Adopting Strategies to Ensure That Service Marketing Has Been Applied Effectively - Case Study Example

Service Marketing Name Institution Executive Summary Service marketing is currently viewed as an important entity that should keenly be looked at by all market practitioners offering services of different types to customers of different preferences and feelings (Culbertson & Chen, 2013). Sometimes, business merchants have find it difficult to sell off their services and products to customers because of failure to recognize preferences of customers and failure to note what customers demand from service providers. Selling of tangible objects requires a different mechanism and approach that is so different from the normal marketing strategies that are used to market tangible products. Cultural dimensions and traditional misunderstanding as well as variations that exist within the marketing frameworks have significantly varied in the currently contemporary world. It has been noted by stakeholders and management teams of companies that if they wish to sell both tangible products and services then, they should adopt integrated marketing strategies (Culbertson & Chen, 2013). The paper outlines the strategies that can be adopted to ensure that service marketing has been applied effectively and that has made a major impact to customers (Stern, 1998). With regard to encounters, all the explanation have been written from the customer’s point of view and all further analyzes have been documented while considering that all the encounters portray the challenges that face management teams of organizations and that if service firms wish to succeed in the current world, they must adopt new strategies that factor in elements of cultural integrations. Executive Summary 2 Introduction 4 Encounter 1 4 Brief description of the Sydney encounter 4 Sydney encounter: Culture analysis 5 Sydney Encounter: Recommendations 5 Encounter 2 6 Brief description of a communication’ company encounter 6 Communication’ Company Encounter: Recommendation 7 Encounter 3 7 Brief Description of Tour encounter 7 Tour encounter: Disconfirmation of expectations model Analysis 8 Tour encounter: Recommendation 8 Encounter 4 9 Brief Description of Melbourne Restaurant and Swimming Exploration 9 Melbourne Restaurant and Swimming Exploration: Positioning analysis 9 Melbourne Restaurant and Swimming Exploration: Recommendation 10 Summary of Recommendations 11 Reference 12 Appendix 13 Introduction Marketing is a defined process that is used by companies to communicate to customers on the value that their products and services consist of. Purpose of selling a service or a product to customers is looked at as an entity that requires marketers first, to identify and forecast preferences of their targeted customers. Sociology outlines that marketing is consolidated link that exist between customers and the company or that links customers with the services or products providers (Stern, 1998). A society with a lifestyle or strict mode of traditions is not flexible enough to respond to economic provisions that are currently availed by corporations and business firms. Societal requirements of any community are satisfied when their requirements are met within the identifiable timescales and frameworks (Culbertson & Chen, 2013). The paper has looked at how customers service provision and fulfillment of customer’s demands is missed by business firms and organizations. The encounters documented has creatively and empirical outlined the loop holes that should be sealed and controlled by communities that demand of different customer communities is provided in good time. Service dominant logic model has been fully explained with regard to the customer requirements that are deemed to be of great importance when it is considered that cultural fluctuations and adjustments in preferences are the two major drives that have constantly shape the service marketing world. S-D logic model is a good tool because it has provided a firm platform on which service marketing of many companies has been provided (Culbertson & Chen, 2013). In addition, the gap model has been used to analyze changes in customer preferences and on how service providers should orient themselves to counter the challenges (Culbertson & Chen, 2013). Encounter 1 Brief description of the Sydney encounter On one occasion, I took a walk to Sydney and at noon I started searching for a hotel where I could get a nice cooked lunch. At that time, my interest was to get a cold drink, a nice well balanced lunch. When I entered Sheraton hotel, I was shocked because one of the waitresses who came to me could not speak my language and could not also understand what I requested. It forced me to wait for 1 hour before another waitress could come and serve me. Even though I was served, the food I ate was not of my choice (Culbertson & Chen, 2013). Sydney encounter: Culture analysis Culture is one of aspects whose context is generally defined as bordered system and as a complex system that can ever be adopted by an individual. All cultural systems can be effectively be modeled, defined, understood and explained within the frameworks of cultural. With the current world, no company or business firm should assume that only people of one culture will buy their products and or services. With reference to the context I was, I realized that the service marketing team had failed to address what the hotel could offer for people and again, the hotel management