Question 1

First National Bank of Chicago decreased customer waiting time by hiring "peak-time" tellers at a premium wage to work during high demand periods and by setting up express lines for customers who only need to make a deposit or cash a check. By decreasing customer waiting time, First National Bank of Chicago is:
A) Reducing customer dissatisfaction by reducing the need for customer compatibility
B) Decreasing customer self-attribution of dissatisfaction
C) Increasing the size of its customers' evoked sets
D) Universalizing its service script
E) Eliminating the problems associated with service heterogeneity

Accepted Answer

By decreasing customer waiting time, First National Bank of Chicago is reducing customer dissatisfaction by reducing the need for customer compatibility.

Question 2

For many people today, stress is a way of life. One way some are dealing with the stress is by going to mediation centers such as the Itawamba Mediation Center. These centers offer a place for silent prayer and meditation with a focus on spirituality. The Itawamba Mediation Center promises in its ads that you will feel stress-free when you leave its facility after a week's stay or else it will refund its $200 a day room fee. The mediation center's guarantee:
A) Increases customer compatibility
B) Decreases its customers' perceived risk
C) Increases the size of its customers' evoked sets
D) Decreases the need for personal sources of information
E) Decreases service complexity

Accepted Answer

The Itawamba Mediation Center's refund policy decreases its customers' perceived risk, which makes them more likely to try the service.

Question 3

As more Europeans are making their own travel arrangements online, travel agencies are offering new services. One concept that is working well is to market exclusive travel packages that incorporate pre-paid children's activities. By designing packages specifically for parents and their children, the European travel agents are relying on _____ to create a differential advantage.
A) Increased customer compatibility
B) Decreased customer self-attribution of dissatisfaction
C) Smaller customers' evoked sets
D) Increased customer adherence to a service script
E) Decreased service complexity

Accepted Answer

The European travel agents are relying on increased customer compatibility by designing packages specifically for parents and their children to create a differential advantage. This means that the travel package is more compatible with the needs and wants of a specific group of customers (parents with children), making them more likely to choose this service over others.

Question 4

When Louise arrived at the Wyndham Garden Hotel for the 2005 Atlantic Marketing Association Annual Conference, she briefly waited in line at the front desk for the next available clerk. When she got to the front desk, she confirmed her reservation with the front desk clerk, completed a guest registration form and gave the clerk her MasterCard so that he could make an imprint of her card for billing purposes. When she received her room key from the clerk, she was directed to the elevators and went to her room on the 10th floor via the elevator. In terms of the drama metaphor, Louise experienced a service:
A) Decision tree
B) Strategy
C) Plan
D) Blueprint
E) Script

Accepted Answer

Louise's experience at the hotel involved following a predetermined "script" or set of instructions that outlined the steps she needed to take to check-in and access her room. This is consistent with the drama metaphor, which views service encounters as a series of scripted performances. The other options (decision tree, strategy, plan, blueprint) do not necessarily capture the scripted nature of the service encounter.

Question 5

Which of the following statements regarding service purchase and consumption is true?
A) Service delivery can be conceived as an actor
B) Service encounters can be viewed as drama
C) Negative departures from a customer's expected service script detract from service performance
D) Customer compatibility influences customer satisfaction in low contact services
E) Customers do not play a role in a well-scripted service drama

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following statements regarding service...

Question 6

Before going on vacation to Universal Studios with her son and daughter, Daphne called American Airlines, Continental Airlines, Delta Air Lines and USAir to compare flight schedules and round-trip airfares from Newark, New Jersey to Orlando, Florida. American Airlines, Continental Airlines, Delta Air Lines and USAir comprise Daphne's _____ set.
A) Awareness
B) Evoked
C) Perceived
D) Motivational
E) Knowledge

Accepted Answer

Daphne actively searched and compared information about the flight schedules and airfares from different airlines, which falls under the definition of an evoked set. The other options do not accurately describe the situation.

Question 7

Monroe and Ilene are meeting with a potential wedding caterer today. They will sample seven different kinds of wedding cakes, taste three entrees, sip varied wines and examine table setting options. The caterer allows prospective clients to sample his products before purchase in order to:
A) Evoke the drama metaphor
B) Create evidence of credence qualities
C) Reduce the risk inherent in the purchase of a service
D) Eliminate risk
E) Create a larger evoked set

Accepted Answer

Allowing prospective clients to sample products before purchase reduces the risk inherent in the purchase of a service, as it gives the clients a chance to experience the quality of the catering before committing to it.

