A service has been described as a deed, act or performance. The literature suggests that differences between goods and services exist, resulting in four basic characteristics of services: intangibility, inseparability of production and consumption, heterogeneity, and perishability. Zeithaml and Bitner claim that intangibility is the key determinant of whether an offering is a service or product. These service characteristics have created problems and challenges for managers of services.
A recurring theme in service companies is the difficulty managers experience in translating their understanding of customers’ expectations into service that employees can understand and execute.
This proposition will be discussed in the following.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Understanding customer expectations of service
- 2.1 Customer expectations
- 2.2 Implications for managers
- 2.3 Example Singapore Airlines
- 3. Service-quality specifications
- 3.1 Service design
- 3.2 Service standards
- 3.3 Physical evidence
- 4. Service delivery by employees
- 4.1 Key roles of employees
- 4.2 Human resource policies
- 5. Conclusion
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
The main objective of this work is to explore the challenges service companies face in translating customer expectations into actionable service delivery for employees. It examines how understanding and managing customer expectations is crucial for ensuring service quality and achieving competitive advantage.
- Understanding and managing customer service expectations
- The role of marketing research in shaping service delivery
- Effective strategies for translating customer expectations into employee actions
- The importance of service design and standards in meeting customer needs
- Case studies illustrating successful approaches to managing customer expectations
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
1. Introduction: This introductory chapter defines service and highlights its four key characteristics: intangibility, inseparability, heterogeneity, and perishability. It emphasizes the difficulties service managers face in translating customer expectations into employee actions, setting the stage for the subsequent chapters that delve into strategies to overcome these challenges. The chapter introduces the core problem of aligning customer expectations with service delivery, setting the foundation for the deeper exploration in the following sections.
2. Understanding customer expectations of service: This chapter explores customer expectations, defining them as beliefs about service delivery used to judge performance. It discusses the five dimensions of service quality (tangibles, reliability, responsiveness, assurance, and empathy) and introduces the concepts of desired and adequate service levels, forming the zone of tolerance. The chapter also investigates factors influencing customer expectations (personal needs, service intensifiers, alternatives, word-of-mouth, promises, and past experiences), emphasizing that some expectations may be unrealistic, highlighting the need for companies to effectively understand customer desires and manage those expectations. The chapter thoroughly analyzes the complexities of customer expectations, establishing the crucial link between understanding these expectations and delivering quality service.
3. Service-quality specifications: This chapter addresses the challenge of translating understood customer expectations into employee-understandable and executable service. It stresses the importance of clearly defined service design, avoiding oversimplification and ambiguity. The chapter champions service blueprinting as a crucial tool for visualizing service systems and identifying potential fail-points. Furthermore, it emphasizes the critical role of setting high but reasonable service standards in guiding employee behavior and ensuring alignment with customer expectations. The chapter concludes by articulating how precise service specifications are essential for translating managerial understanding of customer needs into tangible employee actions that meet those needs, bridging the gap between managerial perception and operational reality.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
Customer expectations, service quality, service design, service standards, marketing research, employee performance, service delivery, Singapore Airlines, zone of tolerance, service blueprinting.
Frequently Asked Questions: A Comprehensive Language Preview
What is the main objective of this work?
The main objective is to explore the challenges service companies face in translating customer expectations into actionable service delivery for employees. It examines how understanding and managing customer expectations is crucial for ensuring service quality and achieving competitive advantage.
What are the key themes explored in this document?
Key themes include understanding and managing customer service expectations, the role of marketing research in shaping service delivery, effective strategies for translating customer expectations into employee actions, the importance of service design and standards in meeting customer needs, and case studies illustrating successful approaches to managing customer expectations.
What are the key characteristics of service highlighted in the introduction?
The introduction defines service and highlights its four key characteristics: intangibility, inseparability, heterogeneity, and perishability. It emphasizes the difficulties service managers face in translating customer expectations into employee actions.
How are customer expectations defined in this document?
Customer expectations are defined as beliefs about service delivery used to judge performance. The five dimensions of service quality (tangibles, reliability, responsiveness, assurance, and empathy) and the concepts of desired and adequate service levels, forming the zone of tolerance, are discussed.
What factors influence customer expectations?
Factors influencing customer expectations include personal needs, service intensifiers, alternatives, word-of-mouth, promises, and past experiences. The document highlights that some expectations may be unrealistic.
How does the document address translating customer expectations into employee actions?
The document stresses the importance of clearly defined service design, avoiding oversimplification and ambiguity. Service blueprinting is presented as a crucial tool for visualizing service systems and identifying potential fail-points. Setting high but reasonable service standards is emphasized to guide employee behavior and ensure alignment with customer expectations.
What is the role of service design and standards?
The document emphasizes the critical role of setting high but reasonable service standards in guiding employee behavior and ensuring alignment with customer expectations. Precise service specifications are essential for translating managerial understanding of customer needs into tangible employee actions.
What is the significance of the Singapore Airlines example?
The document mentions Singapore Airlines as an example within the context of understanding customer expectations and managing service delivery (although specifics are not detailed in this preview).
What are the key chapters and their summaries?
The document provides summaries for each chapter. Chapter 1 introduces the core problem. Chapter 2 explores customer expectations and their influencing factors. Chapter 3 addresses translating customer expectations into employee actions through service design and standards. Chapter 4 focuses on service delivery by employees. Chapter 5 is the conclusion.
What are the keywords associated with this document?
Keywords include Customer expectations, service quality, service design, service standards, marketing research, employee performance, service delivery, Singapore Airlines, zone of tolerance, and service blueprinting.
What is included in the Table of Contents?
The Table of Contents outlines the structure of the document, including an introduction, chapters on understanding customer expectations, service-quality specifications, service delivery by employees, and a conclusion.
- Quote paper
- Daniel Hischer (Author), 2008, Service Marketing - an introduction, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/93495
