Chapter 13 Assignment for Module 9

A financial advisement company knows that it takes approximately six months to improve a customer's credit score. Whereas some customers improve their score in as little as three months, others take up to a year. Which of the following promises will help attract customers while also reducing the firm's communications gap? Multiple choice question. "Improve your credit score in just three months!" "Improve your credit score in exactly six months!" "Improve your credit score in up to two years time!" "Improve your credit score in one year or less!"

"Improve your credit score in one year or less!"

What are some common problems caused by the use of technology in a service setting? Multiple select question. The technology does not perform adequately. The technology is less efficient than a human. Customers do not understand how to use the technology. Customers dislike replacing humans with machines.

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

One of the best methods to ensure that guests at Hilton Hotels receive quality service is to solicit suggestions and feedback from whom? (Choose every correct answer.) Multiple select question. Guests Competing hotels Employees Community leaders

- Employees - Guests

A business that experiences service delivery gaps can use which of the following methods to improve the quality of its service? (Choose every correct answer.) Multiple select question. Implement self-service technologies Provide incentives and support for service providers Ask each customer what level of service he or she expects when he or she enters the business Empower employees to work in the customer's best interest

- Empower employees to work in the customer's best interest - Implement self-service technologies - Provide incentives and support for service providers

A customer who is dissatisfied with a restaurant's service delivery and finds it to be quite different from what was promised in the advertising is very likely to do which of the following? (Choose every correct answer.) Multiple select question. Communicate the negative experience via word of mouth Not return to the restaurant Recommend the restaurant to others Communicate the negative experience via the Internet

- Not return to the restaurant - Communicate the negative experience via the Internet - Communicate the negative experience via word of mouth

What are some ways in which customers' expectations can be managed when a service is delivered? (Choose every correct answer.) Multiple select question. Service providers promising same-day delivery of all orders, no matter what Notifications informing online customers when items are out of stock Automated messages telling customers calling customer service how long they will be on hold Retailers warning customers when supplies of sale items are limited

- Notifications informing online customers when items are out of stock - Automated messages telling customers calling customer service how long they will be on hold - Retailers warning customers when supplies of sale items are limited

In addition to the traditional four Ps of marketing (product, price, place, and promotion), what are the additional three marketing Ps necessary for services? Multiple select question. Presentation Personnel Process Practice

- Process - Presentation - Personnel

Which of the following are potential sources of heterogeneity of service quality at a hair salon? (Choose every correct answer.) Multiple select question. The same hair stylist working at different times of the day, week, or month Haircuts being priced the same for all customers Stylists using the same equipment every day Two different hair stylists working at the same location

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

How do automated kiosks help service providers limit the problems associated with variability? (Choose every correct answer.) Multiple select question. They free up employees to focus on more complicated service requests. They recognize poor service as it is happening and intervene to make things right. They automate store services such as gift registry management or rain checks. They provide routine customer service in a consistent manner.

- They provide routine customer service in a consistent manner - They free up employees to focus on more complicated service requests - They automate store services such as gift registry management or rain checks.

What is the purpose of the "management by walking around" strategy? (Choose every correct answer.) Multiple select question. To have managers understand what their service providers face each day To intimidate employees into providing better service To discourage customers from making complaints To provide opportunities for managers to interact with customers directly

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

When using zone of tolerance marketing metrics, the five scores assigned to service quality dimensions will always total Blank______. Multiple choice question. 99% 95% 50% 100%

100%

Which of the following is an example of a high tech, high human effort service interaction? Multiple choice question. A customer getting a rain check for a sold-out item at an automated kiosk A customer chatting with a customer service representative over instant message A brain surgeon using a minuscule robot to make microscopic incisions An autonomous robot transporting goods through a warehouse

A brain surgeon using a minuscule robot to make microscopic incisions

Empowerment of employees would be most important in which of the following service situations? Multiple choice question. A family is reticent to leave their Golden Retriever for neutering at their local veterinarian they have used for years. A bride is unhappy with the hair style the stylist has created on the morning of her wedding. A patient is nervous about his routine laser eye surgery with a noted surgeon who has performing the same procedure for nine years. A couple is taking a cruise to celebrate their fiftieth anniversary on a ship that carries 4,000 passengers weekly.

A bride is unhappy with the hair style the stylist has created on the morning of her wedding.