Question 8

Which of the following is NOT a reason why consumers perceive greater risks when buying services than when buying goods?
A) Warranties or guarantees do not accompany services
B) Services are non-standardized
C) Services are intangible
D) Services have a high level of experience qualities
E) Services are perishable

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following is NOT a...

Question 9

New mother Allyson needs to find a day care center for her infant daughter. Since this is the first time she has had to find someone to care for her daughter, she is unfamiliar with the day care centers in her hometown. Before leaving her child, Allyson has decided to search for information about the different centers located near her home. Which of the following sources is Allyson most likely to use when searching for information about day care centers?
A) The Yellow Pages
B) Friends with babies slightly older than hers
C) Local TV advertising
D) Local pennysaver newspaper
E) Direct mail shopping guide

Accepted Answer

Friends with babies slightly older than hers would be the best source as they can provide personal recommendations and experiences with specific day care centers. The other options may provide listings or advertisements, but may not have personal insights or experiences.

Question 10

Using the drama metaphor, which of the following is considered an element of the physical setting at a hair salon?
A) The specialized training of the employees
B) How equipment is stored and maintained
C) How a customer is greeted when he or she walks in the front door
D) Whether a customer can expect the same treatment each visit
E) None of the above

Accepted Answer

The physical setting refers to the actual physical environment of the hair salon, such as the layout of the salon, the furniture, equipment, decor, and the condition of these elements. Option A refers to the skills and expertise of the employees, which is not a physical element. Option C refers to the greeting, which is part of customer service and not a physical element. Option D refers to the consistency of treatment, which is also not a physical element. Therefore, only option B, which refers to how equipment is stored and maintained, is considered an element of the physical setting.

Question 11

Using the drama metaphor, which of the following is considered an actor in the provision of service at a four-star restaurant?
A) The pre-schooler who is misbehaving at the table behind you
B) The plants that discreetly hide the staff work area
C) The soft music being played on the sound system
D) The leather covered menus with exotic food offerings
E) All of the above

Accepted Answer

In the drama metaphor, an "actor" is someone who actively participates in the service delivery. The pre-schooler, while not part of the restaurant staff, is an active participant in the dining experience, unlike the plants, music, or menus which are considered part of the setting or props.

Question 12

The group of service providers a consumer considers to be acceptable options in a given service category is called the _____ set.
A) Awareness
B) Evoked
C) Recall
D) Perceived
E) Knowledge

Accepted Answer

The group of service providers a consumer considers to be acceptable options in a given service category is called the evoked set. The other options listed are related to different stages of the consumer decision-making process.

Question 13

Raul lives in London, England. To plan for his upcoming vacation to Greece, he will either use Mainstream travel agency, First Choice travel operations or plan it by himself. These three make up Raul's _____ set.
A) Awareness
B) Evoked
C) Recall
D) Perceived
E) Knowledge

Accepted Answer

The evoked set refers to the group of brands or options a consumer considers when making a purchase decision. In this case, Raul's evoked set consists of the three options he is considering for planning his vacation.

Question 14

Consumers are most likely to seek and rely on information from _____ when purchasing a landscaping service for their yard.
A) Newspaper columns on gardening
B) Friends who have attractive yards
C) Advertising by landscape design artists
D) Magazines devoted to gardening
E) A landscape designer's sign they remembered seeing in a well-landscaped yard

Accepted Answer

Consumers often rely on personal recommendations and firsthand experiences, so they are likely to trust friends who have attractive yards and can provide reliable information based on their own experiences with landscaping services.

Question 15

Using the drama metaphor, service actors need three characteristics to create the impression on customers. These three characteristics are:
A) Loyalty, discipline and circumspection
B) Talent, creativity and ingenuity
C) Autonomy, self-interest and empathy
D) Relevance, flexibility and responsibility
E) Empathy, creativity and autonomy

Accepted Answer

The answer of Using the drama metaphor, service actors need...

