MKT 723 Chapter Notes - Chapter 2: G1 Phase, Services Marketing

• School: Ryerson University
• Department: Marketing
• Course: MKT 723
• Professor: Armand Gervais

Document Summary

Chapter 2 the gaps model of service quality. Services marketing involves many different strategies, skills and tasks. Expectations are standards or reference points that customers bring into the service experience and is what they believe should or will happen, whereas perceptions are what the customers experience. Any company interested in delivering quality service must understand its customers. This is easier for small companies but harder for larger ones. Customer expectations source from pricing, advertising and sales promises as well as uncontrollable sources as personal needs, word of mouth, and competitive offerings. To close the customer gap, four provider gaps need to be closed. Provider gap 1: not knowing what customers expect. This is the difference between customer expectations and understanding them. A cause for not meeting expectations is the lack of understanding of what the expectations are. This occurs because of inadequate marketing research, lack of upward communication, and lack of strategies to retain customers and strengthen relationships.