Services Marketing

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Bateson and Hoffman's SERVICES MARKETING, 4e, examines the use of services marketing as a competitive tool from a uniquely broad perspective. The book explores services marketing not only as an essential focus for service firms, but also as a source of competitive advantage for companies that market tangible products. As a result, real-world examples throughout the book feature a wide array of businesses representing a variety of industries both within and beyond the nine service economy supersectors: education and health services, financial activities, government, information, leisure and hospitality, professional and business services, transportation and utilities, wholesale and retail trade, and "other services." The Fourth Edition of this proven book draws on cutting-edge data to cover important current issues such as business-to-business services, technology, and the global market, giving you valuable insights and skills to help you understand-and succeed in-today's business environment. Key Features 1.The Fourth Edition features significant updates and revisions to every chapter to deliver the latest in services marketing concepts and practices, including updated coverage of topics such as managing employees, managing service customers, implementing service recovery programs, understanding service supersectors and ethical considerations, and creating a world-class service culture. 2.A new boxed feature dedicated to Sustainability & Services in Action, included in every chapter, addresses sustainable services marketing practices across a variety of global industries, making this groundbreaking services marketing text one of the first to incorporate sustainability as a key emphasis from start to finish. Topics include LEED Rating systems, the cost of going green, TerraPass, TreeHugger, consumer motivations to recycle, the triple-bottom-line, and more. 3.Each chapter opens with a new vignette that spotlights service issues in real companies, using compelling real-life situations to draw in readers and set the stage for chapter topics. Featured companies include NetFlix, Ticketmaster, Frontier Airlines, VailResorts, Harrah's, Google, Geico, "Dinner in the Sky," and RateMyProfessor.com. 4.Unique to this market, Bateson and Hoffman have created a YouTube Video Library with links to more than 50 videos illustrating key service concepts that are cross-referenced by chapter. The library includes both humorous and serious videos selected for their potential to bring services marketing practices alive in the classroom and create a more interactive atmosphere for learning. 5.New "in Action" boxed features on E-Services, Global Services, and Sustainability & Services effectively integrate considerations of technology and the Internet, the global market, sustainability, and ethics throughout the text as a complement to comprehensive coverage of the latest services marketing concepts and practices. 6.Ten review questions follow each chapter to help students revisit key concepts, reinforce their understanding and application of the chapter content, and prepare for class assignments and exams. Answers to the review questions are provided in the Instructor's Manual. 7.Each chapter concludes with a brief, engaging, and informative case that further illustrates and extends the concepts developed in the chapter by exploring their relevance to real-world companies and industries. Additional material onthe end-of-chapter cases is provided in the Instructor's Manual. 8.Key terms within each chapter are highlighted in the text and defined in the adjacent margin, while a glossary at the end of the chapter collects all terms and definitions in a convenient list for easy review and reference. 9.Every chapter opens with a managerially oriented, thought-provoking quote that pertains to chapter content and sets an immediate practical tone. Examples include "Washrooms will always tell if your company cares about its customers," and "The bitterness of poor quality is remembered long after the sweetness of low price has faded from memory." Table of Contents PART I: AN OVERVIEW OF SERVICES MARKETING (THE ESSENTIALS OF SERVICES MARKETING: INSIDE THE BOX) 1: Understanding the Service Experience 2: Traditional Service Supersectors and Ethical Considerations 3: Unique Discrepancies between Goods and Services 4: Consumer Decision Making in Services Marketing PART II: THE TACTICAL SERVICES MARKETING MIX (DEVELOPING EFFECTIVE SERVICES MARKETING STRATEGIES) 5: Focus on Service Processes 6: Considerations for Services Pricing 7: Effective Service Promotions 8: Managing the Servicescape and Other Physical Evidence 9: People as Strategy: Managing Service Personnel 10: People as Strategy: Managing Service Consumers PART III: IMPLEMENTING SUCCESSFUL SERVICE STRATEGIES (ASSESSING AND IMPROVING THE SERVICE EXPERIENCE) 11: The Essentials of Customer Satisfaction Measurement 12: Service Quality: Identifying and Rectifying the Gaps 13: Managing Service Failures and Implementing Effective Recovery Strategies 14: Strategies for Facilitating Customer Loyalty & Retention 15: Pulling the Pieces Together: Creating a World Class Service Culture.