Which of the following products or services is considered perishable in the sense that it cannot be stockpiled? Multiple choice question. A dental exam A package of gum A box of candles A pair of shoes

A dental exam

Which of the following is an important consideration for place in the marketing of services? Multiple choice question. A prime location A presence on the Internet The intangible nature of services The concept of services as processes

A presence on the Internet

Which of the following is an important consideration for place in the marketing of services? Multiple choice question. The concept of services as processes The intangible nature of services A prime location A presence on the Internet

A presence on the Internet

How can a salesperson manage customer expectations regarding the delivery of a service? Multiple choice question. Coordinate the order with those responsible for the delivery Tell the customer to check back later for delivery details Ask the customer to suggest his or her ideal delivery date Avoid offering a firm delivery date

Coordinate the order with those responsible for the delivery

Lisa is a manager at a customer service call center for a footwear manufacturer. One of the customer service representatives, Mark, is upset because he just finished a call in which the customer berated him for the poor quality of a pair of shoes. Mark is worried that he may be punished for offering the customer a refund and a 20% discount on her next pair of shoes, but Lisa reassures him that he made the right decision and tells a few jokes to get his spirits up. What type of support has Lisa provided? Multiple choice question. Instrumental Emotional Institutional Financial

Emotional

Which of the following is an effective method marketers often use to promote services that cannot be shown directly to customers? Multiple choice question. Evocative symbols and images Lengthy explanations by notable figures Elaborate demonstrations Attack ads aimed at competitors

Evocative symbols and images

True or False: It is easier to fix bad service experiences than it is to fix bad product experiences.

False

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? Multiple choice question. Delivery Communication Financial Standards Knowledge

Financial

Which of the following are characteristics that make marketing services different from product marketing? (Choose every correct answer.) Multiple select question. Heterogeneity Perishability Profitability Intangibility

Heterogeneity Perishability Intangibility

Which of the following is most likely to lead to high levels of customer loyalty? Multiple choice question. Intangible compensation for service failures High customer satisfaction ratings High levels of customer dissonance Low prices

High customer satisfaction ratings

What type of support is provided by retailers who feature in-store computer displays for their customer service employees? Multiple choice question. Instrumental Financial Moral Emotional

Instrumental

In its marketing, Singapore Airlines might present the airline's new seats and emphasize their size in order to address which issue that is unique to services? Multiple choice question. Inconsistency High cost Intangibility Inventory

Intangibility

The Service Gaps Model can be very useful to improve the delivery of services. Drag each example to the type of gap it exemplifies. Knowledge <-> ? Standards <-> ? Delivery <-> ? Communication <-> ? Options: - Management believes that customers in a restaurant think the service is very slow, however, management allows servers to stand around and chat. - Choice A restaurant usually serves fresh bread made on the premises, but at the end of the day the ovens are shut down early and only cold loaves are available. - Diners at a restaurant think the portions are too small, but the manager is unaware of this complaint. - A restaurant advertises they are open for breakfast, but when guests arrive on Sunday morning, there is a sign on the door indicating they only open for brunch at 11:00.

Knowledge <-> Diners at a restaurant think the portions are too small, but the manager is unaware of this complaint. Standards <-> Management believes that customers in a restaurant think the service is very slow, however, management allows servers to stand around and chat. Delivery <-> A restaurant usually serves fresh bread made on the premises, but at the end of the day the ovens are shut down early and only cold loaves are available. Communication <-> A restaurant advertises they are open for breakfast, but when guests arrive on Sunday morning, there is a sign on the door indicating they only open for brunch at 11:00.

Drag each approach for achieving closure to the type of service gap it corresponds to. Knowledge gap <-> ? Standards gap <-> ? Delivery gap <-> ? Communications gap <-> ? Options: - Set appropriate service goals and measure service performance - Be realistic in telling potential buyers about the services that can be provided and manage those customer expectations effectively - Improve employee performance through support, incentives, and the use of technology - Conduct research to better understand what customers want

Knowledge gap <-> Conduct research to better understand what customers want Standards gap <-> Set appropriate service goals and measure service performance Delivery gap <-> Improve employee performance through support, incentives, and the use of technology Communications gap <-> Be realistic in telling potential buyers about the services that can be provided and manage those customer expectations effectively

Drag each definition to its corresponding type of service gap. Knowledge gap <-> ? Standards gap <-> ? Delivery gap <-> ? Communications gap <-> ? Options: - The difference between the firm's perceptions of customers expectations and the service standards it sets - The difference between actual service provided to customers and the service that the firm's promotion program promises - The difference between the firm's service standards and the actual service it provides to customers - The difference between customer expectations and what the firm perceives the customer to expect