could not effective provide enough food to meet their targeted customer community. Market positioning of any company stands on a cultural integration platform and the output is such that, the hotel could have indicated on their menu the foods they offer to people so that one could easily choose. Culture was also an influencing factor because the waitress could not figure out nor communicate (Culbertson & Chen, 2013). The question that became significant was “how could the waitress identify the food I wanted to eat if she was unable to communicate?” This was a very difficult closed loop cultural drawback that was at the time, a big menace to the company because it was a welcoming note to make profit. Language barrier leads to delays which eventually generates impatient among customers or suspicion of a significant level. Once impatient is evident, customers may leave to look for optional food providers. The core element they lacked was to combine, strategic marketing and alignment of resources with the targeted customer community. Sydney Encounter: Recommendations With regard to identified and learned from the encounter, it was empirically noted that not only Sheraton, but many hotels and food providers lacked the element and working strategies of allocating resources to relevant targeted business elements. For service provision and marketing, language unfolds to be the most major resource. Communication, directing, inquiring, and making good decisions or bringing the right service to customers depends solely on how the providers communicate (Culbertson & Chen, 2013). In addition, service marketing should give information to customers on all services that they offer so that, one can easily choose from a variety of foods or supplements that have been provided. The Sheraton hotel should recruit human resource who have multilingual capabilities and who can communicate efficiently with customers so that they can explore what customers’ demands from them. This also helps empowers service providers to detect and secretly forecast on what the customers want at a given time. Encounter 2 Brief description of a communication’ company encounter It was last year when I went to a communication’s company to replace my mobile phone line. At the forefront, I found many young people who had badges hanging from their necks. The badges contained the logo of the company and names of the people (Oliver & Bearden, 1985). Despite their large number, it took several minutes before one of them could speak to me (Anderson, 1973). They only mingled up and down and their movements were not specific or directed. I guessed some of them only walked randomly to pass time or they did so to avoid the responsibilities they were supposed to take care of (Stern, 1998). Communication’ Company Encounter: Three stage model of service consumption Analysis Customer service provision is provided by companies by following a three stage service related and directed model. The first stage is Pre-purchase stage whereby, customers seek solutions fro service providers because they have aroused needs or demands. Because of the critical element a large percentage of these customers have no time to determine and evaluate effectiveness of their products (Anderson, 1973). When I first made an inquisitive demand to one of the fore front attendants, I realized that, my communication network could be terminated at anytime (Oliver & Bearden, 1985). With regard to this extended worry, it became clear that all I wanted was to get a new communicative and prospective mobile phone line. This stage also bears uncertainties because most customers have no time to make concrete evaluations of the services they got and as a result, they increased magnitude of perceived risk (Anderson, 1973). The second stage includes service encounter stage in which customers understand the servuction system. In addition, at stage, service providers and customer relationships depend on roles they serve as well as the script theories that define their work flows (Anderson, 1973). The final stage in this model is the post-encounter stage which involves forecasting of future customer intentions (Oliver & Bearden, 1985). It is also identified as a fundamental stage in which performance scales are evaluated for intentions of scrutinizing challenges faced during the previous service provision stage so that proper mechanisms and strategies can be provided in an integrated way to shape and accommodate the drawbacks in a less impacting mode. Customers can sometimes decide not use the services again because of the delays and disconfirmations that exist in the service provision sector (Anderson, 1973). Three stage model of service consumption is shown in Fig 1 in the appendix Communication’ Company Encounter: Recommendation From the synthesis that has been outlined above, there is need for service provision companies or firms to assign specific roles to their workers so that a misconception of inquiries from esteemed customers can not be confused because doing so leaves customers with lots of question marks (Anderson, 1973). Customers who are not satisfied are much more vulnerable to change their service providers because of what they may have experienced during the first contact with the company (Oliver & Bearden, 1985). Time is an asset that should be properly managed by service providing company because any caused delays may create controversies among customers and as a result, they may switch off to look for other