Characteristics of Services
2c)Using a service provider of your choice, identify and explain four characteristics of services and the implications of each to the marketing of services
Services are activities performed by the provider, unlike physical products they cannot be seen, tasted, felt, heard or smelt before they are consumed. Services are intangible, they do not have features that appeal to the customer’s senses, their evaluation, unlike goods, is not possible before actual purchase and consumption.
The services have unique characteristics which make them different from that of goods. The most common characteristics of services are Intangibility, Inseparability, Perish ability and Variability.
Intangibility
Services are said to be intangible - they cannot be seen or tasted before the customer purchases them . This can cause lack of confidence on the part of the consumer. For a plastic surgeon intangibility of service has the following implications 1) Services cannot be inventoried. One cannot store plastic surgery services for the next customer. 2) Services cannot be patented . Unlike tangible products services cannot be patented therefore skill of the surgeon protected from rivals making it difficult to be unique to the surgeon 3) Service cannot be easily displayed or communicated. It’s difficult to display plastic surgery service to a customer. As plastic surgery is unique to each patient it therefore means any attempt to display services would tend to be generalization. Marketers have attempted to over this by having models of plastic surgery. The emphasis is now on the benefits of the services rather than the service itself. 4) Pricing is difficult. For a surgeon pricing of the plastic surgery tend to be “thumb suck”, more to do with the affluence of the person than any cost structures.
Inseparability
Services are produced and consumed at the same time, unlike goods which may be manufactured, then stored for later distribution. This means that the service
Services are activities performed by the provider, unlike physical products they cannot be seen, tasted, felt, heard or smelt before they are consumed. Services are intangible, they do not have features that appeal to the customer’s senses, their evaluation, unlike goods, is not possible before actual purchase and consumption.
The services have unique characteristics which make them different from that of goods. The most common characteristics of services are Intangibility, Inseparability, Perish ability and Variability.
Intangibility
Services are said to be intangible - they cannot be seen or tasted before the customer purchases them . This can cause lack of confidence on the part of the consumer. For a plastic surgeon intangibility of service has the following implications 1) Services cannot be inventoried. One cannot store plastic surgery services for the next customer. 2) Services cannot be patented . Unlike tangible products services cannot be patented therefore skill of the surgeon protected from rivals making it difficult to be unique to the surgeon 3) Service cannot be easily displayed or communicated. It’s difficult to display plastic surgery service to a customer. As plastic surgery is unique to each patient it therefore means any attempt to display services would tend to be generalization. Marketers have attempted to over this by having models of plastic surgery. The emphasis is now on the benefits of the services rather than the service itself. 4) Pricing is difficult. For a surgeon pricing of the plastic surgery tend to be “thumb suck”, more to do with the affluence of the person than any cost structures.
Inseparability
Services are produced and consumed at the same time, unlike goods which may be manufactured, then stored for later distribution. This means that the service
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