This course is organized around a revised framework for developing effective service marketing strategies that seamlessly builds on topics learned in a principles or marketing management course. In this course the nature of services, how to understand services, how consumer behavior relates to services, and how to position services will be explained. It lays the building blocks for studying services and for learning how one can become an effective service marketer. It will cover the development of the service concept and its value proposition, and the product, distribution, pricing, and communications strategies that are needed for developing a successful business model in service sector. It will revisit the 4 Ps of the traditional marketing mix (Product, Place, Price, and Promotion) and expands them to account for the specific characteristics of services that make them different from goods marketing. It will focus on managing the interface between customers and the service organization. It covers the additional 3 Ps (Process, Physical environment, and People) that are specific to service marketing. Moreover, it will explain the implementation and managing effective service marketing. It will also explain customer loyalty, complaint handling and service recovery, improving service quality and productivity, and finally, striving for service leadership.
- Teacher: Homayoun Safavi