Ventajas Web Delivery

(h) Delivery and consumption of service. (i) Decision to buy goods.

(j) Post-purchase evaluation: satisfaction or otherwise.

3. PREPOSITIONS

Supply the missing prepositions.

Marketing in different sectors

Services can be distinguished ……… products because they are intangible, in- separable from the production process, variable, and perishable. Services are intangible because they can often not be seen, tasted, felt, heard, or smelled before they are pur- chased. A person purchasing plastic surgery cannot see the results ……… the purchase, and a lawyer’s client cannot anticipate the outcome ……… a case before the lawyer’s

work is presented ……… court. To reduce the uncertainty that results ……… this intangibility, marketers may strive to make their service tangible ……… emphasizing the place, people, equipment, communications, symbols, or price of the service.

Services are inseparable ……… their production because they are typically pro- duced and consumed simultaneously. This is not true ……… physical products, which are often consumed long ……… the product has been manufactured, inventoried, dis- tributed, and placed ……… a retail store. Inseparability is especially evident in enter- tainment services or professional services. ……… many cases, inseparability limits the production of services because they are so directly tied ……… the individuals who perform them. This problem can be alleviated if a service provider learns to work faster or if the service expertise can be standardised and performed ……… a number of in- dividuals (as H&R Block, Inc., has done ……… its network of trained tax consultants ……… the United States).

The variability of services comes ……… their signi cant human component. Not only do humans differ ……… one another, but their performance ……… any given time may differ ……… their performance ……… another time. The mechanics ……… a particular auto service garage, for example, may differ ……… terms ……… their knowledge and expertise, and each mechanic will have “good” days and “bad” days.

Finally, services are perishable because they cannot be stored. Because of this, it is dif cult ……… service providers to manage anything other than steady demand. When demand increases dramatically, service organisations face the problem of produc- ing enough output to meet customer needs. When a large tour bus unexpectedly arrives ……… a restaurant, its staff must rush to meet the demand, because the food services (taking orders, making food, taking money, etc.) cannot be “warehoused” ……… such an occasion. To manage such instances, companies may hire part-time employees, de- velop ef ciency routines for peak demand occasions, or ask consumers to participate

……… the service-delivery process. ……… the other hand, when demand drops off precipitously, service organisations are often burdened ……… a staff of service pro- viders who are not performing. Organisations can maintain steady demand ……… offering differential pricing during off-peak times, anticipating off-peak hours ……… requiring reservations, and giving employees more  exible work shifts.

4. ARTICLES

Fill in the blank with the appropriate article or leave it blank to indicate that no article is necessary.

Correcting complaints

If …… complaint is about …… physical product …… simple replacement of …… faulty product will usually be suf cient, but it is always better to go …… step further and provide some further recompense if possible. Services fall into …… fol- lowing categories, for …… purpose of correcting complaints.

• Services where it is appropriate to offer …… repeat service. Examples are …… vacuum cleaners, domestic appliances, etc.

• Services where giving …… money back will usually be suf cient. Examples are retail shops, cinema and theatres, video rental companies, etc.

• Services where consequential losses may have to be compensated for. Examples are medical services, solicitors, etc.

…… above mentioned categories are not necessarily comprehensive or exclu- sive; sometimes it may be necessary to give back …… consumer’s money and also make some other redress. It is important that …… dissatis ed customers are allowed to voice their complaints fully and that …… appropriate compensation is negotiated in …… light of …… strength of …… complaint; …… degree of blame attaching to

…… supplier, from …… consumer’s viewpoint; and …… legal and moral relationship between supplier and consumer.

…… failure to solve problems raised by post-purchase dissonance will, ultimate- ly, lead to irreparable damage to ……  rm’s reputation. …… evidence from …… research carried out by …… Coca-Cola Corporation is that …… consumers whose complaints are resolved satisfactorily tend to become more loyal than those consumers who did not have …… complaint in ……  rst place. In …… last analysis, it is always cheaper to keep an existing customer than it is to attract …… new one.

