Services Marketing Communication Mix

Services Marketing Communication Mix & Communication Strategies

Need for coordination in marketing communication 

A number of media sources are used for service marketing communication. Need is to ensure that customers receive unified & consistent messages & promises.

Reasons for service communication challenges 

discrepancies b/w service delivery & external communications in the form of exaggerated promises & the absence of information about service delivery aspects intended to serve customers well can powerfully affect consumer perceptions of service quality.

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Inadequate management of service promises Inadequate management of customer expectations Inadequate customer education Inadequate internal marketing communications

Categories of strategies to match service promises with delivery  

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MANAGE SERVICE PROMISES: Create effective service advertising -provide clear information, use narratives to demonstrate actual service experience, focus on tangibles etc. Coordinate external communicationadvertising, websites, sales promotion, public relations, personal selling, direct marketing

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MANAGE CUSTOMER EXPECTATIONS: Offer choices Create tiered-value service offeringsservice as per the specifications of the consumer Communicate criteria & levels of service effectiveness Negotiate unrealistic expectations

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IMPROVE CUSTOMER EDUCATION: Prepare customers for the service process Confirm performance to standards & expectations Clarify expectations after the sale also Teach customers to avoid peak demand periods & seek slow demand

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MANAGE INTERNAL MARKETING COMMUNICATION: Create effective vertical communication Create effective horizontal communication Align back office & support personnel with external customers Create cross functional teams