Download Principles of Services Marketing

BM2249 PRINCIPLES OF SERVICES MARKETING
1. Module Number:
BM2249
2. Module Title:
Principles of Services Marketing
3. Number of Aston Credits:
10
4. Total Number of ECTS Credits:
(European Credit Transfer)
5
5. Contributing School: Aston Business School
6. Percentage of Contribution: 100%
7. Staff Member Responsible for the Module:
Dr Anna Ackfeldt
Marketing Group
ABS, Room 230, 0121 204 3012
Email: [email protected]
Availability: Office hours are posted on WASS - http://tinyurl.com/Anna-Ackfeldt-OH
Other Staff Contributing to the Module: N/A
8. Pre-Requisite for the module: BM1134 Introduction to Marketing Management
OR
BM2257 Marketing
9. Accreditation/Exemptions from Professional Examinations:
Please be aware that this module may contribute to the professional accreditation of
some ABS Programmes and/or allows students to gain exemptions from further study.
Please check the ABS UG Exams & Assessment module on Blackboard – Accreditation
for further information.
1. Aims of the Module:
The economies of UK and other developed nations (such as other Western European nations, US, Canada,
Australia and Japan) have shifted from being largely manufacturing to service based. Indeed, service’s
contribution to GDP in these countries is 65-70% or more, and 75-80% to employment. The proportion of
services to GDP is also increasing in developing countries.
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This shift has resulted in the development and exploration of new marketing concepts and consumer
behaviour that is aimed at specifically understanding the marketing of services. This module also builds upon
and expands the marketing concepts and models, which are adapted to the services sector. The module will
inform students about the application of marketing strategies to improve the quality of service, increase,
maintain customer satisfaction levels and generate customer loyalty. Due to the importance of services to
nations’ economies, the study of services marketing is an important component of the marketing programme.
The overall aim of this module is, therefore, to provide students with an understanding and awareness of the
services sector, understand services from the service user perspective, how marketing theory differ for this
sector, the unique challenges faced by services marketers and managers and the application of relevant
service theory in practice.
2. Module Learning Outcomes:
Upon successful completion of the module, students will be able to:



Knowledge & Understanding

Describe the growth and importance of the service sectors to the economies in the UK, EU and
around the world.

Identify the differences between manufacturing and service organisations, and describe the
unique challenges involved in marketing and managing services.

Discuss the Service Marketing Mix (aka SMM and the 7Ps). Explain how the 7Ps expands upon
the traditional Marketing Mix (4Ps).

Explain and apply the Services Marketing Mix (SMM) and Services Marketing Triangle (SMT),
and understand the differences between the SMM and SMT.
Intellectual Skills

Apply concepts from services marketing theory in a practical sense in order to develop and
manage effective customer service programmes within service firms to achieve a sustainable
competitive advantage. (These skills will be developed further, in particular from a management
perspective, in BM3381 Services Marketing Management)

Utilise a variety of information sources, including but not limited to, teaching materials and journal
articles.

Contribute to the further development of graduate skills in the following areas: analysis, critical
evaluation and thinking, effective communication, and problem-solving. To develop these skills, it
is expected that students engage with the module and its content, and take responsibility for their
own learning and development.
Transferable Skills

