Chapter 2 Service Characteristics of Hospitality and Tourism Marketing

Marketing services are different from marketing goods.

Chapter Objectives
 Describe a service culture  Identify four service characteristics that affect the marketing of a hospitality or travel product  Explain marketing strategies that are useful in the hospitality and travel industries
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Key Concepts
Service Culture Intangibility Inseparability Variability Perishability Internal marketing Interactive marketing Managing differentiation Managing service quality Tangibilizing the service product Trade dress Physical evidence Point of encounter Managing perceived risk Managing capacity and demand Managing consistency
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The Service Culture

Service Culture: A culture that supports customer service through policies, procedures, reward systems, and actions. Service culture can be implemented: Through employee communication Through company policies Through personal actions
Empowers employees to solve customer problems.  Has to start with top management and flow down. Organizations culture must support and reward customer need attention.

Ritz Carltons Gold Standards

Characteristics of Service Marketing

Intangibility

Cant be seen, tasted, felt, heard, or smelled before purchase.

Inseparability

Cant be separated from service providers.

Variability
Quality depends on who provides them and when, where and how.

Perishability
Cant be stored for later sale or use.

Intangibility
Services can not be seen, tasted, felt, heard, or smelled. Tangible evidences reduce uncertainty High risk associated with services. Lack of tangibility after the experience Companies should create memorable guest experiences Tangibles provide signals as to the quality of the intangible service. Exterior and Interior design Uniforms of employees
Someone who purchase a service may go away empty-handed, but do not go away empty-headed - Robert Lewis

Tangible and Intangible Products/Services

Pure service; no tangible good

Pure tangible good; no service Milk

Hybrid: Tangible equal part goods with goods and service some services Computer Meal at & Warranty Restaurant

Major service with minor good

Hair Styling

Legal Advice
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Inseparability
 Customer-contact employees are part of the product  Other customers become part of service  The employee becomes part of service  The customer and the employee interact with the service delivery system.  Customers and employees must understand the service delivery system. Select, hire and train customers. Select and train contact employees Empower employees
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Variability
Services are highly variable Services are produced and consumed simultaneously. Service consistency depends on the service providers skill. Fluctuating demand makes it difficult to deliver consistent quality. Lack of consistency a major source of customer disappointment. Guest expectations are different. Train contact and non-contact employee
Quality can not be controlled; must be produced
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Perishability
Lack of ability to inventory  Lack of ability to inventory services can not be stored
 Capacity and demand must be successfully managed  If services are to maximize revenue, they must manage capacity and demand.  Change customer use pattern (Hourly, daily, seasonally)  Cross-train employees  Involve customer in the service delivery system

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Management Strategies for Service Business

 Service firms use marketing to position themselves

strongly in chosen target markets.

 In a service business the customer and frontline

service employee interact to create service

 Service providers must work to interact effectively

with customers to create superior value.

 Successful service companies focus their attention on

both their employees and customers.

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Management Strategies for Service Business

External marketing = company and customers Internal marketing = company and employees Interactive marketing = employees and customers

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Internal Marketing
Internal Marketing:
The task of training and motivating employees to provide good customer service. * Customer contact employees * Supportive employees Employees are a critical part of the product and marketing mix There is a need for internal and as well as external marketing.

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Interactive Marketing
Interactive Marketing: Perceived service quality depends heavily on the quality of the buyer-seller interaction during the service buyerencounter. Service quality depends on both the service deliverer and the quality of the delivery The customer judges service quality not just on technical quality (the quality of the food) but also its functional quality (the service provided in the restaurant).
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Management Strategies for Service Business

1. 
   

Managing differentiation Need to develop a differentiated offer, delivery and image. Offer innovative features Airlines offer in-flight movie, advance seating, frequent flyer award programs QSR offers fast delivery services Differentiate service delivery through:  People  Physical environment  Process
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Management Strategies for Service Business

2. Managing service quality  Delivering consistently higher quality than its competitors  The key is to exceed the customers service quality expectations  Identify the expectations of target customers
 Empower frontline employees  Develop a set of common virtues for service quality  Set high service-quality standards.  Watch service performance closely (own and competitors).
Promise only what you can deliver and deliver more than you promise
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Management Strategies for Service Business

3. Tangibilizing the service product Promotional material, Employees appearance, and uniforms. Physical environment Building exteriors Equipment Furniture and fixture Signs
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Management Strategies for Service Business

4. Managing the Physical Surroundings
  

Physical evidence that is not managed properly can hurt a business. Poorly managed physical evidence sends negative messages to customers. Physical surroundings should be designed to reinforce the products position (organization image) in the customers mind.
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A Fishy Sign Story

NOW HIRING CLOSERS

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A Fishy Sign Story

NOW HIRING CLOSERS Oops!! The C dropped off. NOW HIRING LOSERS

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Management Strategies for Service Business

5. Managing Employees as Part of the Product
  

In H&T employees are critical part of the product and marketing mix Human resources and marketing departments must work together The management should formulate policies that support positive relations between employees and guests. Must manage service at the points of encounter (R.Nykiel)
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Management Strategies for Service Business

6. Managing Perceived Risk
    

Customers experience some anxiety before they purchase hospitality and tourism services A salesperson must reduce client fear and gain the clients confidence. FAM trips and sampling help alleviate anxiety Hotels provide, rooms, food, beverage, and entertainment at no cost to the prospective client. Customer loyalty increases for companies that have provided a consistent product in the past.
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Management Strategies for Service Business

7. Managing Capacity and Demand


Hospitality and tourism companies must adjust their operating systems to enable them to operate at maximum capacity.

Complaints tend to increase when companies are operating at full or near to full capacity; companies must remember that their goal is to create satisfied customers.
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Management Strategies for Service Business

8. Managing Consistency  Consistency is one of the key factor in the success of a service business.  Basically, this means that customers receive the service they expect without unwanted surprises.  Many factors work against consistency  % 100 satisfaction guarantee Brand consistency
Product consistency Price consistency Procedure consistency Service consistency Taste consistency Time consistency
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Management Strategies for Service Business

9. Managing the Customer Relationship (CRM)
 

CRM is a managerial philosophy and practice It combines marketing, business strategy, and information technology to better understand the customers, to custom-developed products for key customers CRM focuses on managing revenue opportunities from customers, retaining customers, and enjoying a stream of income from them over their lifetime. Managing Switching Costs
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Next Chapter
The Role of Marketing in Strategic Planning

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