Knowledge gap <-> The difference between customer expectations and what the firm perceives the customer to expect 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 Communications gap <-> The difference between actual service provided to customers and the service that the firm's promotion program promises

The self-checkout counter at a local grocery store is which type of technological service interaction? Multiple choice question. High technology, high human effort Low technology, low human effort High technology, low human effort Low technology, high human effort

Low technology, low human effort

Which of the following is an example of a service? Multiple choice question. Massage Cup of coffee Pair of boots Book

Massage

Mike is the manager of a sandwich shop and received a complaint from a customer unhappy because it took too long to get his food. Mike apologized to the customer and sent him a coupon for a free sandwich for the next time he visited. Why is it important for Mike to listen to the customer and provide feedback? Multiple choice question. Mike is able to identify a way to improve service; he can schedule labor appropriately and set benchmarks. Mike can identify the customer so he can warn other employees if the customer returns. Reason: The problem is not that the customer was unreasonable, but that some aspect of the delivery of service should be improved. Mike can identify the employee working that day and punish him for providing unacceptable service. Mike can reduce the spread of negative feedback by blaming the employee.

Mike is able to identify a way to improve service; he can schedule labor appropriately and set benchmarks.

What does the Service-Product Continuum reveal about what businesses are able to provide to customers? Multiple choice question. Most firms combine both goods and services in their offerings. Firms can offer either goods or services but not both. Firms that sell goods don't need to worry about service. Grocery stores provide products but not service.

Most firms combine both goods and services in their offerings.

Drag each example to the correct trait of services that affect price. Perishable <-> Intangible <-> Heterogeneous <-> Options: - On Fridays and Saturdays, the staff is different from the staff on weekdays, and the normal process is shortened from 55 to 45 minutes per customer. - There is a queue on Friday and Saturday afternoons, but those time slots cannot be inventoried for when there is no demand. - It is difficult for the salon to convey the benefits of a new type of hand treatment.

Perishable <-> There is a queue on Friday and Saturday afternoons, but those time slots cannot be inventoried for when there is no demand. Intangible <-> It is difficult for the salon to convey the benefits of a new type of hand treatment. Heterogeneous <-> On Fridays and Saturdays, the staff is different from the staff on weekdays, and the normal process is shortened from 55 to 45 minutes per customer.

A convenient location and a presence on the Internet are both important characteristics of which of the marketing Ps for services? Multiple choice question. Personnel Processes Presentation Place

Place

What are the three Ps that specifically address the greater complexities needed for providing services? Multiple choice question. Presentation, personnel, and process Process, planning, prediction Personnel, practice, prediction Practice, planning, Presentation

Presentation, personnel, and process

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? Multiple choice question. Tangibles Empathy Assurance Reliability

Reliability

Drag each definition to the corresponding dimension of service quality. Reliability <-> ? Responsiveness <-> ? Assurance <-> ? Empathy <-> ? Tangibles <-> ? Options: - Appearance of physical facilities, equipment, personnel, and communication materials - Caring, individualized attention provided to customers - Willingness to help customers and provide prompt service - Knowledge and courtesy by employees and their ability to convey trust and confidence - Ability to perform the service dependably and accurately

Reliability <-> Ability to perform the service dependably and accurately Responsiveness <-> Willingness to help customers and provide prompt service Assurance <-> Knowledge and courtesy by employees and their ability to convey trust and confidence Empathy <-> Caring, individualized attention provided to customers Tangibles <-> Appearance of physical facilities, equipment, personnel, and communication materials

A golf course manager is concerned about the quality of service the staff is providing to guests and wants to implement some changes. What is the best way to ensure that employees buy into the plan? Multiple choice question. Fire a few employees as a warning Post service goals in places where employees will regularly see them Seek employee input when setting goals Offer a cash reward for the employee who receives the fewest complaints

Seek employee input when setting goals

One of the most effective methods to assess how well a firm is delivering adequate service to consumers is to employ the Blank______ Model to evaluate their service provision. Multiple choice question. Knowledge Intangibility Service Recovery Service Gaps

Service Gaps

Which of the following statements best describes services? Multiple choice question. Services are actions or performances carried out for and with customers without involving a sequence of steps, actions and activities. Services are actions or performances carried out for and with customers and typically involve a sequence of steps, actions and activities. Services are actions or performances carried out for the benefit of the organization, typically involving a sequence of steps, actions and activities. Services are actions performed for customers and typically involve only ideas. Services are activities or deeds carried out for the benefit of the organization and typically involve training and follow-up.