companies they think meet their demands within the shortest time possible (Anderson, 1973). While companies provide services to different customer groups, it will be empirical and sustainable if they allocate specific roles to the fore front attendants to avoid confusion and conflicts that do occur especially when one tries to sabotage efforts of others (Anderson, 1973). Encounter 3 Brief Description of Tour encounter I entered one of the restaurants in South Australia during a tour and inquired if I could get a cold mango juice and a snack. For sure, the response was faster and within a few minutes I had my snack and a glass of mango juice. The fun thing was that, I expected to encounter a good glass and I expected to be served with an extra clean waitress. While she was putting a glass of mango juice on the table, I realized that a lot of dirty dripping from the nail fingers of the waitress and the dirty made several flow marks on the outer part of the glass (Culbertson & Chen, 2013). Tour encounter: Disconfirmation of expectations model Analysis Most customers have a tendency to look for alternative service providers if they are not satisfied with the services they get from their service providers (Boundless, 2013). Incase mistakes are noted by the management, a clear statement should be made to assure customers that the management is trying to make necessary corrections or amendments to see that their provision is excellent and that it is being given within good times and timescales by satisfying people’s demands (Culbertson & Chen, 2013). The disconfirmation model can be described as having 5 gaps (Boundless, 2013). The first gap is defined as the gaps that exist between management perceptions and customer expectations (Zeithaml, Leornard & Parasuraman, 1991). The impact is detrimental and may generate great losses especially when the service provider fails to precisely identify customers’ expectations. The second gap exits when perceptions of the management does not match that of specifications that have been provided and it is fatal when the management fails to identify maintain standards of the services they provide. The third gap exists when the service specifications does not meet the service delivery expected standards. Such problems arise when there are significant management flaws that exist in the service personnel management team (Boundless, 2013). The fourth gap arises when the advertisement team is giving greater promises and when the customers make attempts to visit the identified providers, they fail to get such promises. The last gap exists when customers misinterpret between the expected service quality and experienced service. All gaps whether combined or existing as a single entity has a great effect to the operations of the service provider in the current globalizing world (Boundless, 2013). The model is shown in Fig 2 which is in the appendix. Tour encounter: Recommendation For effective integration of service marketing strategies and marketing approaches, it should be realized and understood by service providers that standards of delivery from one place to the other or form one culture to the other (Culbertson & Chen, 2013). It should be realized by service providers that any complains made by customers should be addressed properly and in good time to ensure that there is trust (Stern, 1998). Suggestion boxes should be provided and installed at different parts where services are provided so that customers may feel freely to comment or to suggest what they think it should be considered by the service provider (Boundless, 2013). However, if the customers complain during when they are getting services, it is beneficial if the service management team sends a feedback and a promissory note that they are making necessary corrections (Anderson, 1973). This approach does not only serve as a trust but as quality assurance tool that will see that the customers go back for more services. In addition, caution should because customers may exaggerate their suggestions without first understanding the frameworks in which the services should be provided (Boundless, 2013). Encounter 4 Brief Description of Melbourne Restaurant and Swimming Exploration I spend some of my time strolling in Melbourne when I had visited my grand parents. I felt is should swim first before I could travel back home. While I was looking for a good place for that, I happened to have seen a gate labeled “Restaurant and swimming is available for people of all ages”. It was a good opportunity for me to explore and identify was inside (Stern, 1998). When I entered, I was welcomed by two sharp ladies who knew at least five international languages each. I was overwhelmed that service was extra provided above most customers’ expectations but for sure, there were a recordable number of people swimming, eating, and drinking (Trout & Rivkin, 1996). Melbourne Restaurant and Swimming Exploration: Positioning analysis Many firms have failed to achieve their goals because of failure to create a market niche in areas of their specializations. Positioning is a continuous aspect that should be looked at keenly by companies and business firms (Trout & Rivkin, 1996). Marketing companies should effectively create a distinct and different brand form other companies offering services of almost the same brand names (Moore, 1991). This can be done by selling distinct brands with different packaging, names, and color if possible so that customers should no confuse