2 Hours A 2 hour written examination weighted 50%.
Semester Assessment
A 2,500 word report weighted 50%.
Learning outcomes
On completion of this module, students should be able to:
Define marketing in the service environment
Critically appraise differing paradigms in relation to services marketing theory
Describe and discuss the characteristics of services and the services marketing mix
Assess service strategies and customer expectations of service
Evaluate means of building and sustaining customer relationships
Critically assess service accessibility issues, especially in relation to e-marketing of services
Evaluate internal marketing strategies
Describe and discuss the concept of brands and image in the service sector
Critically appraise means of managing service delivery
Discuss the nature of competition
Content
Topics to be covered in the module are as follows:
Definitions of marketing
Transaction versus CRM
Characteristics of services
Services marketing mix
Service offer, strategies, positioning and trading
Customer behaviour
Market research and customer expectations of service
Building and sustaining customer relationships
Service accessibility issues, especially in relation to the Internet and e-marketing
Quality issues
Internal marketing strategies
Brands and image
Communication
Competition
Reading Lists
Books ** Recommended Background
Gronroos, C (2000) Service management and marketing: a customer relationship management approach
2nd. Chichester: John Wiley
Palmer, A (2001) Principles of services marketing
3rd. London: McGraw-Hill
Zeithaml, V.A. and Bitner, M.J (2003) Service marketing: integrating customer focus across the firm
3rd. Boston: McGraw-Hill Irwin