Question 1

Emory Vision Center has a packet of information that it sends to people who are interested in LASIK surgery as well as a doctor who will come speak to your organization about how vision can be corrected. In addition, it publishes a newsletter called The Visionary in which it offers family discounts, clarifies patient expectations and notes awards and honors the center receives. The center also manages a web site that contains news on the latest innovative research techniques. Through its integrated communications with potential patients and patients, Emory Vision Center is:

Accepted Answer

Emory Vision Center is improving customer education by offering a packet of information on LASIK surgery, publishing a newsletter called The Visionary, and managing a website that contains news on the latest innovative research techniques. Additionally, it is managing service promises by clarifying patient expectations and offering family discounts.

Question 2

Service providers should never encourage word-of-mouth communication.

Accepted Answer

service providers should encourage word-of-mouth communication as it is one of the most effective forms of marketing and can lead to increased customer acquisition and retention.

Question 3

If a company's goal is to deliver service greater than or equal to what was promised, it should avoid offering service guarantees.

Accepted Answer

Service guarantees can play a positive role in ensuring that a company delivers on their promises and provides high-quality service. By offering a guarantee, the company demonstrates their commitment to providing excellent service and gives customers confidence in choosing their business.

Question 4

Because he has a busy practice, new patients for dentist Dr. Kirby Brown are told that, unless there is an emergency, the first available appointment will be in three months. If they accept the appointment, they will be reminded of their appointment by a courtesy call. This first visit will take about an hour. On this visit, their teeth will be cleaned and x-rayed, their gums will be examined and the dentist will talk to them about future dental treatment needs. Dr. Brown is:

Accepted Answer

Dr. Kirby Brown is managing customer expectations by informing new patients that the first available appointment will be in three months, and reminding them of the appointment by a courtesy call. This sets realistic expectations for the patients and helps avoid disappointment if they expect to be seen sooner.

Question 5

Service providers sometimes need to tell customers that services have been performed for them. To get credit for their actions, service providers need to reinforce their actions with appropriate communication about their accomplishment of the service. Services for which customers must be told that the service has been performed have which of the following characteristics?

Accepted Answer

Services that need to be communicated to customers as having been performed are typically those that are invisible, meaning that customers cannot physically observe that the service has been carried out without being told. This is because the service may involve backend operations or may produce intangible results that are not immediately apparent to the customer.

Question 6

When Sarah opened her savings and checking accounts at First National Bank of Chicago, she was given a brochure entitled "How to Lose Wait" that gave her advice on how to avoid delays at the bank and listed her branch's busiest and slowest times. By giving Sarah the "How to Lose Wait" brochure, First National Bank of Chicago is:

Accepted Answer

First National Bank of Chicago is providing Sarah with information that can help her avoid delays and improve her banking experience. This is an example of improving customer education.

Question 7

Any company that disseminates information through different communications channels needs to be concerned with integrating this information so that customers receive unified messages and promises about its offering.

Accepted Answer

Integrating information is important for ensuring that customers receive consistent messaging and promises across different channels.

Question 8

An insurance company that used advertising showing satisfied customers thanking the company for their prompt payment after a flood would be managing its service promises.

Accepted Answer

The advertising highlights the company's promise of prompt payment after a flood, which is a service promise that the company is managing.

Question 9

Clarifying expectations after the sale is a strategy for:

Accepted Answer

The answer of Clarifying expectations after the sale is a...

Question 10

Increasing deregulation has led to many companies mismanaging the expectations of their customers.

Accepted Answer

Increasing deregulation has led to companies having more freedom to operate without strict regulations or oversight. This can lead to companies cutting corners, providing poor quality products or services, and not meeting the expectations of their customers. Therefore, deregulation can contribute to companies mismanaging the expectations of their customers.

Question 11

The four strategies of tangibilization are documentation, illustration, intimation and physical representation.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The four strategies of tangibilization are documentation,...

Question 12

By creating cross-functional teams, a service firm is:

Accepted Answer

Cross-functional teams help in managing internal marketing communications by ensuring that different departments within the firm are aligned and working together effectively.

Question 13

Which of the following is a strategy used for improving customer education?

Accepted Answer

Preparing customers for the service process is a strategy used to improve customer education by informing them about what to expect, which can enhance their experience and satisfaction.

Question 14

A more complex type of integrated marketing communications is needed for goods than for services.

Accepted Answer

Services often require a more complex type of integrated marketing communications than goods due to their intangibility, variability, inseparability, and perishability, making it harder to communicate their benefits and maintain consistent quality perception.

Question 15

Preparing customers for the service process is a strategy for:

Accepted Answer

Preparing customers for the service process helps improve customer education by informing them about what to expect, which can lead to a better service experience.

Question 16

An airline that sells first-class, business-class and tourist-class seats on its planes has created tiered-value service offerings.

Accepted Answer

The airline has created different levels of service for each tier, with first-class offering the most luxurious amenities and tourist-class offering the most basic amenities.

Question 17

One way to manage service promises is to offer the customer a variety of choices.

Accepted Answer

The answer of One way to manage service promises is...

Question 18

Just as all service providers must advertise, all need integration across departments to be able to deliver quality services.

Accepted Answer

Not all service providers must advertise, as some may rely on word-of-mouth or other methods to attract customers. Additionally, while integration across departments can enhance service delivery, it is not a necessity for all service providers to deliver quality services.

Question 19

The Atlanta Kroger Marketing Area (KMA) publishes a monthly newsletter, Hot Off the Press, to provide information to its employees about food safety and preparation, changes in store policy and exceptional service encounters and the employees who were involved in these encounters. This newsletter is an example of:

Accepted Answer

The Atlanta Kroger Marketing Area (KMA) publishes a newsletter called "Hot Off the Press" to provide information to its employees. This is an example of vertical communications, as the newsletter is sent from the higher-ups in the company (in this case, the KMA) to its employees. The focus of the newsletter is internal, meant for the employees of the company, and not external for customer interest.

Question 20

Service providers sometimes need to tell customers that services have been performed for them. To get credit for their actions, service providers need to reinforce their actions with appropriate communication about their accomplishment of the service. Which of the following services would need to educate its customers by telling them about the services provided in user friendly terms?

Accepted Answer

Fluoride treatment is not always visible or immediately felt by the child or parent, so the dentist needs to explain the benefits and process to ensure understanding and appreciation of the service.

Quiz 16: Integrated Marketing Communications