Service Systems Final Ch 11

________ is not a characteristic appropriate for a yield management strategy. (a) Relatively fixed capacity (b) Steady demand (c) Ability to segment markets (d) Products sold in advance

B

Which of the following strategies is inappropriate for managing capacity and demand? (a) Smooth customer demand by offering price incentives. (b) Scheduling staff to meet variations in forecasted customer demand. (c) Decrease customer participation in the service process. (d) Promoting off-peak use of facilities.

C

________ is not a strategy for accommodating of customer-induced variability. (a) Provide generous staffing (b) Cross-train employees (c) Reward increased effort (d) Do work for customers

C

In using the critical fractile criterion P(d<x) = Cu/(Cu + Co) for overbooking, the 'd' refers to: (a) cost of overestimating demand. (b) cost of underestimating demand. (c) number of rooms overbooked. (d) number of no-shows based on past experience.

D

5. Which of the following is not a strategy for managing capacity? (a) Developing complementary services (b) Using part-time employees (c) Forecasting demand (d) Scheduling shifts

A

A good overbooking strategy should: (a) minimize the expected opportunity cost of idle service capacity. (b) balance the expected opportunity cost of idle service capacity and expected cost of turning away customers who have reservations. (c) minimize the expected cost of turning away reservations. (d) none of the above; services should try to avoid overbooking.

B

What one of the following is not a characteristic of yield management? (a) Capacity is relatively fixed. (b) There is one homogeneous customer class. (c) The service is considered a perishable inventory. (d) Demand fluctuates yet is somewhat predictable.

B

Several approaches to demand management exist, but only _______ seeks to maximize revenue. (a) promoting off-peak demand (b) reservation systems (c) offering price incentives (d) yield management

D

The purpose of differential pricing is to: (a) make peak period usage unattractive. (b) make off-peak usage attractive. (c) charge customers according to their ability to pay. (d) adjust capacity to demand.

B

Which one of the following is not a characteristic of firms using yield management? (a) ability to segment their market (b) perishable inventory (c) variable capacity (d) product sold in advance

C

Bars that offer happy hours in the afternoon are using the strategy of: (a) creating adjustable capacity. (b) developing complementary services. (c) increasing customer participation. (d) promoting off-peak demand.

D

A health club offering a reduced rate membership for students to workout before 4:00 p.m. on weekdays is: (a) promoting off-peak demand. (b) partitioning demand. (c) using yield management. (d) offering price incentives.

A

A restaurant that features special lunchtime combo meals is providing all but one of the following benefits? (a) Promotes off-peak demand (b) Increases customer satisfaction (c) Decreases service times (d) Segment demand

A

The strategy of segmenting demand is feasible only when: (a) demand is not from a homogeneous source. (b) demand is cyclic and predictable. (c) arrivals for service are random. (d) making appointments is impossible.

A

Which one of the following is not an example of the differential pricing policy? (a) weekend and night rates for long-distance telephone calls (b) difference in hospital fees for walk-in and scheduled services (c) peak-load pricing by utility companies (d) none of the above

B

_________ variability is not one of the five sources of customer-induced variability. (a) Arrival (b) Capability (c) Effort (d) Demand

D

When yield management is implemented which one of the following does not result: (a) consumer surplus increases (b) multiple prices are offered (c) capacity is more fully utilized (d) market for the service is segmented

A

Which one of the following is not a strategy to manage demand? (a) cross-training employees (b) offering price incentives (c) developing reservation systems (d) partitioning demand

A

________ is not a strategy for reduction of customer-induced variability. (a) Adapt to customer skill levels (b) Require reservations (c) Limit service breadth (d) Target customers based on capability

A

A cruise ship has available a certain number of rooms in each of 10 categories of appointments ranging from a two-bunk inside cabin to a suite with an outside patio and indoor sitting area. If a passenger requests a sailing date in which the desired cabin is sold out, which of the following actions would be considered the least viable alternative for the cruise line? (a) Offer an upgraded cabin at a reduced price. (b) Attempt to steer the passenger to an available date. (c) Overbook the cabin. (d) Offer a downgraded cabin with special privileges such as a $100 certificate for use in the casino.

C

A medical clinic has two doctors and each can treat 25 patients a day. The doctors see walk-in patients whose arrival times cannot be controlled, and also patients who have made appointments. Knowing the expected number of walk-ins per day, appointments are scheduled to utilize the doctors fully. The following table gives the expected number of walk-ins for a particular week: Day: Mon. Tue. Wed. Th. Fri. Expected Walk-ins: 45 35 40 45 40 What is the total number of appointments that can be scheduled during this week? (a) 30 (b) 35 (c) 40 (d) 45

D

Faced with variable demand and a perishable capacity, a service manager can smooth demand by: (a) using part-time help during peak hours. (b) scheduling workshifts to vary workforce needs according to demand. (c) increasing the customer self-service content of the service. (d) using reservations and appointments.

D