5. TENSES

Fill in the blank spaces in the text with correct verb forms. Business marketing

Business marketing, sometimes ………… (CALL) business-to-business market- ing or industrial marketing, ……… (INVOLVE) those marketing activities and functions that ……… (TARGET) toward organisational customers. This type of marketing involves ………… (SELL) goods and services to both public and private organisations ………… (USE) directly or indirectly in their own production or serv- ice-delivery operations. Some of the major industries that ……… (COMPRISE) the business market are construction, manufacturing, mining, transportation, public util- ities, communications, and distribution. One of the key points that ……… (DIFFERENTIATE) business from consumer marketing is the magnitude of the transac- tions. For example, in the mid-1990s, a Boeing 747 airliner, selling for about $155 mil- lion, ……… (CAN TAKE UP) to four years to manufacture and deliver once the order ……… (PLACE). Often, a major airline company ……… (ORDER) several aircraft at one time, making the purchase price as high as a billion dollars.

REVIEW AND DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Service industry is one of the fastest growing sectors of economy in developed countries. It now accounts for more than 60% of their economy in terms of GDP and employment. Service industries, while producing no tangible goods, provide services or intangible gains or generate wealth. In free market this sector generally has a mix of private and government enterprise. The industries of this sector include banking,  - nance, insurance, investment, and real estate services; wholesale and retail trade; trans- portation, information, and communications services; professional, consulting, legal, and personal services; tourism, hotels, restaurants, and entertainment; repair and main- tenance services; education and teaching; and health, social welfare, administrative, police, security, and defense services.

The below given Boston Aquarium text shows some of the problems that services marketing creates. They are different from those of goods marketing. Marketing prob- lems arise from the very nature of services. After reading through the text try to answer the below given questions.

1. Robert Sharp, the Director of the Boston Aquarium has just received a memo from Ms. Flounden, the Educational Programmes Co-ordinator. She has pro- posed that, starting autumn, the Boston Aquarium restrict weekday admissions to school tours during the hours from 10:00 a.m. to 03:00 p.m. and exclude the general public during these hours.

2. During the last school year, the Boston Aquarium offered 6 formal educational programmes for children from kindergarten and primary school. Children were also given guided tours by volunteer guides. The tours included various perfor- mances offered to general public. Although the tours were successful, both in- dividual visitors and teachers complained. Some members of the general public found it irritating to walk the galleries with “all the screaming kinds around”. The teachers, on the other hand, expressed disappointment in their inability to book their pupils into the aquarium programmes. Since the school market is very important to the aquarium and, besides, the weekday attendance by the general public was low the previous school year, Mr. Sharp thought he should give the proposal some serious consideration.

3. Closing the galleries to the general public on school days would have several affects: (a) The “con ict” between the general public and the school tours would be eliminat-

ed, since the public would not be  ghting the crowds of schoolchildren. However, the annoyance with the school children may turn into anger at not being admitted at all, especially with the members, who see the aquarium as theirs.

(b) The Clam Gift Shop would not need to be open during the hours of school tours which would result in one less paid position during these hours.

(c) General public accounted for 70% of visitors during weekdays last year. Therefore, revenues from the school programme would have to be increased to cover at least part of the loss in general admissions revenues. The loss could not be made up by opening the aquarium admission after 03:00 p.m. since few visitors came at that time during winter.

Questions

1. Having in mind the nature of services, and referring to the previous services mar- keting texts: (a) what ways of increasing revenue would you suggest; and (b) how would you promote the Boston Aquarium in the next winter season?

2. High quality service cannot be offered without well-trained and motivated people, especially those who contact the customers. Since having more children groups would mean more effort on the part of the staff, how would you promote the new strategy to them?

3. The appearance and manners of  rst-line employees are extremely important. What should an ideal bank manager, stockbroker, insurance agent, customer sup- port engineer, etc. be like?

Enhancing your communication skills

1. Write an essay based on the following statements:

(a) “For many marketers, the difference between services marketing and the mar-

keting of physical goods is negligible.”

(b) “Complaints should be encouraged because they give the opportunity to cure

post-purchase dissonance and create loyal customers”.