MKT 325 - Services Marketing - Spring 2013

Mid-Term Exam Questions (200 points)

Chapters 1-5

This is your list of questions from which the Mid-Term Exam Questions will drawn.

1. Describe the four broad categories of services (pages 15-18), and provide a good example of a service “business” for each category.

2. On page 20 of the textbook, Table 1.2 describes eight common differences between services and goods. Describe five of these, and mention a marketing implication for each or the five differences.

3. On page 37 of the textbook, Table 2.1 describes seven types of perceived risk in purchasing and using services. Describe four of these, and mention an example of a consumer concern for each or the four types of perceived risk.

4. Explain in detail how the “Zone of Tolerance” works. Then, explain why sometimes the zone is relatively narrow, and sometimes the zone of tolerance can be very wide.

5. Chapter 3 discusses the concept of Important vs. Determinant attributes.

6. As mentioned in Chapter 3, “Positioning maps are great tools to visualize competitive positioning." Explain briefly what “positioning map” is, and how might they be useful to a services marketer.

7. Pick five petals on the “Flower of Service”, and explain their importance in a "Visiting The Dentist" service encounter.

8. What's probably more important, Facilitating Services, or Enhancing Services? Explain.

9. Explain in detail several ways that technology has impacted how many firms deliver and manage their service offerings.

10. According to Chapter 5, "Many businesses are moving their customers to the online channel." Explain what that means, and why it might be a good thing for both the business and the customers. Give a concrete example of a business that has done this.

11. Even though some business are “moving their customers to the online channel,” many service businesses need to have “bricks and-mortar” locations. Explain some key reasons why bricks-and-mortar are necessary to best serve customers.

Key words from Chapters 1-5

Note: These key words will be provided to you when you take your Exam

People-processing services

Mental Stimulus processing services

Possession-processing services

Information processing services

Physical elements

Intangible elements

High-contact services

Low-contact services

Functional

Financial

Temporal

Physical

Psychological

Social

Sensory

Desired service

Adequate service

Predicted service

Front stage

Backstage

Market analysis

Internal corporate analysis

Competitor analysis

Position statement

Repositioning

Perceptual mapping

Core product

Supplementary services

Facilitating services

Billing

Consultation

Exceptions

Hospitality

Information

Order-taking

Payment

Safekeeping

Flower of service

Single site

Multiple sites

Self-service channels

Bricks-and-mortar

Locational constraints

Ministores

Multi-purpose facilities

Multichannel approach

Virtual stores

Franchising

Intermediary