MRK 3621 Service marketing

APPLIES TO ACADEMIC YEAR 2012/2013

MRK 3621 Service marketing

Responsible for the course
Line L Olsen

Department
Department of Marketing

Term
According to study plan

ECTS Credits
7,5

Language of instruction
Norwegian

Introduction
Today, service companies account for approximately 75 % of the gross national product in several developed countries, employing approximately 75 % of the labour force. These numbers are expected to increase in the near future. In addition we see that a growing amount of product manufacturing companies extend their products by offering customer services. In a competitive environment dominated by service companies in stagnated markets and increasing focus on customer service, knowledge about service marketing in general and loyalty marketing in particular become a vital prerequisite, in order to succeed in both the private and public sectors. This means that today’s managers need to have in-depth knowledge about the unique characteristics of services as compared to products and the challenges these characteristics pose on marketing and management of customer service and service companies. At the same time, the rapid technological development and the increased use of social media introduce new opportunities and challenges for building relationships between service providers and their customers. Thus, knowledge about the role of technology and social media in service and loyalty marketing becomes another extremely important prerequisite for succeeding in both the private and public sectors.

Learning outcome
Acquired knowledge
This course should provide the students with knowledge about fundamental theories, methods and concepts within the area of service marketing through:
  • an understanding of what challenges one faces when marketing and managing services
  • knowledge about the consequences of these challenges for the employees, the customers and the management
  • knowledge about core models and tools, that can be applied to handle these challenges when the overall goal is to create a loyal and profitable customer base.

Acquired Skills
Through this course the students should be able to apply service marketing knowledge to solve practical and theoretical problems through an increased ability to apply relevant tools and techniques to meet and handle the various challenges and problems of service companies.

Reflection

Through this course the students should be able to communicate information, theories, ideas, problems and solutions from service marketing by an increased focus on ethical problems and corporate social responsibility.


    Prerequisites
    Basic skills in marketing and consumer behavior.

    Compulsory reading
    Books:
    Wilson, Alan ... [et al.]. 2012. Services marketing : integrating customer focus across the firm. 2nd European ed. McGraw-Hill

    Collection of articles:
    Line L. Olsen. Utvalgte artikler i tjenestemarkedsføring

    Recommended reading
    Books:
    Oliver, Richard L. 2010. Satisfaction : a behavioral perspective on the consumer. 2nd ed. M.E. Sharpe

    Course outline
    The foundation of services marketing
    Introduction to services
    Internet services and social media
    Consumer behaviour in services

    Understanding customer requirements
    Listening to customers through research
    Customer expectations of service
    Customer perceptions of service
    Conceptual framework of the book: the gaps model of service quality

    Service design and standards
    Service development and design
    Customer-defined service standards
    Physical evidence and the servicescape

    Delivering and performing service
    Employees’ roles in service delivery
    Customers’ roles in service delivery
    Delivering service through technology
    Intermediaries in service delivery
    Managing demand and capacity

    Managing service promises and building customer loyalty
    Integrated service marketing communication
    Service recovery
    Customer loyalty

    Services marketing and the bottom line
    Pricing of services
    The financial impact of service quality

    Reviewing and critiquing the field of services marketing:
    Review of services marketing: how did it all start and why?
    Do our concepts, theories and models still hold water?
    What trends and challenges are we facing/ will we see in the near future?

    Computer-based tools
    This course requires that students use the learning platform It's Learning and the Internet when they work on assignments.

    Learning process and workload
    The couse will consit of a combination of lectures, group work, discussions and feedback on the work requirements. Feedback will be given in a plennary sesssion after each assignment is handed in.

    Coursework requirements
    During the semester three (3) mandatory assignments are to be handed in, one (1) of these is a multiple-choice test on It's Learning. All three (3) assignments are individual assignments and will be graded as pass/fail. The multiple-choice test may be taken several times if it is not passed the first time (the multiple-choice test can be taken several times before the deadline). All three (3) assignments have to be approved for the student to be able to take the examination. More information will be given during class and on It's Learning.

    Recommended use of time for students:
    Activities
    Hours
    Lectures and group work
    36
    Home work/ preparations before class etc.
    90
    Hours spent on work requirements
    71
    Examination
    3
    Recommended use of time
    200

      Coursework requirements
      In order to sit for the final examination students must pass three (3) mandatory assignments. Se "Learning process and workload".

      Examination
      A three hour individual written examination concludes the course,

      Examination code(s)
      MRK 36211 Written examination, counts 100 % towards the grade in MRK 3621 Service Marketing.

      Examination support materials
      One bilingual dictionary may be used at the written examination.

      Re-sit examination
      A re-sit examiniation is offered every term.
      Examination support materials at written examinations are specified under exam information in our web-based Student Handbook. Please note the use of r and dictionary. http://www.bi.edu/studenthandbook/examaids.


      Additional information