Services Marketing

Services Marketing, 4/e, by Zeithaml and Bitner provides a comprehensive review and analysis of services marketing issues, practice, and strategy. Utilizing the GAPS Model of Service Quality as an organizing framework the structure of the text offers part openers that sequentially build the model gap by gap. Each part of the book includes multiple chapters with strategies for understanding and closing the critical gaps. Customer behavior, expectations, and perceptions are discussed early in the text to form the basis for understanding services marketing strategy and the managerial content, in the rest of the text, is framed by the GAPS model. Additionally, the authors continue to refine conceptual frameworks for developing effective services marketing strategy and have incorporated more coverage of the use of technology and business-to-business applications in this edition.Chapter 2: Conceptual Framework for the Book: The Gaps Model of Service Quality: The authors decided to set the stage of the book with this foundational chapter describing the organizational structure of the book for students. Most of this content was formerly in Chapter 18. |New co-author, Dwayne Gremler of Bowling Green State University. In addition to his expertise in Services marketing and management, he also brings his knowledge of relationship marketing, word-of-mouth communication, pedagogical issues in teaching marketing, and technological issues in service delivery to the text. |Cross-Functional Treatment of Issues: through integration of marketing with other disciplines such as operations and human resources. This coverage illustrates to students the strong role that teams play in the business world and specifically in developing and marketing a service.|Students Develop the Skills Needed to Market a Service: Students learn how to apply basic marketing concepts in the service environment.|Three Service Ps: People, Physical Evidence, Process: Builds upon the traditional marketing mix to address differences between marketing of services and tangible goods.|Focus on Customer Relationships and Relationship Marketing Strategies: Integrated throughout the text to reinforce the role that relationship marketing plays in marketing a service.|Emphasis on Service Quality Measurement: Reflects the importance good companies place on their ability to quantify and measure service quality as they strive to build customer loyalty and evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of service offerings.|Focus on Customer Expectations and Perceptions: Key to developing and delivering service offerings customers will value.|Detailed Coverage of Service Development Processes: Including a detailed and complete introduction to service blueprintingĹźa tool for describing, designing and positioning servicesĹźexposes students to forward-thinking ideas intended to better match service with customer expectations.|Technology Spotlight Boxes: in each chapter highlight the role technology plays in Services.|Global Feature Boxes: Highlight global services marketing examples.|Consumer-based Pricing and Value Pricing Strategies: shows students how to price a service.