Question 1

When Blue Man Group began,the three founders performed every show.In order to expand the concept and overcome the limits of service ________,the founders added more Blue Men.

Accepted Answer

Inseparability refers to the fact that the service provider (in this case, the Blue Man Group performers) cannot be separated from the service experience. Since the founders were the only performers at first, their limited availability and ability to perform multiple shows in a day could be seen as a limit to the service's inseparability. Adding more Blue Men allowed for more shows to be performed and expanded the service's capacity.

Question 2

Based on the service-quality "gaps" model,the researchers identified five determinants of service quality.List and briefly explain each.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Based on the service-quality "gaps" model,the researchers...

Question 3

Marketing academics and consultants Jeffrey Rayport and Bernie Jaworski believe that to deliver high levels of customer-perceived value,any customer-service interface should excel on four dimensions.Define the term "customer-service interface" and identify the four dimensions on which it should excel.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Marketing academics and consultants Jeffrey Rayport and...

Question 4

When cell phone providers offer "weekends free," they are attempting to ________ when it comes to the perishability of the service they provide.

Accepted Answer

By offering "weekends free," cell phone providers are incentivizing customers to use their service more heavily during a typically lower demand period (weekends), in order to balance out the supply and demand of their services. This helps them manage their resources more efficiently and avoid waste from unused capacity during slow periods.

Question 5

The model of service-quality expectations is based on the premise that customer perceptions and expectations of service quality change over time,but at any one point in time are a function of prior expectations of what will and what should happen during the service encounter,as well as the actual service delivered during the last contact.The researchers' empirically tested model contends that the two different types of expectations have opposing effects on perceptions of service quality.List these two models.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The model of service-quality expectations is based...

Question 6

Services have four distinctive characteristics that greatly affect the design of marketing programs.List these characteristics and briefly explain each.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Services have four distinctive characteristics that greatly...

Question 7

Some services are easy to evaluate by the consumer and others are not.Which one of the following would be considered high in credence qualities and thus hard to evaluate by the majority of consumers?

Accepted Answer

A medical diagnosis requires specialized knowledge and expertise that the majority of consumers do not possess, making it high in credence qualities and difficult to evaluate.

Question 8

Although I used to use the U.S.Postal Service because it offered better prices on package shipping,now I almost always use FedEx because I can ship from any FedEx*Kinkos location 24 hours per day.This is an example of which of the following factors leading to customer switching behavior?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Although I used to use the U.S.Postal...

Question 9

Services vary depending who provides them and when and where they are performed.Which of the following strategy would work for you to increase the quality control over your tax preparation services as you expand to other markets?

Accepted Answer

Investing in good training and hiring procedures will ensure that tax preparation services are performed consistently and accurately. Standardizing the service can help maintain consistency and quality control in different markets. Monitoring customer satisfaction will provide feedback on how well the service is being performed and identify areas for improvement. Therefore, all of the above strategies are necessary to increase the quality control over tax preparation services when expanding to other markets.

Question 10

A company's offerings often include services as a minor or a major part of the total offering.List and briefly explain each of the five categories of offerings.

Accepted Answer

The answer of A company's offerings often include services as...

Question 11

Developing brand strategies for a service brand requires special attention to the elements of branding and marketing.Explain why it is different for branding a service versus a tangible product.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Developing brand strategies for a service brand...

Question 12

If we say that services cannot be seen before purchase,forcing customers to look for other clues to assess service quality,we mean that services are _________.

Accepted Answer

Services are intangible, meaning they cannot be seen, touched, or tasted before purchase. This makes it difficult for customers to assess service quality before making a purchase, and they must rely on other clues such as reputation, word-of-mouth recommendations, or previous experiences. The other options (inseparable, perishable, variable) all describe other characteristics of services, but do not relate directly to the fact that services cannot be seen before purchase.

Question 13

When restaurants and theme parks add summer workers,they are attempting to manage supply and demand for their services by ________.

Accepted Answer

Restaurants and theme parks can manage supply and demand by using part-time employees during peak season. This allows them to increase capacity during busy periods without incurring the cost of hiring full-time employees year-round.

Question 14

Charles Schwab's best customers get their calls answered in 15 seconds;other customers can wait longer.This is best described as ________.

Accepted Answer

This is an example of raising service levels to retain profitable customers. Schwab is placing a higher priority on answering the calls of their best customers more quickly in order to maintain their loyalty and retain their profitable business.

Question 15

Services can be high in search qualities.Which one of the following is NOT seen as high in search qualities?

Accepted Answer

Medical diagnosis is not typically high in search qualities as it requires specialized knowledge and expertise to accurately diagnose a medical condition. Patients may have to rely on the reputation and credentials of the healthcare professional or facility they choose, rather than being able to easily compare based on objective criteria like price or quality of materials, as they might do for decorating or dining.

Question 16

The service outcome,and whether people will remain loyal to a service provider,is influenced by a host of variables.Identify the eight categories into which these factors fall.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The service outcome,and whether people will remain...

Question 17

The service quality of a firm is tested at each customer encounter.The service-quality model highlights the main requirements for delivering high service quality.The model identifies five gaps that cause unsuccessful delivery.List each of these gaps.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The service quality of a firm is...

Question 18

Several strategies exist for managing supply and demand of services.List the strategies for both managing "supply" and then for managing "demand."

Accepted Answer

The answer of Several strategies exist for managing supply and...

Question 19

A plumbing firm is considered a service firm because they are providing "services" to households and businesses.The service component then would fall into which one of the following categories of offerings?

Accepted Answer

The answer of A plumbing firm is considered a service...

Question 20

Manufacturers of equipment must provide product-support services.Product-support services are becoming a major battleground for competitive advantages.Firms that provide high-quality service outperform their less-service-orientated competitors.In service support programs,customers generally have three specific worries.List these three worries and briefly explain each.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Manufacturers of equipment must provide product-support services.Product-support...

Quiz 13: Designing and Managing Services