Services are actions or performances carried out for and with customers and typically involve a sequence of steps, actions and activities.

In which one of the following examples has the service provider worked to fairly successfully close the communications gap? Multiple choice question. Regal Hotels advertises the "Sweetest Night's Sleep" achievable away from home. Dallas Fitness Center communicates that "you can lose ten pounds and get into shape in one week with us." Target store advertises no more than three people waiting in line or additional registers will be opened immediately. United Airlines advertises it is the most on-time airline of the top five carriers.

Target store advertises no more than three people waiting in line or additional registers will be opened immediately.

Which of the following businesses would face the biggest challenge in matching supply to consumer demand? Multiple choice question. Shoe retailer Sporting goods store Tax accounting firm Hardware store

Tax accounting firm

Marissa works for a local restaurant. Each time a customer reports a compliment to a manager about an employee, the employee receives a star pin to wear. What is the advantage of the "star pin" to the restaurant and Marissa? Multiple choice question. The star pin allows employees to individualize their service. The star pin will help increase restaurant sales and will help Marissa make more tips, since it shows she knows what she is doing. Customers will wait for a server who is wearing the star pin and avoid those who are not "starred." The star pin is a reward that reinforces the provision of excellent customer service and makes the employee feel recognized.

The star pin is a reward that reinforces the provision of excellent customer service and makes the employee feel recognized.

What problem might occur if a grocery store decides to install self-checkout devices? Multiple choice question. The technology will lead to customers purchasing fewer items. The technology will be less accurate in counting money than human employees. The technology will be more expensive in the long run than paying human employees The technology will be too challenging for some customers.

The technology will be too challenging for some customers.

Which of the following is NOT a method to reduce delivery gaps? Multiple choice question. Provide support and incentives Use technology to minimize errors Threaten to terminate employees Empower employees

Threaten to terminate employees

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

Volatility

When is empowering employees most important? Multiple choice question. When customer loyalty is not a concern When the service is individualized When the business relies mostly on self-service When the service is standardized

When the service is individualized

Is providing rewards to employees for excellent services a key part of customer service program? Why or why not? Multiple choice question. No, employees should provide excellent service regardless of rewards. Employers are already paying for them to provide services. No, rewards make the provider perform only in order to get the reward and do not really encourage employees to provide good continuous service. Yes, but it depends on whether or not the company culture calls for employees to receive rewards. Yes, rewards reinforce behavior that encourages employees to continually give great service.

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

Services are deeds or performances done for and with customers. They typically are Blank______ involving a sequence of steps or actions. Multiple choice question. a phenomenon an event an activity a process

a process

An important element of offering emotional support to employees is to Blank______ when they have been empowered to make decisions in dealing with the customer. Multiple choice question. encourage the employee not to be supportive encourage the customer to be upset let them talk back to the customer avoid punishing them

avoid punishing them

A tire store finds that its business is heavily skewed to the weekend, and few customers arrive on Monday through Wednesday. Since rotating, balancing, and replacing tires is a service that cannot be stockpiled, one of the dilemmas facing the firm is Blank______. Multiple choice question. coordinating with suppliers deciding what prices to charge hiring employees balancing supply and demand

balancing supply and demand

One way for a firm to reduce the Blank______ gap is to ensure that the sales force does not make promises the firm cannot keep. Multiple choice question. standards communication delivery customer

communication

The Blank______ gap refers to the difference between the service a company provides to customers and the service that it promises to provide in its advertisements. Multiple choice question. standards delivery communication knowledge

communication

A hotel advertises package deals that include tickets to a nearby theme park. When the customer asks for this offer, he is informed they are sold out as only a limited number of tickets were available. The customer experiences a Blank______ gap and is very unhappy. Multiple choice question. communications perishability knowledge delivery standards

communications

An effective method to assess customer service expectations is to analyze customer Blank______ behavior in which management is told by buyers what dissatisfies them. Multiple choice question. exit complaint buying loyalty

complaint

In delivery of a service, one of the most important early steps is addressing the knowledge gap, or the ability to understand Blank______. Multiple choice question. costs and profitability consumer expectations how to handle a service failure demand for the service

consumer expectations

One of the distinct advantages of heterogeneity of services is that it enables the provider to Blank______ the service and not deliver a standardized, cookie-cutter approach uniformly to every buyer. Multiple choice question. customize individually design and price invent derive profit from

customize

The BLANK gap is the difference between a company's standards and the actual service it provides to customers.

