MKTG08022 2016 Services Marketing Management 1
There are no such things as product or service industries. All industries are part product and part service. We are all in service. Competitive advantage is increasingly service-based. As technology becomes more uqbiquitous and customers expectations rise, issues of service delivery and service quality are pushed to the fore. To survive in the long term, organisations are going to have to invest in strategies that help meet or exceed their customer expectations. This module explores the methods by whcih service quality and customer satisfaction can be used as profit-generating tools in all organisations.
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this module the learner will/should be able to;
Assess the unique characteristics of services orgnanisations and service elements within any business and the associated challenges they present
Distinguish between poor and excellent service from a customer and organisation perspective
Analyse, interpret and recommend actions that facilitate customer satisfaction in services
Appraise and evaluate models of Service Quality
Develop and design guidelines for managing the service elements of an organisation
Teaching and Learning Strategies
Traditional lecture and tutorial class. The purpose fo the traditional lecture is to deliver the theory in an apporpriate manner. The purpose of the tutorial is to examine the students understanding of the theory learned, the applicability of the theory as well as ensuring that reading and discussion of the service marketing articles is taking place. The tutorials also allow for the investigating of real servcie marketiing problems and solutions. The lecture should have the full class present, but the tutorial will have smaller numbers to allow for greater participation, discussion and feedback.
Module Assessment Strategies
One assessment is given to the students. This can be an analysis of a service organisation, a service diary, a topic from the literature coupled with a role play or a case study. A presentation may or may not be required.
This should be done as a group project. This will also test their ability to function as part of a team.
Repeat Assessments
An appropriate repeat assessment will be given to the student should they fail or are unable to complete it the first time.
Indicative Syllabus
The unique characteristics of services and services marketing
The Gaps Model of service quality
Consumer behaviour in services, consumer expectations and perceptions
Research methods for services
The traditional marketing mix and its' application in service businesses
The extended marketing mix of Process, people and physical evidence
Building customer relationships
Service failure and recovery
Coursework & Assessment Breakdown
Coursework Assessment
Title | Type | Form | Percent | Week | Learning Outcomes Assessed | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Assessment | Continuous Assessment | Assessment | 30 % | Week 8 | 2,3,5 |
End of Semester / Year Assessment
Title | Type | Form | Percent | Week | Learning Outcomes Assessed | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Exam | Final Exam | Closed Book Exam | 70 % | End of Semester | 1,4 |
Full Time Mode Workload
Type | Location | Description | Hours | Frequency | Avg Workload |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Lecture | Lecture Theatre | Lecture | 2 | Weekly | 2.00 |
Tutorial | Flat Classroom | Tutorial | 1 | Weekly | 1.00 |
Required & Recommended Book List

2012 Services Marketing McGraw Hill Higher Education
ISBN 007108696X ISBN-13 9780071086967
Services Marketing, 6/e, is written for students and businesspeople who recognise the vital role that services play in the economy and its future. The advanced economies of the world are now dominated by services, and virtually all companies view service as critical to retaining their customers today and in the future. This edition focuses on knowledge needed to implement service strategies for competitive advantage across industries. In addition to standard marketing topics (such as pricing), this text introduces students to entirely new topics that include management and measurement of service quality, service recovery, the linking of customer measurement to performance measurement, service blueprinting, customer cocreation, and cross-functional treatment of issues through integration of marketing with disciplines such as operations and human resources. Each of these topics represents pivotal content for tomorrow s businesses as they attempt to build strong relationships with their customers.
Module Resources
www.itsligo.ie/library to access articles
www.itsligo.ie/moodle to access reading list
www.mii.ie - for the marketing profession in Ireland
Case Studies
Journal Articles
A reading list will be made available to students consisting of articles from HBR, MIT Sloan Management Review, Irish Marketing Review, McKinsey and Science Direct. These articles are read prior to tutorial classes and discussed during the tutorial class.
Pod casts and online videos will be used where appropriate
Students are expected to access extra material - short articles, videos etc on moodle in their own time. Reading of the articles provided is crucial to the module.