The 7 P’s of Services Marketing
6. Process: The process of service delivery is crucial since it ensures that the same standard of service is repeatedly delivered to the customers. Therefore, most companies have a service blue print which provides the details of the service delivery process, often going down to even defining the service script and the greeting phrases to be used by the service staff.
Process:
Process refers to
the entire stream of actual procedures, mechanisms, and flow of activities by
which the service is delivered to the customers. Experience in the past with a
service also influences the expectations of the customer. If the customer has
had a bad experience with the service on any previous occasion, it will
influence his or her future perceptions of the service. It is essential to
train the front-line employees, whose actions and behaviour influence the
customers opinions of the organization and the actual service provided.
It is very
difficult to measure quality in service. Therefore, customers’ perception about
the quality of the service is largely influenced by the process. The process
should create a pleasant memory in the minds of the customers. The process
should be such that the service is delivered in a manner which is efficient,
pleasant and prompt.
It is essential to
have complete knowledge of the customer to know their expectation, perception
and behaviour. To analyse behaviour of the customers marketing research has to
be conducted to look into the ability of the service providing organization.
The service provider should provide services much beyond the expectation of the
customers to save the organization from the downfall and to ensure long run
relation with the existing and potential customers by creating an effective
process.
Process:
The actual procedures, mechanisms, and flow of
activities by which the service is delivered. It includes the actual delivery
steps that the customer experiences, or the operational flow of the service.
These also give customers evidence to judge the service. Some services are very
complex, requiring the customer to follow a complicated and extensive series of
actions to complete the process.
Another distinguishing characteristic of the
process that can provide evidence to the customer is whether the service
follows a standardized approach or whether the process is an customized one.
For example, two successful airline companies, Indigo and Jet Airways, follow
very different process models.
Indigo is a no-frills, low-priced airline that
offers relatively short flights. Jet Airways, on the other hand, focuses on the
business traveller and is concerned with meeting individual traveller needs.
Thus, its process is highly customized to the individual, and employees are
empowered to provide nonstandard service when needed. Both airlines have been
very successful.
Process tries to set certain standards for providing
the service. Organizations
can set a particular process and train their employees to follow this process
of delivering service. This will help the customers to perceive the service in
a comprehensive manner. Process can develop standards for the organization,
which are necessary for the customer to initiate repurchase of a service.
If the customer knows that this company
follows a particular procedure, the customer feels he ‘knows’ about the
service. This makes the customer aware of the service and it enables him to
experience the service in the future. For example- Idea Cellular follows a
process for providing customer care service for customers who face certain
issues with their cellular phone network. Once the customer is aware of this
procedure, he knows that they have set certain standards to make sure customer
issues are solved.
Process also enables employees or service
providers to deliver better quality of service. A systematic process enables
the service provider to understand the customer better and to provide
satisfactory solutions to customer’s problems. Service providers can check
customer profile in database and can come up customized service options to
create and maintain customer relationship.
For example- Shoppers
Stop have made excellent use of technology to enhance process mix for the
employees and customers. By joining the rewards programme (process) the
employees can send special offers and discounts on the customer’s birthday or
anniversary.
This helps maintain a good customer- company
relationship. Similarly, Starbucks offers a free beverage to the customers who
have enrolled in the rewards card programme of Starbucks. Process, thus helps
in Customer Relationship Management.
The
three new marketing mix elements (people, physical evidence, and process) are
included in the marketing mix as separate elements because any or all of them
may influence the customer’s level of satisfaction and repurchase decisions.
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