Contribute to the further development of graduate skills in the following areas: critical
evaluation and thinking, effective communication, and problem-solving. To develop these
skills, it is expected that students engage with the module and its content, and take
responsibility for their own learning and development.
3. International Dimensions:
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The module utilises a European core text. In addition, the lecture material and additional
readings present other perspectives to Services Marketing topics.
4. Corporate Connections:
Examples and references to current business and corporate practices will be used
throughout the module to illustrate the real life nature of Services Marketing, mainly from
the customer point of view.
5. Links to Research:
This module is the foundation for the Final Year BM3381 Services Marketing Management
module, which is designed to help students develop an insight towards the management
perspective of services marketing. To develop an insight into the management aspect of
service marketing, this module focuses on the core topics of services marketing, primarily
from the consumer perspective.
Anna’s own research is primarily based on the management perspective of services
marketing, such as expectations management and predictors of service behaviours in
frontline employees. Her research findings are incorporated in the module content, along
with examples from her industry experience.
6. Ethics, Responsibility and Sustainability: N/A
7. Ethical Approval for Research: None required
(If primary research is involved)
8. Module Content:
Week
1
Lecture content and readings
Module introduction
What Is Services Marketing?
2
The Extended Services Marketing Mix (also known as the 7Ps)
3
Consumer Behaviour in a Services Context
4
The Service Encounter
5
Conceptual Frameworks for Analyzing Service Encounters
6
Making Services Accessible to Consumers, Service Efficiency and Effectiveness in
the Internet Age
7
Managing Relationships and Customer Loyalty
8
Service Failure, Complaint Handling & Service Recovery
9
Service Quality & Customer Satisfaction
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10
Revision session
9. Methods of Delivery:
Scheduled Study
Lecture
Fieldwork
Seminars
Independent Study
Total
Hours
15
4
6
75
100
9. Learning and teaching rationale behind chosen delivery methods:
BM2249 Principles of Services Marketing is taught using a variety of methods to enhance
student engagement and learning. The interactive lectures present and discuss the key
conceptual and theoretical ideas in Services Marketing, and are the foundation for the
seminar activities.
The lectures content provide students with the necessary information to effectively problemsolve and critically analyse important issues within the Services Marketing domain. The
seminar activities (discussions and exercises) are designed to help students apply
theory/concepts to scenarios and their personal experiences, which the two pieces of
course work are designed to help student.
10. Assessment Methods and Rationale:
BM2249: The module is assessed by two pieces of individual course work (5% respectively
10% weighting), and a 2 hour closed book exam, (carrying 85% weighting).
The two pieces of coursework are interrelated, and are based on service encounter
experiences. The global aim of these pieces of assessment is for students to become more
aware of critical aspects of service encounters from their perspective as the customer, other
customers (seminar discussions) and services marketing scholars. Moreover,
understanding service encounters, and the antecedents and outcomes for customers and
firms are important in any future job role in a service firm.
Coursework 1 – Service Encounter Journal Analysis
One of the aims of this Service Encounter Journal is to analyse service encounters from the
individual customer perspective. In order to make you more aware of possible sources of
customer satisfaction/ dissatisfaction, you are asked to keep a Service Encounter Journal as
a first step.
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You are required to complete four service encounters. The service encounters that you
enter should be from a variety of types of services (refer to lecture notes, seminar activities,
the textbook, and core readings for further information) that you have encountered during
the term, and include examples of good and bad service from your personal perspective.
The best way to complete your journal is to make notes immediately following a particular
incident. If you try to do your entries from memory, or to do too many at one time, the
quality of the entries may suffers.
You should examine each Service Encounter using the theories discussed in the module.
When you have completed your four entries in the Service Encounter Journal, the next step
is to analyse the encounters to arrive at the factors that contribute to your satisfaction or
dissatisfaction. Consider your own attitudes, behaviour, mood and contribution to the
outcome when doing so. Then, you are ready to write up a 500 word analysis of your
encounters.
Coursework 2 – Service Encounter Journal Reflection
This component of the course work carries a 10% weighting, and should be minimum 1
page and maximum 2 pages long. The student’s service encounter reflections should be
submitted with the essay (make a page break after the conclusion, insert your reflections
between the essay and the reference list).
The aim of this component of the course work is for you as an individual to reflect on
address the following:
 What you learned about services marketing from your experience, and how it
affects you as a customer as well as how you envisage it will influence you when
you enter the business world
 The skills you acquired, or were enhanced, during the process of completing the
coursework
 Any difficulties you encountered, how you overcame them, and what you learned
from it
The exam (carrying 85% weighting) is designed to test the student’s knowledge and
understanding of the key concepts, conceptual frameworks and theories in services
marketing, and ability to apply the concepts learned throughout the module. The seminar
activities and discussions are not only important learning tools, but also designed to provide
informal feedback to students on an on-going basis relating to their understanding of the
material that is covered in the module.
11. Feedback Methods and Rationale:
Feedback is provided during the course of the module, and does not only refer to feedback
on assessment. Examples of feedback opportunities include: interaction in lectures and
seminars, Q&A sessions in lectures and seminars, office hour appointments, and electronic
correspondence.
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Students are encourages to sign up for the Module Leader’s office hours for additional
feedback when needed, and discuss any issues facing them during the term.
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