a) Characteristics of Services Marketing – Flashcards

a service is any act, performance or experience that one party can offer to another and that is essentially intangible and does not result in the ownership of anything, but nonetheless creates value for the recipient

1) intangibility 2) inseparability 3) variability 4) perishability 5) ownership

because services are actions, performances and experiences, they cannot be seen, touched, tasted etc. in the same way we sense tangible goods

because services are generally produced and consumed at the same time, and service provider's, consumers and other consumers are integral parts of the service quality

because a service varies, it is never the same twice, it is unique and it exists once, and is never exactly repeated

because services cannot be saved, stored, resold or returned e.g. empty airline seat, bad haircut

because consumers cannot buy the ownership of the service, merely the rights to use it and the benefits it offers