delivery

Under normal conditions, the hotel never runs out of towels, but during Christmas vacation when the hotel is filled with families, there is a Blank______ gap and the hotel laundry cannot keep up with the linen usage. Multiple choice question. standards communication delivery knowledge

delivery

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

expectations

Customers' expectations of the type of service they will receive is primarily based on their knowledge and Blank______. Multiple choice question. friends' purchases experiences finances purchases

experiences

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

gap

Services often are perceived as riskier purchases because the customer Blank______. Multiple choice question. has to like the service provider personally, but does not have to interact with anyone when purchasing a product has to pay full price with no opportunity for discounts has less chance to sample the service before purchase and cannot return it after purchase cannot find reviews of services as easily as reviews of products

has less chance to sample the service before purchase and cannot return it after purchase

Jane has realized that she does not enjoy taking a taxi to work because there is substantial Blank______ in the delivery of the service depending on who is driving her cab that day. Multiple choice question. intangibility price differential heterogeneity perishability

heterogeneity

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 Blank______ of service delivery. Multiple choice question. profitability similarity heterogeneity necessity

heterogeneity

Three of the dermatologist's patients have very different skin problems. Because of the Blank______ of services, the doctor needs to customize each patient's diagnosis and treatment. Multiple choice question. inseparability perishability heterogeneity intangibility

heterogeneity

The primary reason there is greater heterogeneity in services than in products is because Blank______. Multiple choice question. of unknown outcomes on the buyer's part human inputs generate differences cost inequities generate differences of the increasing use of technology in delivering services

human inputs generate differences

In addition to providing service employees with emotional and instrumental support, management should offer the staff Blank______ that reward them for providing customers with good service. Multiple choice question. incentives better benefits more hours pensions

incentives

Buying a service such as a haircut, a medical treatment, or a lawyer's advice is perceived as more risky to the consumer, because of the service characteristic of Blank______ since the service cannot really be sampled in advance nor experienced without the provider. Multiple choice question. expectation intangibility heterogeneity inseparability

inseparability

One difference between products and services is demonstrated by a hair salon, where the stylist delivers the service at the same time the customer receives it. This is called Blank______. Multiple choice question. perishability heterogeneity intangibility inseparability

inseparability

One of the basic ways in which services differ from products is that production and consumption are Blank______ 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. Multiple choice question. perishable inseparable infinite intangible

inseparable

A brand like Google will invest resources in creating a simple, attractive site that has interesting images and icons, such as the daily updates to the Google logo for holidays and special events, in order to better communicate the Blank______ element of their service and image to users. Multiple choice question. inseparable heterogeneous intangible perishable

intangible

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

intangible

The most fundamental difference between services and goods is that services are Blank______. Multiple choice question. cheaper incentives intangible homogeneous

intangible

A service provider offers many amenities that he believes the customer desires, but the delivered services are not what is expected by the customer. This is an example of a Blank______ gap. Multiple choice question. communications standards delivery knowledge

knowledge

One of the best ways for managers to reduce the Blank______ gap is to conduct ongoing research and regularly talk with employees to explain what customers expect to get from the brand and the firm. Multiple choice question. standards communication knowledge delivery

knowledge

The BLANK gap shows the difference between a customer's expectations and what the company thinks the customer expects.

knowledge

The marketing manager needs to communicate with customers and employees on an ongoing basis in order to understand buyers' expectations and to reduce the Blank______ gap. Multiple choice question. knowledge delivery communications standards

knowledge

A tool that is increasingly used by service providers to minimize the heterogeneity between those who deliver the service is to employ Blank______. Multiple choice question. machines, such as ATMs and service kiosks the same individual to provide the service to everyone standardized results such as everyone receiving the same promotional message stockpiling and inventorying services during slow periods

machines, such as ATMs and service kiosks

The delivery of quality service is the task of everyone in the firm, but the commitment to quality service is established and illustrated best by Blank______, which establishes policy and sets examples for the entire company. Multiple choice question. competitors employees management customers

management

One of the problems in using customer complaint behavior to assess buyers' service expectations is that Blank______. Multiple choice question. managers often are more concerned with resolving the complaint than analyzing the essence of the problem it is extremely time consuming and is essentially dated by the time it is processed it is very costly to collect and process given the value of the information managers usually do not respond to customer complaints so there is no record of the information

