MKTG 4411: Services Marketing
Students examine the important issues facing service providers and the successful implementation of a customer focus in service-based businesses. Topics include an overview of services marketing; understanding the customer in services marketing; standardizing and aligning the delivery of services; the people who deliver and perform services; managing demand and capacity; and promotion and pricing strategies in services marketing.
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course, students will be able to:
- Explain the unique challenges of services marketing, including the elements of product, price, place, promotion, processes, physical evidence, and people.
- Describe how customer relationship marketing (CRM), including retention strategies, creates an environment that achieves excellence in customer service.
- Design service quality measurements to build customer loyalty and evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of customer service offerings.
- Explain service blueprinting, the integration of new technologies, and other key issues facing today's customer service providers and service managers.
- Discuss the influences of the multicultural marketplace, business ethics, and socially responsible marketing on services marketing.
- Conduct a services audit plan for a service firm.
- Integrate course concepts into individual performance to become better cus¬tomer service representatives in the service environment.
Course topics
Module 1: Foundations for Service Marketing
Module 2: Understanding Customer Requirements
Module 3: Aligning Service Design and Standards
Module 4: Delivering and Preforming Services
Module 5: Managing Service Promises
Required text and materials
Zeithaml, V.A., Bitner, M.J., Gremler, D.D. (2018) Services Marketing: Integrating Customer
Focus Across the Firm with Connect Access.(7th ed.). New York: NY. McGraw-Hill
Education.
Textbook: ISBN: 978-1260051988
Additional requirements
A computer with Internet access is required.
Assessments
Please be aware that should your course have a final exam, you are responsible for the fee to the online proctoring service, ProctorU, or to the in-person approved Testing Centre. Please contact exams@tru.ca with any questions about this.
To successfully complete this course, students must achieve a passing grade of 50% or higher on the overall course, and 50% or higher on the final mandatory exam.
| Assignment 1: Company Environment and Customer Gap Analysis | 10% |
| Assignment 2: Build a Service Blueprint | 10% |
| Assignment 3: Service Delivery Roles | 10% |
| Assignment 4: Services Audit Plan | 10% |
| Assignment 5: Reflective Summary | 10% |
| Quizzes | 15% |
| Final Examination* | 35% |
| Total | 100% |
*Mandatory
Open Learning Faculty Member Information
An Open Learning Faculty Member is available to assist students. Students will receive the necessary contact information at the start of the course.
