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Chapter
Discussion Questions
Chapter 1 - Introduction to Services
 | In your own words, what are services? |
| What is "good service"? |
| What is the difference between "services" and
"customer service"? |
| Why should you study services marketing? |
| What are differences in marketing goods versus services?
Be able to elaborate. |
| What are the three "new" elements of the services marketing mix? |
| Explain each of the three new P’s and provide an example of each. |
| What is the services marketing triangle? Why are these issues particularly
important to service businesses? |
| Why would a manufacturing firm be interested in services marketing? |
Chapter 2 - Consumer Behavior in Services
| What is meant by search qualities? experience qualities? credence
qualities? Provide examples (other than those in the text book) of products high in each
of these three categories. |
| In your opinion, does the decision-making process for purchasing services differ
from goods? Defend your position. |
| What impact might a service guarantee have on the perceived risk customers
experience in purchasing services? |
| What is a service script? Be prepared to provide an example of a service script
for a service you use. |
Chapter 3 - Customer Expectations of Service
| What is the difference between desired service and adequate service? |
| Why would a services marketer need to understand both desired and adequate
levels of expectations? |
| What is a zone of tolerance? |
| Why might the zone of tolerance differ from one customer to another for a
service? (Provide an example.) |
| Why might the zone of tolerance differ for one customer from one service to
another? (Provide an example.) |
| Why might the zone of tolerance differ for one customer for one service for
different attributes or dimensions of the service? (Provide an example.) |
| What factors influence customers’ expectations of service? Provide an
example (other than than in the text book) of each factor you identify. |
Chapter 4 - Customer Perceptions of Service
| What factors influence customer perceptions of service? |
| Why is a service encounter often called the "moment of truth"? |
| What service encounters might you have at a Detroit Pistons N.B.A.
basketball game? |
| What are four sources of pleasure (or displeasure) in service encounters? Be
prepared to give examples of each (your own service encounter journal could be helpful
here). |
| Why are the three additional P’s of the services marketing mix also called
the "evidence of service"? Explain. |
| How does process quality differ from outcome quality when customers are
assessing service quality? Which is more important? |
| Be prepared to describe each of the five service quality dimensions. Provide
examples of each (other than those in the text book). |
Chapter 5 - Understanding Customer Expectations and Perceptions
Through Marketing Research
| Why do marketing research? |
| What types of marketing research are particularly valuable to services
companies? Pick three (and defend your selection) that you believe would be most helpful
to a services marketing manager in an industry of your choice. |
| What is the difference between qualitative research and quantitative research? |
| Be prepared to discuss the Critical Incident Technique (also discussed in
Chapter 4). What are the advantages of using this particular methodology? |
| What is SERVQUAL? |
| Zeithaml and Bitner conclude the chapter with a discussion of "upward
communication." Why is the topic in a chapter on marketing research? |
Chapter 6 - Building Customer Relationships
| What is relationship marketing? How does this philosophy differ from the
traditional emphasis in marketing? |
| What are the goals of relationship marketing? |
| Why is relationship marketing an appropriate topic for a services marketer? |
| What are some of the benefits of customer retention? Explain. |
| What do we mean by the "lifetime value of a customer"? Why is this
important to consider? |
| Be prepared to argue for or against the statement: "The customer is always
right." |
| Why is customer compatibility an issue for service companies? |
| What is the difference between financial bonds, social bonds, and structural
bonds? Be prepared to provide examples of each (other than those in the textbook). |
| Why is good recovery so important to service providers? |
Chapter 7 - Service Recovery
| What do we mean by "service recovery"? |
| What is the "recovery paradox"? |
| Why is good recovery so important to service providers? |
| In what ways do customers respond to service failures? |
| Be able to describe at least four recovery strategies. |
| When should a firm consider offering a service guarantee? |
| What are characteristics of a good service guarantee? Of a poor guarantee? |
Chapter 8 - Service Development and Design
| Why is it challenging to design and develop services? |
| What are some risks in trying to describe services using only words? |
| What are the various types of "new" services? |
| What is a service blueprint? |
| What are the key components of a service blueprint? |
| How might various groups of people in the organization use a
service blueprint? Explain. |
Chapter 9 - Customer-defined Services Standards
Discussion questions not yet available.
Chapter 10 - Physical Evidence and The Servicescape
| What is a "servicescape"? |
| How can the servicescape affect the customer’s service experience? |
| How can the servicescape affect the service employee? |
| What are the various roles a servicescape can play? |
| Besides the servicescape, what are other types of physical evidence that can
affect the customer’s service experience? |
Chapter 11 - Employees' Roles in Service Delivery
| Why are service employees so critical to the success of a service organization? |
| Explain what we mean by a "boundary-spanning" employee? |
| Describe the different types of conflict boundary-spanners often experience. |
| Be prepared to discuss each of the various human resource strategies depicted in
Figure 11-5. |
| What does it mean to "empower" an employee? |
| Is empowerment always a good thing? Why or why not? |
| What is "service culture" and why is it important? |
Chapter 12 - Customers' Roles in Service Delivery
| In what ways can "other customers" affect one’s service
experience? |
| When might a service provider’s customers be considered their competitors? |
| When is a customer more likely to "make" and not "buy" a
service? |
| Be prepared to discuss various strategies for enhancing customers’
participation in service delivery. |
Chapter 13 - Delivering Service Through Intermediaries and
Electronic Channels
| In services, what is an "intermediary"? |
| What are some examples of intermediaries (other than those listed in the text)? |
| Describe the problems that can occur when intermediaries are used to deliver
services. |
| Describe the problems that can occur when using electronic intermediaries to
deliver services. |
| What marketing strategies might be employed to address these issues? |
Chapter 14 - Managing Demand and Capacity
| Why is the lack of inventory capacity an issue for service providers? |
| What are various "capacity" constraints in service companies? |
| How can "demand" patterns influence a firm’s ability to deliver
services effectively? |
| What strategies might be used to match capacity and demand in service companies? |
| Describe strategies that can be used when customers must wait for service to be
delivered. |
Chapter 15 - Integrated Services Marketing Communications
Discussion questions not yet available.
Chapter 16 - Pricing of Services
Discussion questions not yet available.
Chapter 17 - The Financial and Economic Effect of Service
Discussion questions not yet available.
Chapter 18 - The Integrated Gaps Model of Service Quality
| In one sentence, what is the "Gaps Model of Service Quality"? |
| When might customer expectations differ from customer perceptions? |
| What is the "customer gap"? |
| Briefly describe Gaps 1, 2, 3, and 4, and be able to provide an example (other
than what is in the text book) of what might cause each one. |
| What is the point of looking at the four provider gaps? |
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