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 Blank______. Multiple choice question. measurable goals that are based on customer expectations high prices to impart high quality general goals based on employee feedback high employee-to-customer ratios

measurable goals that are based on customer expectations

To address the intangible nature of services provided and allow patients to compare them to the services provided by others, a medical provider may Blank______. Multiple choice question. offer cues to customers, such as comfortable waiting rooms and sparkling clean examination rooms with diplomas on the wall increase the price to convey an aura of quality to reduce buyers' anxiety standardize the service as much as possible by using increasingly fewer employees and more automated services and measurements reduce the price of services offered through special promotions and deals to reduce buyers' anxiety

offer cues to customers such as comfortable waiting rooms and sparkling clean examination rooms with her diplomas on the wall

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 Blank______. Multiple choice question. intangibility infinity perishability inseparability

perishability

United Airlines flies a plane from LA to NY at 8 o'clock on Tuesday morning only 25 percent full. On Friday, the same flight is overbooked by 15 percent. United is unable to capture and save the unused seats from the previous flight, and instead has to pay passengers to fly on future flights. This is an example of the Blank______ of services. Multiple choice question. self-service intangibility variability perishability

perishability

United Airlines flies a plane from Los Angeles to New York at 8 o'clock on Tuesday morning only 25% full. On Friday, the same flight is overbooked by 15%. One of the traits of service marketing is this quality of Blank______, in which the flights must be delivered on the day scheduled or it is lost. Multiple choice question. intangibility perishability inseparability heterogeneity

perishability

Despite having to deal with difficult guests, the service provider can be motivated to provide "service with a smile" when the firm Blank______. Multiple choice question. provides support and incentives to motivate quality service provides frequent training programs for employees establishes a policy for the firm that the customer is NOT always right does not deal with unruly customers and removes them from the service list

provides support and incentives to motivate quality service

Service providers provide instrumental support to their staff by Blank______. Multiple choice question. comforting them when they encounter difficult customers giving them incentives to treat customers kindly providing systems and equipment to do the job properly offering employee discounts on merchandise

providing systems and equipment to do the job properly

The employees at the Ritz-Carlton are renowned for delivering good-quality service to hotel guests. Their behavior is probably due to Blank______. Multiple choice question. the high wages paid to employees the fact that customers pay a lot of money and are very demanding the threat of being fired if a guest complains seeing management treating customers well and following the behavior

seeing management treating customers well and following the behavior

A deed, performance, or effort that cannot be physically possessed is called a(n) Blank______. Multiple choice question. product item service package

service

A customer's expectations for a single service provider might vary substantially based on the Blank______. Multiple choice question. specific situation competition level age of the firm size of the firm

specific situation

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 Blank______ gap and provide measurable service quality based on expectations. Multiple choice question. delivery communication standards knowledge

standards

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

standards

The manager of a four-star hotel learns that the bathrooms in the hotel are receiving complaints for being dirty. He believes that hotel guests are being too picky and he decides not to instruct housekeeping to clean the bathrooms more thoroughly. Because the hotel does not change the cleaning policy, there is a Blank______ gap. Multiple choice question. standards knowledge delivery communications

standards

Service providers, such as seaside hotels and restaurants, have a greater problem matching Blank______ than product manufacturers do. Multiple choice question. workloads and schedules self-service buyers and the Internet employees and clients supply and demand

supply and demand

The marketing metric used to evaluate if a firm is performing on the five service quality dimensions by finding the minimum level of acceptable service is Blank______. Multiple choice question. a Voice-of-Customer Program the Zone of Tolerance the Gaps model employee surveys

the Zone of Tolerance

A grocery store is at the product-dominant side of the Service-Product Continuum since most items are selected self-service from the shelves; however, Blank______. Multiple choice question. the store will have to spend more on advertising than a pure service firm would spend the firm does not need to provide customer service the firm has greater profitability than a purely service activity at the other end of the continuum the firm can still view service as a viable competitive advantage

the firm can still view service as a viable competitive advantage

A restaurant delivers particularly bad service at lunch one Tuesday. One of the biggest problems with the marketing of such services is that the restaurant service providers cannot Blank______. Multiple choice question. easily punish employees who damage the business by providing poor service predict the level of service that customers will expect on a given day be responsible because the variability in food preparation is too great undo "bad" service and often are unaware of the extent of the problem until the buyer complains

undo "bad" service and often are unaware of the extent of the problem until the buyer complains