Service Marketing Case Study – Marketing Sample

Service marketing

Name

Institution

Table of Contents

Introduction........................................................................................ 2

Service blue print.................................................................................. 2

Front stage......................................................................................... 3

Back stage operations............................................................................... 4

Moments of truth.................................................................................... 5

Gap model........................................................................................... 6

Satisfaction........................................................................................ 8

Dissatisfaction..................................................................................... 8

Recommendations for recovery........................................................................ 8

Conclusion.......................................................................................... 9

References.......................................................................................... 10

Service marketing

Introduction

In service marketing, organizations are faced with unique demands as compared to goods marketing. The quality of service is highly influenced by the skills of the service provider. At the same time, it is influenced by the structures put in place in an organization as well as the skills possessed by employees in the organization. In their front stage operations, organizations ensure that the contact with customers provides them with moment of truth where quality service increases their chances of repeat purchase. The focus of this study is on Jet star airlines Airways, one of the leading air transport service providers within Australia (Daily Mail, 2016). The organization provides to its customers both commercial and private transport services within Australia as well as in other parts around the world. It is worth noting that unless organizations in the service market are able to provide unique services to their customers, they would not be in a position to operate in a sustainable manner in the market.

Service blue print

Service blue prints refer to the innovations and design adopted by organizations in their marketing operations. It refers to the steps that organizations undertake to ensure that consumers make their brand, the top of mind brand in spite of competition. It indicates the steps that are taken by service organizations in ensuring that consumers are served with quality services. In development of a service blue print, the focus is usually on the contact that customers make with the organization. The service blue print indicates the customer actions as well as the physical evidence that organizations have put in place to ensure quality delivery of its services in the market. The blue print or touch points that the customers make with Jet star Airways is as summarized in the diagram below

As indicated in the above diagram, it is evident that the contact that customers makes with the organization are important in influencing the level of satisfaction that customers realize from services delivered by the organization ( Dievernich, Tokarski, & Gong, 2015).

Front stage

Front stage operations refer to operations of an organization where the consumers make contact with the organization. In front office operations, customers make contact with the organization through customer service as well as online inquiries. The front office operations of the organization is as depicted in the table below

From this table, it is evident that Jet star provides customers in the market with quality services. Customers are providers with services that meet the expectations of consumers. In order to boost the quality of services provided to the consumers, the organizations ensure that its employees are well qualified. Through training and development, organizations ensure that the quality of services provided to its customers is enhanced. Through reviews of service, the organization has received good as well as bad ratings from different customers. This is as a result of the fact that service delivery is highly dependent on the qualifications of the individuals providing such services to the consumers (Kiarie, 2015).

Back stage operations

Back stage operations can be defined as the operations that an organization engages in to deliver services to consumers. Such backstage operations are not visible to the consumers. Operations in Jet star Airways are summarized as indicated below

As indicated in the above table, it is clear that the service industry is engaged in very involving activities. For instance, Jet star has to procure aero planes that are of high quality to ensure that the safety of customers while on travel is observed. At the same time, it ensures that the employees that it hires are well qualified and also engages them in training and development to enhance their capability to deliver services in the organization. Through effective financial management, the organization is able to sustain its operations amidst financial constraints in the market. Effective marketing planning also ensures that the organization’s ability to deliver quality services in the market is enhanced. Through the development of its online portal, the organization provides customers with an online platform on which they can book the airline as well as make payments. The organization has enhanced the security of consumer information online through ensuring that such information gateways are not released to individuals or firms that do not have the permission to access them. At the same time, the organization engages in procurement of food materials and cooks that provides services to consumers while onboard as well as foreign currency solutions. In spite of these developments by the organization, it is evident that there are a number of measures that the organization needs to undertake in order to boost the quality of services that it provides to customers. In its back stage operations, the organizations need to standardize the quality of service delivery. This will ensure that there are measures that organizations need to undertake if it is to continue delivering quality products to consumers in the market (Kotler, & Armstrong 2015).

Moments of truth

For organizations to operate sustainably, it is important that they provide customers with reliable moments of truth. While organizations have traditionally focused on cutting price to boost the demand of their products in the market, this is not sustainable in the long run and they should rather focus on quality improvement. Moments of truth refers to the moments in which contacts by the organization results to positive perception of the brand in the market. In order to enhance then moment of truth the organization ensures that its customer service personnel are well trained. Through enhanced competence, the organization ensures that such individuals can deliver customized services to the customers. Due to the enhanced quality of services that the organization provides to customers in the market, it has significantly enhanced the quality of its services in the market. As a result, it has significantly enhanced the level of revenues in spite of the increasing competition in the airline business. Customers feel respected and important to the organization when their needs are addressed in a timely manner. At the same time, they feel good when provided with foreign exchange services in the market. This process has enabled such customers to have access to foreign exchange in spite of them being away from their home countries where they can use their home currencies in purchases (Lilleker, & Pack, 2016).

