Essentials of services marketing
By: K. Douglas Hoffman, John E. G. Bateson.
Contributors: Bateson, John E. G.
Series: The Dryden Press series in marketing
Publisher: Dryden Press
Published: 1997
Place of publication: Fort Worth
Language: eng
Number of pages: 505
Subjects: Service industries -- Marketing.
Description: The primary objective of [this book] is to provide instructional materials that not only introduce the student to the field of services marketing but also acquaint the student with specific customer service issues.... The [book first] concentrates on defining services marketing and providing the basic concepts that differentiate the marketing of services from the marketing of tangibles.... [It then discusses] topics that concern the management of the service encounter.... [The book also] focuses on customer satisfaction and service quality issues. Methods for tracking service failures and employee recovery efforts as well as customer retention strategies are also presented.... [The book concludes with] nine cases that illustrate the topics discussed throughout the book. -Pref.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references and index.
Table of contents: title: Overview of services marketing: Introduction to services; Fundamental differences between goods and services; Overview of the services sector; Consumer decision process issues in services marketing; Ethical issues in services marketing; title: Service strategy, managing the service experience: Service delivery process; Pricing of services; Developing the service communication mix; Managing the firm's physical evidence; People issues, managing employees and customers; title: Assessing and improving service delivery: Defining and measuring customer satisfaction; Defining and measuring service quality; Service failures and recovery strategies; Customer retention; Putting the pieces together, creating the seamless service firm; title: Cases.