Question 1

The fact the services cannot be inventoried and then sold at a later date is called

Accepted Answer

The fact that services cannot be inventoried and sold at a later date is known as perishability. Services are perishable in nature, meaning they cannot be stored and sold at a later date, unlike physical goods. This creates a challenge for service providers as they must manage their resources effectively to ensure they are delivering services efficiently and profitably.

Question 2

Client-based relationships are least likely to be developed by

Accepted Answer

Appliance repairmen typically have one-time interactions with clients for a specific job and are less likely to develop ongoing relationships with clients compared to other professions such as accountants or psychiatrists.

Question 3

The fact that the first massage Regina gives each day is better than the last massage demonstrates the ____ of services.

Accepted Answer

Heterogeneity refers to the variability or differences in the output of services due to the involvement of human factors. Since each massage given by Regina is unique and impacted by factors such as client preferences, physical condition, and mood, the heterogeneity of the service is reflected in the fact that the first massage of the day is better than the last. Conversely, if the massages were completely standardized and consistent in quality, the heterogeneity of the service would be low.

Question 4

Saresh owns the Change Now, a salon specializing in the unique hair needs of minority populations. Recently, Saresh has been trying to improve the quality of service received by his customers. However, he has experienced difficulty in finding ways to standardize and control the salon's quality of service. Saresh's problem illustrates which of the following unique features of service?

Accepted Answer

Saresh's problem of standardizing and controlling the salon's quality of service points towards the unique feature of heterogeneity, which means that services are generally inconsistent and vary from customer to customer, making it difficult to maintain a consistent level of quality.

Question 5

Erica asks Rebecca what housecleaning service she would recommend in Oakview. Rebecca responds that Pristine Cleaning is great if you can be assured that Jamie will be the person assigned to your house. Rebecca's recommendation addresses which of the following service features?

Accepted Answer

Rebecca's recommendation addresses the heterogeneity of housecleaning services as she is recommending a specific employee, Jamie, rather than the overall service of Pristine Cleaning.

Question 6

The more ____ involved with delivering a service, the greater the degree of heterogeneity.

Accepted Answer

The involvement of human labor in delivering a service means that people are performing the service, which can result in variations in how the service is provided. This can lead to a greater degree of heterogeneity, or variability, in the service delivered.

Question 7

The continuum of tangibility goes from ____ on one end to ____ on the other end.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The continuum of tangibility goes from ____...

Question 8

The intangibility aspect of a service means that

Accepted Answer

The intangibility aspect of a service means that it cannot be evaluated by physical characteristics like tangible goods. This can create difficulties for consumers in understanding what they will receive and evaluating the quality of the service.

Question 9

The main characteristic of a ____ is that customers are satisfied to the point that they use a service repeatedly over a period of time.

Accepted Answer

A client-based relationship refers to a long-term relationship between a service provider and a customer, where the customer is satisfied to the point of using the service repeatedly over a period of time. Therefore, E is the best choice. The other options, such as A) service relationship, B) professional marketer, C) high-contact service, and D) heterogeneous service do not accurately describe this characteristic.

Question 10

Because of a service's ____, standardization and quality are difficult to control.

Accepted Answer

Heterogeneity refers to the fact that services are variable because they are performed by humans who can differ in their skills, attitudes, and other personal factors. This makes standardization and quality control difficult, as it is hard to ensure that every service experience will be identical.

Question 11

Because practically all marketers provide some services, ____ typically do not exist in today's business environment.

Accepted Answer

Pure goods are rare in today's business environment because most products come with some level of service, making it difficult to find products that are purely tangible without any service component.

Question 12

Hair stylists find it challenging to standardize their service because the customer must be involved in production (i.e., the haircut). This illustrates which of the following unique features of services?

Accepted Answer

Inseparability is the unique feature of services that indicates that the customer is involved in the production process. Therefore, hair stylists find it challenging to standardize their service due to the inseparability of services.

Question 13

H&R Block, a major tax preparation firm, reported having a problem with its employees being inconsistent in the filing of returns. The firm is experiencing a problem with which of the following characteristics of the service offering?

Accepted Answer

Heterogeneity refers to the variability in the service experience due to the fact that services are performed by people and people are inherently different from each other. In this case, the inconsistency in the filing of returns by H&R Block employees indicates a high degree of heterogeneity in the service offering.

Question 14

Many services base their success on building a group of satisfied customers who use their services on a regular basis over long periods of time. This critical component of success is referred to as

Accepted Answer

The answer of Many services base their success on building...

Question 15

Which of the following services falls closest to the middle of the tangibility continuum?

Accepted Answer

Dinner at the Olive Garden is a tangible service as it involves physical elements like food and a restaurant setting, but it is not as tangible as a car or yacht. It falls in the middle of the tangibility continuum.

Question 16

Services delivered through machinery such as computer kiosks, ATMs, and vending machines can reduce the ____ that comes from increased contact with human employees.

Accepted Answer

Heterogeneity in service delivery refers to the variability in service quality that can occur from one service encounter to the next, often due to the human element involved. By using machinery like ATMs or vending machines, services can be standardized, reducing the variability (heterogeneity) that comes from human interaction.

Question 17

Personal trainers cannot complete their work without their clients present because of the ____ feature of services.

Accepted Answer

The feature of services that refers to the inability to separate the service provider from the service itself is inseparability. Personal trainers cannot complete their work without their clients present because fitness training is an inseparable service.

Question 18

Larissa is a concert promoter who works for singer Kanye West. She works very hard to make sure most of Kanye's concerts are sold out because she understands the concept of perishability, which means

Accepted Answer

Perishability refers to the fact that once a service, such as a concert, has passed, it cannot be sold again. This means that if tickets for the concert are not sold, any unsold seats will be left empty and the revenue from those seats will be lost forever. Therefore, Larissa works hard to ensure that as many tickets as possible are sold to avoid this loss of potential revenue. Choice A refers to the idea of intangibility in services, choice B refers to inseparability, choice C refers to heterogeneity, and choice E refers to variability, but none of these accurately describe the concept of perishability.

Question 19

All of the following are elements of the inseparability characteristic of services except that

Accepted Answer

The statement "services are easy to standardize and control" contradicts the inseparability characteristic of services, which emphasizes that services are inherently variable due to their reliance on human interactions and involvement. Thus, option E is not an element of the inseparability characteristic of services.

Question 20

What should marketers do to promote the consistency and reliability of their services most effectively?

Accepted Answer

In order to promote consistency and reliability of services, marketers should focus on developing and implementing standard procedures for dealing with customers. This includes training employees to adhere to these procedures and ensuring that they are consistently followed. By doing so, customers can have a predictable and positive experience when interacting with the company. Limiting the number of employees or requiring employees to be constantly upbeat is not likely to have a significant impact on service consistency or reliability, while encouraging creativity in solving customer issues may actually lead to inconsistencies. Performing as much of the service as possible before the customer arrives is also important, but primarily for speed and efficiency rather than consistency and reliability.

Quiz 11: Developing and Managing Goods and Services