what is being provided by a specific company or firm from others (Zeithaml, Leornard & Parasuraman, 1991). Advertisements should concretely be made to create awareness among customers that such services are available (Trout & Rivkin, 1996). While this is done, care should be taken so that prices of these commodities are declared both through physical contacts and through online advertisement channels (Stern, 1998). Posters, verbal marketing, branding, packaging, and promotional marketing have been identified as types of position strategies that can be adopted by companies to advertise their products (Culbertson & Chen, 2013). Position of products and brands ensures that the firm generates profits within targeted timescales and that if there are significant losses, they can not affect operation of the firm or organization (Anderson, 1973). Competition is stiff nowadays such that any noted failure of management flaws can be used by other organizations operating in the same area of specialization to make a progress or to monopolize the targeted market (Trout & Rivkin, 1996). For companies to significantly achieve their goals within good time frames, companies should publicly outline the services they offer and the services they wish to provide in future so that they meet customer demands (Stern, 1998). Melbourne Restaurant and Swimming Exploration: Recommendation The best way to address service marketing issues related to positioning is to ensure that all brands of services provided should be communicated to customers in good time to ensure that there are no significant losses that are generated during the business operations (Stern, 1998). It should be realized that any unnecessary delays should be avoided because they may give rise to errors and other discrepancies that may the cost a firm or a business company a lot of resources and finances (Trout & Rivkin, 1996). The positioning can be achieved by companies by distributing flyers, mounting posters, sending emails to targeted customers, using social media technologies, and by adopting promotional marketing strategies (Anderson, 1973). While doing this, a survey should be carried out to identify preferences of customers and noting the change in future positioning of other competitive companies or firms operating the industry (Trout & Rivkin, 1996). Significant moves should be made by companies so that they clearly identify routes through which they can make business advances (Moore, 1991). Summary of Recommendations While most companies have tried to make business advancements, they have encountered a lot of challenges some of which are known to the management and some which arises from outside the management networks (Stern, 1998). Because of these variability and challenges, it is conclusive that all service providing companies with intentions of making profit or making an impact should clearly understand how culture is shaping markets (Culbertson & Chen, 2013). Intercultural integration has drastically changed how service providers make business forecasts especially on preferences (Anderson, 1973). Business preferences and perceptions on products and services are changing and the best way is to know how to contain them (Culbertson & Chen, 2013). The second aspect to be note is that, services should be provided in such way that they meet customer’s expectations and all these should be done within specified frameworks (Anderson, 1973). Gaps that exist in the current global market in terms of service provision and satisfaction is changing a lot and the only way is to integrate all the variability within a controlled closed loop (Culbertson & Chen, 2013). Valid strategies should be applied by companies to achieve good results against their competitors. Competition in an international marketing environment is changing because people are interacting on an hourly basis and as a result, preferences and standard on which they currently choose services are changing (Stern, 1998). In addition, companies and all other categories of service providers should position their services in a manner that many customers can identify. This ensures that all customers are aware of the place where services are provided and that, they are aware of all the brands that a certain specific company provides (Culbertson & Chen, 2013). Reference Anderson, R. (1973). Consumer dissatisfaction: The effects of disconfirmed expectancy on perceived product performance. Journal of Marketing Research, 10: 38-44. Boundless. (2013). The Gap model. Retrieved from https://www.boundless.com/marketing/services-marketing/service-quality/the-gap-model/ Culbertson, H. M. & Chen, N. (2013). International public relations: A comparative analysis. London: Routledge Publishers. Moore, G. (1991). Crossing the Chasm. New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers. Oliver, R. L. & Bearden, W.O. (1985). Disconfirmation processes and consumer in product usage. Journal of Business Research, 13: 235-246. Stern, B.B. (1998). Representing consumers: Voices, views and visions. New York, NY: Routledge. Trout, J. and Rivkin, S. (1996). The New Positioning: The latest on the worlds #1 business strategy. New York, NY: McGraw Hill. Zeithaml, V.A. , Leornard, L. B. & Parasuraman, A. (1991). The nature and determinants of customer expectations of service. Marketing Science Institute Working paper, Report 91- 113, 1-27. Appendix Three stage model of service consumption Fig 1 Disconfirmation of expectations model Fig 2 Read More