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
- 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 Services Marketing
- Module 2: Understanding Customer Requirements
- Module 3: Aligning Service Design and Standards
- Module 4: Delivering and Performing Services
- Module 5: Managing Service Promises
Required text and materials
Students require the following e-textbook, which can be purchased directly from the TRU bookstore site at: https://thebookstore.tru.ca/site_digital.asp
- Zeithaml, V.A., Bitner, M.J., Gremler, D.D., (2023). Services Marketing: Integrating Customer Focus Across the Firm (8th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education
Type: E-Textbook. ISBN: 9781266378911
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 mandatory Final Exam.
| Assignment 1: Customer Gap Analysis and Provider Gap 1 | 10% |
| Assignment 2: Build a Services Blueprint | 10% |
| Assignment 3: Service Delivery Roles | 10% |
| Assignment 4: Services Audit Plan | 10% |
| Assignment 5: Reflecting on Artificial Intelligence (AI), the Gaps Model, and Online Discussions | 10% |
| Quizzes 1 to 5 | 15% |
| Mandatory Final Exam | 35% |
| Total | 100% |
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.
