Jane has realized that she does not enjoy taking a taxi to work because there is substantial ______ in the delivery of the service depending on who is driving her cab that day.

heterogeneity

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

Which statements about dealing with service failures are true?

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

What are some common problems caused by the use of technology in a service setting?

-customers do not understand how to use the technology -customers dislike replacing humans with machines -the technology does not perform adequately

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 characteristics that make marketing services different from product marketing?

-intangibility -heterogeneity -perishability -inseparability

A business that experiences service delivery gaps can use which of the following methods to improve the quality of its service

-provide incentives and support for service providers -empower employees to work in the customer's best interest -implement self-service technologies

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

Mary went to the local supermarket, where she shopped regularly, to purchase her groceries for the week. Which of the following was a delivery gap that resulted in a service failure by the grocery store?

Mary had to wait a long time in the checkout line because the clerk kept making errors using the cash register.

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 Model

empathy

caring, individualized attention provided to customers

If the Americana Hotel has successfully closed the standards gap, the knowledge gap, and the delivery gap in providing customers with service, it is still necessary for the hotel to close the _________ gap.

communication

Ryanair advertised the lowest rates in Europe with fares of $12 between Paris and Munich. However, when Bill arrived at the airport, he had to pay $28 in taxes, $25 for one small carry-on bag, $6 for a non-alcoholic beverage, and $2.50 to use the restroom on the plane. Between Ryanair and the customer there is a ______ gap.

communication

A restaurant is facing a problem in service delivery on a night when there are twice as many customers dining as usual. 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

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

high customer satisfaction ratings

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

human inputs generate differences

One of the basic ways in which services differ from products is that production and consumption are ______ from each other. Consequently, service providers often include options for the customer to become more involved in the production of the service, which usually results in greater customer satisfaction.

inseparable

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

Assurance

knowledge and courtesy by employees and their ability to convey trust and confidence

Despite having to deal with difficult guests, the service provider can be motivated to provide "service with a smile" when the firm ______.

provides support and incentives to motivate quality service

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

Lilly went to the Yummy Fork for lunch, and when her food arrived, it was not what she ordered. She later posted a negative comment about the Yummy Fork on a blog. Which one of the five service dimensions was used by Lilly to determine she did not like the service by the Yummy Fork?

reliability

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

McDonald's has a policy that, in addition to ketchup, mustard, and onions, all burgers must have two pickles. This contributes to efforts to reduce the ______ gap and provide measurable service quality based on expectations.

standards

Reliability

the ability to perform the service dependably and accurately

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 customers to find a solution.

A customer with a complaint about the way in which a washing machine repair was made will become increasingly more annoyed with the service provider ______.

the longer it takes to get an answer from the firm

What problem might occur if a grocery store decides to install self-checkout devices?

the technology will be too challenging for some customers

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

threaten to terminate employees

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

true

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

Which of the following characteristics is NOT one that distinguishes services from products?

volatility

responsiveness

willingness to help customers and provide prompt service