Question 9:

Intangibility

used in marketing to describe the inability to assess the value gained from engaging in an activity using any tangible evidence. It is what primarily differentiates a service from a product. Can be a challenge when marketing a service, as they often need to give tangible proof for the quality of service. Therefore buying services are risky for the customer; need to provide tangible proof of good service ensures repeat customers.

Law firm.

=> you can not touch or taste the service provided. The quality of service can be proven through the cases won and the backgrounds of educations of the lawyers at the firm. Also on previous feedback from previous customers and so on. Also the level of interaction and the type of interaction the lawyers have with clients must be professional and efficient. => make sure the law firm and the lawyers within those firms do a lot and Pro bono cases for the surrounding community as this will create a positive public opinion of the firm. => a lawyer is delivering their service to their clients. And making sure this is the best service possible. This service is consumed by the consumer. => When a lawyer has finished working with a client to make sure perishability doesn't affect the companies performance they can have follow ups and make sure they are involved in all of that clients future cases.

Heterogeneity

Heterogeneity. While product can be homogenous and mass produced, the same is not true of services. The term heterogeneity describes the uniqueness of service offerings. Many services regarded as heterogeneous are typically modified for each consumer or situation. Despite the heterogeneity of service quality, it is the quality of the service that will essentially set two competing firms with similar products and services apart.

List and define the four characteristics of services and the challenges they present marketers. How might a marketer in a law firm improve customers' perceptions of the quality of services offered by the firm?

Intangibility, Inseparability, Perishability, Heterogeneity

Inseparability

is used in marketing to describe a key quality of services that distinguishes them from goods. The inseparability of services makes if difficult to separate a service from the service provider. The production and consumption of a service can occur simultaneously, making it impossible to produce and store a service prior to consumption. People are a defining factor in a service delivery process, since a service in inseparable from the person providing it.

Perishability

is used in marketing to describe the way in which a service capacity cannot be stored for sale in the future. Services cannot be stored, saved, returned or resold once they have been used. Therefore when the service has been completely rendered, this particular service irreversibly vanished as the consumer has consumed it. The relevant resources, processes, and systems of a service are assigned for delivery during a definite period in time. Perishability can affect company performance, as balancing supply and demand is very difficult.