The Essence of Services Marketing

• What are the components of the service marketing mix?
• How do these differ in service businesses compared with other businesses?
• How can I develop an appropriate services mission to compete effectively?
• What is the role of service companies internationally?

The Essence of Services Marketing explains clearly and concisely the answers to these questions and more.

The Essence of Services Marketing is an invaluable reference source for managers on short courses, for MBA and other students who want to get to the heart of the subject quickly; as reference material for managers' bookshelves and for aspiring managers wishing to improve their knowledge and skills.

1. The nature of services marketing
• Introduction
• An overview of the services economy
• The nature of services
• Classification of services
• Services in manufacturing
• Summary
• Notes
2. Services marketing and relationship marketing
• The role of marketing
• Services and the marketing mix
• The evolution of services marketing
• Relationship marketing
• Determining market emphasis in relationship marketing
• The essence of services marketing
• Notes
3. Developing an effective service mission
• A mission for services
• The nature of corporate missions
• Service mission statements
• Developing a service mission
• The realizable mission
• Notes
4. Services market segmentation
• The process of market segmentation
• Definition of the relevant market
• Identifying alternative bases for segmentation
• Selection of best base(s) for segmentation
• Identify and select target market segments
• Segmentation, positioning and marketing mix strategy
• Notes
5. Positioning and differentiation of services
• The evolution of positioning
• Competitive differentiation of services
• Positioning of services
• The levels of positioning
• The process of positioning
• The importance of positioning
• Notes
6. The services marketing mix
• The marketing mix elements
• The service product
• Pricing the service
• Place: service location and channels
• Promotion and communication of services
• People in services
• Processes
• Customer service
• Developing a marketing mix strategy
• Notes
7. Marketing plans for services
• The marketing planning process
• Strategic context
• Situation review
• Marketing strategy formulation
• Resource allocation and monitoring
• Marketing planning and services
• Notes
8. The customer-focused service organization
• Customer service, quality and marketing
• Service quality
• Improving service quality
• Customer retention
• The relationship marketing programme
• Developing a marketing orientation
• Summary
• Notes

Tries to explain why marketing of services is different than Kotler's marketing. Doesn't succeed very well.