Question 16

Club Med has vacation villages that are designed specifically for singles, couples or families. Huatulco village in Mexico is a Family Village that offers sports and activities for 12-14- and l5-17-year-olds in its Teen Club. Columbus Isle Village in the Bahamas is designed for couples seeking greater luxury in accommodations and dining than is available at a Singles Village. It has spacious rooms that are artfully decorated and come with a color TV, telephone and private balcony. In addition, guests can enjoy a candlelight dinner in the village's romantic seaside restaurant. By designing its villages for specific market segments, Club Med is:
A) Increasing customer compatibility
B) Decreasing customer self-attribution of dissatisfaction
C) Increasing the size of its customers' evoked sets
D) Increasing customer adherence to a service script
E) Decreasing service complexity

Accepted Answer

By designing its villages for specific market segments, Club Med is increasing customer compatibility. This means that guests are more likely to be satisfied with their experience because it caters to their specific needs and preferences, leading to happier customers and potentially repeat business.

Question 17

In which of the following situations will customer compatibility NOT influence customer satisfaction with a service?
A) Customers are in close proximity to each other in the service environment
B) Customers must wait for the service
C) Verbal interaction among customers is likely in the service environment
D) The service environment attracts a homogeneous customer mix
E) Customers engage in numerous and varied activities in the service environment

Accepted Answer

If the service environment attracts a homogeneous customer mix, customer compatibility is not likely to affect satisfaction as customers are likely to share common interests, values and attitudes.

Question 18

Which of the following statements regarding consumer information search for services is true?
A) Consumers rely less on information from personal sources than from nonpersonal sources when evaluating services prior to purchase
B) Consumers engage in less post-purchase evaluation and information seeking with services than with goods
C) Consumers engage in less post-purchase evaluation than pre-purchase evaluation when selecting and consuming services
D) Consumers perceive fewer risks when buying services than when buying goods
E) Personal sources of information become more important as the complexity of the service being purchased increases

Accepted Answer

Personal sources of information become more important as the complexity of the service being purchased increases. Consumers rely heavily on recommendations from family, friends, and colleagues when selecting services, particularly those that are complex, expensive, and high risk. They also rely on online reviews and ratings, as well as information from the service provider, to make informed decisions. Post-purchase evaluation and information seeking are also common with services, as consumers may need to assess the quality and effectiveness of the service over time.

Question 19

For which of the following products is a consumer likely to have the smallest evoked set of alternatives?
A) Toothpaste
B) Athletic shoes
C) Cereal
D) Movie videos
E) Dry cleaners

Accepted Answer

Dry cleaners are a niche service with limited alternative options, making it likely for a consumer to have a smaller evoked set compared to more widely available products like toothpaste, athletic shoes, cereal, and movie videos.

Question 20

Which of the following statements regarding consumer evaluation of alternatives for services is true?
A) The consumer's evoked set of alternatives is larger with services than with goods
B) Consumers seldom select the first acceptable alternative and prefer to search through many alternatives
C) For nonprofessional services, consumers' decisions often entail the choice between performing the services for themselves and hiring someone to perform them
D) The typical customer's evoked set seldom includes self-provision
E) The primary reason for larger evoked sets is the ease with which adequate purchase information can be obtained

Accepted Answer

For nonprofessional services, such as house cleaning or lawn care, consumers are often deciding between performing the service themselves or hiring someone to perform it. This makes the decision-making process different from goods, where the decision is typically just between different brands or models.

Quiz 3: Consumer Behavior in Services

Which of the following statements regarding service purchase and consumption is true?

Monroe and Ilene are meeting with a potential wedding caterer today. They will sample seven different kinds of wedding cakes, taste three entrees, sip varied wines and examine table setting options. The caterer allows prospective clients to sample his products before purchase in order to:

Which of the following is NOT a reason why consumers perceive greater risks when buying services than when buying goods?

Using the drama metaphor, which of the following is considered an element of the physical setting at a hair salon?

Using the drama metaphor, which of the following is considered an actor in the provision of service at a four-star restaurant?

The group of service providers a consumer considers to be acceptable options in a given service category is called the _____ set.

Raul lives in London, England. To plan for his upcoming vacation to Greece, he will either use Mainstream travel agency, First Choice travel operations or plan it by himself. These three make up Raul's _____ set.

Consumers are most likely to seek and rely on information from _____ when purchasing a landscaping service for their yard.

Using the drama metaphor, service actors need three characteristics to create the impression on customers. These three characteristics are:

In which of the following situations will customer compatibility NOT influence customer satisfaction with a service?

Which of the following statements regarding consumer information search for services is true?

For which of the following products is a consumer likely to have the smallest evoked set of alternatives?

Which of the following statements regarding consumer evaluation of alternatives for services is true?