Syllabus

University of CentralArkansas, College of Business Administration

Services Marketing (MKTG 4362) - Fall 2007

10:00am - 10:50pm, MWF

BBA, Room 211

Professor:David Kim

OfficeBBA 224

Office Hours:1:00pm-3:00pm(Mon-Fri) and by appointment

Office Phone:450-5316, or 450-3411

e-mail:

web-page:

Pre-requisites:MKTG 3350

Course Overview: This course will address the distinct needs and problems of service organizations in the area of marketing.

The primary theme of the course is that service organizations (e.g., banks, educational institutions, hospitals, hotels, professional services, transportation companies) require a distinctive approach to marketing strategy, both in its development and execution. The course will build on marketing concepts from other courses (i.e., MKTG 3350) to make them specifically applicable in service industry settings. Also, this course will help you gain an understanding of services marketing issues and provide you with a good foundation for other marketing classes and future business endeavors.

Course Objectives: The intent of this course is to introduce, discuss, and analyze several topics important to service businesses. After completing this course, students should be able to:

  • Understand the unique challenges involved in marketing and managing services.
  • Identify differences between marketing in service versus manufacturing organizations and understand how “service” can be a competitive advantage.
  • Identify and analyze the various components of the “services marketing mix” (three additional P’s) as well as key issues required in managing service quality.
  • Appreciate the role of employees (and often customers) in service delivery, customer satisfaction, and service recovery.
  • Appreciate other key issues in service businesses, such as managing supply and demand, the overlap in marketing/operations/human resource systems, and relationship management.
  • Become better, more aware, and maybe less naive services consumers.
  • To continue to improve students’ verbal, written, and thinking skills in preparing them for positions in the business world.

Course Format

Classroom Professionalism and Civility: Classroom professionalism and civility are to be maintained at all times. To create an environment that is conducive for education, appropriate social conduct is required. Pagers and cellular phones are to be turned off or set to vibrate. No eating, drinking, sleeping or chatting when class is in session. No walking out when class is in session without prior permission.

Attendance will be taken. Attendance and/or in-class assignments may be used as part of your exam grade!

Exams: 5 exams will be given throughout the semester. If a student misses an exam without notifying the instructor IN ADVANCE, he or she will receive a zero (0). All make-up exams will be taken during the last week of class.

Required Text:Valarie A. Zeithaml and Bitner, Mary Jo, and Dwayne D. Gremler (2006), Services Marketing: Integrating Customer FocusAcross the Firm, 4th Edition, New York, NY: McGraw-Hill/Irwin.

Attendance/Tardiness: In accordance with University policy, you are expected to punctually attend all class meetings. If a student exceeds 4 absences, except for exceptional reasons (e.g., severe illness), his/her final grade will be adjusted downward one letter grade for each additional absence. After six (6) absences, your grade will automatically be adjusted to a W/F or W/P. Specifically, the following will apply:

Number of AbsencesAdjustment to final grade in the course

4Drop one letter grade

5Drop two letter grades

6Drop three letter grades

7W/F or W/P

Grading Scheme

Points

Exam 1 100

Exam 2 100

Exam 3 100

Exam 4 100

Final Exam - take home 100

TOTAL 500 points

Final grades in the course will be based on the following distribution of total points obtained in the course: 450 and over- A; 400 to 449--B; 350 to 399--C; 300 to 349--D; and below 300--F.

Student Handbook: Students should familiarize themselves with all policies listed in the 2007 - 2008 student handbook, including specific policies on sexual harassment (pp. 114-121), general academic policies (pp. 36-41), and academic dishonesty (pp. 39-42).

Students with Disability: The University of Central Arkansas adheres to the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act. If you need an accommodation under this Act due to disability, contact the Office of Disability Support Services at 450-3135.

TENTATIVE COURSE OUTLINE

DATE / TOPIC
Week 1 (Aug 20) / Aug 24 (Friday)– Introduction to course
Week 2 (Aug 27) / Introduction to Services– Chapter 1
Conceptual Framework of the Book: The Gaps Model of Service Quality – Chapter 2
Week 3 (Sept 3) / Sept 3 – Labor Day (No Class!)
Consumer Behavior of Services – Chapter 3
Customer Expectations of Service – Chapter 4
Read Case 2: People, Service, and Profit at Jyske Bank (p. 582)
DATE / TOPIC
Week 4 (Sept 10) / Customer Perceptions of Service – Chapter 5
Listening to Customers Through Research – Chapter 6
Read Case 4: The Quality Improvement Customers Didn’t Want (p. 621)
Week 5 (Sept 17) / Sept 17 (Monday) – Exam 1
Building Customer Relationships – Chapter 7
Read Case 3: Giordano (p. 602)
Week 6 (Sept 24) / Service Recovery– Chapter 8
Week 7 (Oct 1) / Service Development and Design – Chapter 9
Week 8 (Oct 8) / Oct 8 (Monday) – Exam 2
Customer Defined Service Standards– Chapter 10
Week 9 (Oct 15) / Physical Evidence and the Servicescape – Chapter 11
Oct 19 (Friday) – Fall Break (No class)
Week 10 (Oct 22) / Employees’ Roles in Service Delivery – Chapter 12
Read Case 1 – easyCar.com (p. 572)
Week 11 (Oct 29) / Customers’ Roles in Service Delivery – Chapter 13
Read Case 6: General Electric Medical Systems – Establishing an Ongoing Dialogue with Customers (p. 645)
Week 12 (Nov 5) / Nov 5 (Monday) – Exam 3
Nov 7 (Wednesday) – No class (Fall Career Fair)
Delivering Service Through Intermediaries and Electronic Channels–Chapter 14
Managing Demand and Capacity – Chapter 15
Read Case 7 – Starbucks: Delivering Customer Service (p. 664)
Week 13 (Nov 12) / Integrated Services Marketing Communications –
Chapter 16
Read Case 8: Shouldice Hospital Limited (p. 682)
Week 14 (Nov 19) / Pricing of Services – Chapter 17
Nov 21 (Wednesday) – Thanksgiving break (no class)
Nov 23 (Friday) – Thanksgiving (no class)
Week 15 (Nov 26) / The Financial and Economic Impact of Service–
Chapter 18
Nov 30 (Friday) - Exam 4
Week 16 (Dec 3) / Dec 3: Conclusion
Dec 5: Prepare for final exam (no class)
Dec 7: Study day (no class)
Week 17 (Dec 10) / Take home final exam
Due date: Dec 12 (Wednesday)

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