Module 1:

Introduction to services: Concepts, contribution and reasons for the growth of services sector, difference in goods and service in marketing, myths about services, characteristics of services, concept of service marketing triangle, service marketing mix, GAP models of service quality. Marketing challenges in service industry.

Module 2:

Consumer behaviour in services: Search, Experience and Credence property, consumer expectation of services, two levels of expectation, Zone of tolerance, Factors influencing customer expectation of services. Customer perception of services-Factors that influence customer perception of service, Service encounters, Customer satisfaction, Strategies for influencing customer perception.

Module 3:

Understanding customer expectation through market research: Key reasons for GAP 1,using marketing research to understand customer expectation, Types of service research, Building customer relationship through retention strategies –Relationship marketing, Evaluation of customer relationships, Benefits of customer relationship, levels of retention strategies, Market segmentation-Basis & targeting in services.

Module 4:

Customer defined service standards: “Hard” & “Soft” standards, process for developing customer defined standards Leadership &Measurement system for market driven service performance-key reasons for GAP-2 service leadership- Creation of service vision and implementation, Service quality as profit strategy, Role of service quality In offensive and defensive marketing. Service design and positioning-Challenges of service design, new service development-types, stages. Service blue printing-Using & reading blue prints. Service positioning-positioning on the five dimensions of service quality, Service recovery.

Module 5:

Employee role in service designing: importance of service employee, Boundary spanning roles, Emotional labour, Source of conflict, Quality- productivity trade off, Strategies for closing GAP3.Customer’s role in service delivery-Importance of customer & customer’s role in service delivery, Strategies for enhancing-Customer participation, Delivery through intermediaries-Key intermediaries for service delivery, Intermediary control strategies.

Module 6:

Role of marketing communication-Key reasons for GAP 4 involving communication, four categories of strategies to match service promises with delivery, Methodology to exceed customer expectation. Pricing of services-Role of price and value in provider GAP 4, Role of non monitory cost, Price as an indicator of service quality –Approaches to pricing services, pricing strategies.

Module 7:

Physical evidence in services: Types of service spaces- Role of service scapes, Frame work for understanding service scapes & its effect on behaviour-Guidance for physical evidence strategies. Case Studies in Indian context only

Practical component:

• Ask students to choose a service industry of their choice at the beginning of the  emester.

• Ask them to do an in-depth study of the industry and give a presentation at the end of the every Module relating to the concepts of that Module to the industry

• Students can prepare service blueprints for any service of their choice

• Students can do a role play on service recovery

• Identify any existing services. Locate loopholes in their design and suggest modifications