Which one of the following is true about service marketing?
Quality of services depends on who provides them and when, where and how
Quality of services depends on who provides them and when, where and how — option 3. That is the characteristic of variability, also called heterogeneity.
The four characteristics of services, and note that each wrong option is one of them stated backwards :
| Characteristic | Meaning | Stated in reverse by |
|---|---|---|
| Intangibility | Services cannot be seen, tasted, felt, heard or smelled before purchase | Option 1 |
| Inseparability | Services cannot be separated from their providers; they are produced and consumed at the same time | Option 2 |
| Variability | Quality depends on who provides them, and when, where and how | — this is option 3, stated correctly |
| Perishability | Services cannot be stored for later sale or use | Option 4 |
Recognising that pattern answers the question without any further reasoning: three options are negations of the standard text and one is not.
Why variability arises and what marketers do about it. A service is delivered by a person, at a moment, in a place — and all three vary. The same airline, the same hotel, the same hospital gives a different experience on different days. The standard responses are :
| Problem | Response |
|---|---|
| Variability | Invest in selection and training; standardise the service-delivery process through service blueprinting; monitor satisfaction and complaints |
| Intangibility | “Tangibilise” the offer — physical evidence, premises, uniforms, symbols, testimonials, guarantees |
| Inseparability | Work with larger groups, train providers to work faster, or use technology to separate delivery from the provider |
| Perishability | Match supply and demand — differential pricing, off-peak promotion, reservation systems, part-time staff |
The extended marketing mix. Because of these four characteristics, services marketing adds three P’s to the classic four: People, Process and Physical evidence. Service quality itself is usually measured on the SERVQUAL dimensions — reliability, assurance, tangibles, empathy and responsiveness — as the gap between expected and perceived service.
Hence, the answer is option 3.
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