Gap model

Gap model is used in assessment of the level of satisfaction and dissatisfaction in organizations. In the service industry, especially the airline industry, repeat sales are only realized if customers using such transport services are satisfied with the quality of service. Through the use of gap models, the ability of Jet star to meet personal needs of customers has been assessed. In particular, consumers have reported dissatisfaction with the organization’s delay in service delivery. There are instances where Jet star has not been in a position to provide timely services due to operational and technical issues. To boost these issues, it will be important to boost the level of technical competency of the organization. This will be important in ensuring that the organization is not faced with such technical challenges in the future.

In regards to expected services, the organization has been in the fore front in meeting of the needs of its customers. In particular, the organization has ensured that the services provided to the customers. Nevertheless, the quality of services provided has been dependent on the qualification of employees. As a result the consumers have indicated mixed reactions in regards to the services received by the customers. It would thus be important for the organization to engage employees in training and development to enhance their ability to provide quality services to the customers.

The third element assessed under the GAP model is the perception of consumers on the quality of services that they receive from the organization. In particular, it is worth noting that consumer satisfaction is not only influenced by quality of services, but also by their ability to perceive such services as being of high quality. It will thus be important for the organization to engage in effective marketing communication, creating awareness among consumers in the market on the quality of services that it provides to them in the market.

The fourth element assessed in GAP model is the ability of the organization to achieve market specifications. It would thus be important for it to ensure that the services provided to the customers are in line with the demanded quality of service. To realize such expectations, it is recommended that the organization should ensure that it has supportive physical facilities that will support the quality of services that it provides to the customers in the market. At the same time, enhanced employee skills will increase the ability of the organization to meet the identified expectations

Finally, under the gap model, the management perception is a major determinant of the performance of the organization. In order to enhance effective operations within the organization, the management needs to liaise with the marketing unit. Through such collaboration, the willingness of the top management to support the marketing objectives is enhanced (Richter, 2012).

Satisfaction

In jet star, consumer reviews indicates their satisfaction with the onboard services provided to the customers. Such services include the first class services provided to such consumers including dining and onboard entertainment, access to television and other facilities. Business class customers have also indicated their satisfaction with the facilities provided to them in their online travel. At the same time, consumers have reported satisfaction with the services provided to them in transport especially the safety of such operations. Many travelers are focused on their safety in the online industry. It will thus be important for the organization to position its transport services as providing safe travel

Dissatisfaction

In service delivery consumers have indicated with their displeasure with disturbance from some passengers while on service travel. For instance, in June 2016, some jet star customers engaged in fighting while on board. As a result, the plane was forced to land. Such instances reduce the level of satisfaction of customers who are on board (Daily Mail, 2016).

Recommendations for recovery

Based on the above presentation, it is clear that there is a need for Jet star to avoid on board conflicts among customers. The organization will need to have security personnel onboard to avoid interruption of customers while on board. At the same time, the organization needs to invest more resources in its marketing communication. This will be important in influencing the perception of consumers on the quality of its services. It is worth noting that in the service industry, success of firms is highly dependent on the perception of customers on the quality of customers that it provides to them. The organization thus needs to engage in public relations exercise communicating improvement in the safety of customers while on board. Such a move is likely to increase the number of customers who prefers using the airline as opposed to seeking of travel services from other organizations in the industry. To boost the services that it provides to the customers, the organization will need to acquire more secure aero planes. Aero plane crashes has been one of the major challenges facing organizations in the airline industry. Consequently, it will be important that Jet star engages in acquisition of quality airplanes as well as regular inspection (Wenderoth, 2009).

Conclusion

Jet star, as indicated above, has ensured quality service delivery. The organization provides customers with multiple services including air travel, foreign exchange services as well as defining and entertainment for customers while they are on board. At the same time, the organization has ensured that customers are delivered to their desired destinations on time. Through this process, the organization has enhanced customer satisfaction. Nevertheless, it needs to enhance the safety of its flights. The organization will also need to hire security guards who will ensure that passengers are not abused online by their fellow passengers. This process will generate a sense of security among customers while they are on board

ReferencesDaily Mail (2016). Police called to remove man, 27 and woman 42 from a Jet star plane after mid air brawl erupts. Retrieved from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3824887/Man-woman-escorted-Jetstar-flight-fighting-business-class-reclined-seat.html

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Lilleker, D. G., & In Pack, M. 2016. Political marketing and the 2015 UK general election. New York: McGraw Hills.

Richter, T. 2012.International marketing mix management: Theoretical framework, contingency factors and empirical findings from world-markets. Berlin: Logos Wenderoth, M. 2009.Particularities in the Marketing Mix for Service Operations.München: GRIN Verlag GmbH.