The 7 P’s of Services Marketing
5. People:
People are a defining factor in a service delivery process, since a service is inseparable from the person providing it. Thus, a restaurant is known as much for its food as for the service provided by its staff. The same is true of banks and department stores. Consequently, customer service training for staff has become a top priority for many organizations today.
People:
People include all
the people involved in the delivery of the service to the consumers. Therefore,
people in this context include the employees, the executives, and the salesmen
etc. who work for the service provider.
People form an
important element of marketing mix for services as most services are highly
labour oriented. The behaviour, attitude, customer friendly nature of the
personnel providing the service and the customers involved in production have a
profound influence on providing quality customer service.
Therefore, it is
quite essential for die service provider to hire right people for the right job
to be performed. This will go a long way in providing consumer satisfaction and
building a positive image of the organization. Examples of people – a
receptionist at the front office, the executives interacting with the consumers
etc.
For successful
services marketing, the people factor is very important. Therefore, an
organization should focus on all the aspects of its employees. Care should be
taken at the stage of recruitment to employ the right people. They should be
sufficiently trained in the art of creating and delivering services.
They should also be
sufficiently motivated through financial and non-financial motivators. The
people should be made to realize the importance of dealing effectively with the
service customers. This concept is also called internal marketing.
People:
“People” are - All human actors who play a
part in service delivery and thus influence the buyer’s perception.
According to the definition the ‘people’
include the following:
i. Service delivery employees (front-line
staff)
ii. The general staff of the service company
(back office and support staff)
iii. The customer
iv. The other customers that are present in
the delivery process.
All the human actors participating in the
delivery of, a service provide evidences to the customer regarding the nature
of the service itself. The customer’s perceptions of the service are influenced
by factors such as – how these people are dressed, their personal appearance,
their attitudes and behaviours. The service provider or contact person can be
very important.
In fact, for some services, such as –
consulting, counselling, teaching, and other professional relationship-based
services, the provider is the service. In other cases, the contact person may
play what appears to be a relatively small part in service delivery —for
example, a telephone installer, an airline baggage handler and receptionist at
a hair salon.
Yet according to various research conducted it
is observed that even these providers may be the focal point of service
encounters that can prove critical for the organization.
In many service situations, customers
themselves can also influence service delivery, thus affecting service quality
and their own satisfaction. For example, patient at a weight loss clinic will
affect the quality of the service provided by the company by following or not
following the diet regime.
Customers not only influence their own service
outcomes, but they can influence other customers as well. In a theatre or in a
classroom, customers can influence the quality of service received by others —
either enhancing or detracting from other customers’ experiences. One may not
be able to enjoy a movie or pay attention in a class if one is distracted by
unnecessary talking of the other customers or classmates.
Hence, as
a service provider, it is important to understand human behaviour and dynamics
to enhance customer satisfaction. Proper training and guidance should be given
to the service employees. The customers need to be educated and made aware of
the importance of their role in delivery of the service. This helps the service
provider and customer both and makes the service experience positive
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