Question 1

Alana operates a wedding preparation service that helps brides-to-be in the planning of their weddings.To maintain a quality image and a standardized offering,Alana provides extensive training for each of her employees.What unique aspect of services is Alana trying to address?

Accepted Answer

Because services depend on the people who provide them,their quality varies with each person's capabilities and day-to-day job performance.Organizations such as Alana's attempt to reduce inconsistency through standardization and training.

Question 2

Inconsistency of services refers to the fact that

Accepted Answer

Key term definition-inconsistency.

Question 3

The interaction between a service provider and the consumer such that the two of them co-create value together is due to which element unique to services?

Accepted Answer

A third difference between services and products,and related to problems of consistency,is inseparability.In most cases,the consumer cannot (and does not)separate the deliverer of the service from the service itself.This interaction between the service provider and the consumer means that they often co-create value together.

Question 4

Services depend on the people who provide them.As a result,their quality varies with each person's capabilities and day-to-day job performance.This element of services is referred to as

Accepted Answer

Key term definition-inconsistency.

Question 5

If you find that the staff who work in your college's career center gave you poor advice or otherwise did not provide sufficient help in finding you employment after graduation,you may be dissatisfied with your entire college experience.This is an example of which issue associated with services?

Accepted Answer

The inseparability of services means consumers cannot separate the service from the deliverer of the service,so poor staff in one area can taint your impression of the whole college.

Question 6

A situation that occurs when a service provider is available but there is no demand is referred to as

Accepted Answer

Key term definition-idle production capacity.

Question 7

The brochure for Spa Sydell has photographs of people enjoying the various spa amenities.By seeing the pictures of available treatments at the spa,a customer has a better idea of what she is buying.Spa Sydell uses a brochure to help customers deal with the ________ that is associated with using the service.

Accepted Answer

Services are intangible;that is,they can't be held,touched,or seen before their purchase.The pictures allow customers to feel less uncertain about their service purchase.

Question 8

Idle production capacity affects service delivery and is defined as

Accepted Answer

Key term definition-idle production capacity.

Question 9

To help consumers assess and compare its airline service,Frontier Airlines uses personable animal characters in its advertising to announce and describe benefits,such as leather seats and "stretch" seating,to help deal with the

Accepted Answer

Services are intangible;that is,they can't be held,touched,or seen before their purchase.To help consumers assess and compare services,marketers try to make them tangible or show the benefits of using the service.Frontier Airlines sells intangible transportation from one point to another and tries to make the service more tangible by describing tangible benefits with the personable animals shown in its advertising campaigns.

Question 10

The Philadelphia Phillies baseball team may have great hitting and pitching one day,and lose by 10 runs the next day.This is an example of a service being

Accepted Answer

Services depend on the people who provide them.As a result,their quality varies with each person's capabilities and day-to-day job performance.Inconsistency is more of a problem in services than it is with tangible goods.For example,the Philadelphia Phillies baseball team may have great hitting and pitching one day and the next day lose by 10 runs.

Question 11

Andrea Arenas is the owner of 2 Places at 1 Time,a concierge company.She and her staff of 60 perform everyday services,such as walking the dog,picking up cleaning,waiting for the repairman,and going to the post office,for people who are too busy to perform these simple tasks.One way she tries to avoid ________ of services for her regular customers is to make sure that the same well-trained person is always assigned to work for the same client.

Accepted Answer

Because services depend on the people who provide them,their quality varies with each person's capabilities and day-to-day job performance.Organizations such as Andrea's attempt to reduce inconsistency through standardization and training.

Question 12

How is inventory of services different from that of products?

Accepted Answer

Many goods have inventory handling costs that relate to their storage,perishability,and movement.With services,inventory carrying costs are more subjective and are related to idle production capacity,which is when the service provider is available but there is no demand for the service.The inventory cost of a service is the cost of paying the person used to provide the service along with any needed equipment.

Question 13

A local band performed on campus during a pre-graduation party.The students enjoyed the performance,and some of them were interested enough to buy tickets to see another show at a club downtown.But when they went to that concert,the quality of the performance was much poorer than they had heard and seen on campus.The students' disappointment was the direct result of which characteristic of services?

Accepted Answer

Because services depend on the people who provide them,their quality varies with each person's capabilities and day-to-day job performance.The band for whatever reason did not perform as well at the downtown venue as it had on campus.

Question 14

Jack graduated from law school and took his mom to dinner after the ceremony.At the restaurant,the server filled their water glasses,checked on their table,and took care of their requests.Jack noted that the last time he was at this restaurant,the experience was much worse.This scenario illustrates the ________ of services.

Accepted Answer

Because services depend on the people who provide them,their quality varies with each person's capabilities and day-to-day job performance.This often results in inconsistency like the varied service Jack experienced.

Question 15

Organizations attempt to reduce inconsistency in their services by

Accepted Answer

Organizations attempt to reduce inconsistency through standardization and training.

Question 16

When banks are closed,they can offer value to their customers through automatic teller machines (ATMs).This self-service technology also comes with a downside since the ATMs are perceived as being less

Accepted Answer

While this approach can create value for consumers,a disadvantage of some self-service technologies such as ATMs,grocery store scanning checkout counters,and self-service gas station pumps is that they are perceived as being less personal.

Question 17

When Mandy last got her drive-through order at the fast-food restaurant,she thought the employee who helped her was cold and unfriendly.The food tasted good but was overshadowed by the employee's demeanor.Since then,Mandy often says something derogatory to her friends about the restaurant based on this single experience.This is an example of which issue associated with services?

Accepted Answer

The inseparability of services means consumers cannot separate the service from the deliverer of the service,and so the rude service has soured Mandy on this restaurant.

Question 18

Although many people love the self-service technology that allows Redbox to provide DVDs 24 hours a day,seven days a week,many people also want personal interaction and recommendations from other people.Redbox confronted this issue by creating "Redblog," where customers could share their opinions,feelings,and experiences.This is an example of managing the

Accepted Answer

While this approach can create value for consumers,a disadvantage of some self-service technologies such as those offered by Redbox is that they are perceived as being less personal.The relationship (or lack thereof)between the service provider and the consumer is an aspect of inseparability.

Question 19

Chuck is a guide for tours that take visitors to swim with manatees in central Florida.He is a very gregarious guy with funny stories and a great way with people,so many online reviewers mention him by name and say little about the organization he works for.The reviewers' inability to see the distinction between Chuck and the tour company is an example of which unique characteristic of services?

Accepted Answer

The inseparability of services means consumers cannot separate the service itself (tour company)from the deliverer of the service (Chuck).

Question 20

Inseparability in services means consumers

Accepted Answer

A difference between services and products related to problems of consistency is inseparability.In most cases,the consumer cannot (and does not)separate the service from the deliverer of the service.

Quiz 12: Services Marketing