Service Marketing Essay Example

to the resources offered in the recovery effort. Emphasizing service quality and implementing service recovery strategies are crucial for customer satisfaction and organizational improvement. Taking responsibility for service recovery is essential for regaining customer confidence after a service failure occurs.In order to achieve this, it is important to describe the services provided by a restaurant outlet based on its dimensions of serviceable and ambient conditions.

Nowadays, a restaurant's environment plays a significant role in addition to its food and drinks. Customers not only focus on cuisine but also demand a pleasant setting to enjoy their mealsThe service escape and ambient condition of Restaurant Seed ABA are vital for a satisfactory dining experience. Service escape refers to the overall ambiance and physical environment in which the service takes place, also known as the service setting (objectifications, 2013). Located at No.9, Clan SASS/19, Dammars Jay, 47400, Fettling Jay, Clangor, Malaysia, Restaurant Seed ABA is the first Make restaurant visited. Situated at a corner lot, it occupies a small square-shaped area with several car parks nearby; however, there are currently fewer than ten cars parked there. The lighting surrounding Restaurant Seed ABA creates a comfortable environment with bright and clear lights that are a combination of white and yellow. Unfortunately, due to insufficient fan placement inside the restaurant, it tends to be slightly hot at night. Only four ceiling fans are present inside without any placed outside resulting in consistently hot and stuffy temperatures both indoors and outdoors that can make customers uncomfortable. Furthermore, the tables and chairs inside and outside the restaurant are closely arranged without much space for customers to move freely. With only eight

tables inside and ten tables outside some of them are oily while some chairs remain unclean. Additionally positioned behind the cashier's counter is a cigarette cabinet alongside numerous sweets and snacks available for purchase.
In addition, the restaurant is equipped with a television and three speakers. However, customers are unable to enjoy watching the television as no music is played in this establishment. A hand washing basin can be found in the corner, while the toilet is unclean and lacks tissues, emitting a strong stench. The toilet also includes a shabby mirror and a broken door lock. Furthermore, employees do not wear uniforms. Lastly, there is an overwhelming smell of cigarettes in the restaurant due to the majority of customers being smokers, with numerous cigarette butts on the floor.

Despite these negatives, sitting in the restaurant is comfortable with seven stand fans circulating cool air for customers. The wide space area allows for ample placement of tables and chairs; however, the downside is that the tables are too small. There are 20 tables arranged in two rows with ten tables per row in the alley. Additionally, clean white painted walls along the alley give it a tidy appearance despite its location between two shops in a back alley.

To enhance its surroundings' attractiveness, flower pots have been placed beside the back alley. Unlike most restaurants, this establishment does not provide television or music to customers as they primarily come to enjoy their food and engage in conversation with friends or family members. The employees still do not wear uniforms unfortunately and regrettably; cleanliness remains an issue as well as having a bad odor in their restroom facilityThe toilet

flush is not functioning, causing inconvenience for customers who are unable to flush after use. Furthermore, there is a lack of tissues provided in the toilet. In addition to these issues, the interior of the toilet is poorly lit. Despite these unpleasant conditions, it should be noted that the front area of Restaurant Choc Eke is clean and free from any foul odors that could potentially affect one's appetite. Moreover, there are no rats present in this area.

Restaurant Choc Eke was the final establishment visited as part of our group assignment. It can be found at No.63, Clan SASS/11, Dammars Jay, 47400, Fettling Jay, Clangor, Malaysia. This restaurant occupies a corner shop lot and serves both Chinese and Make cuisine.

Inside the restaurant itself, the lighting is perfect and bright enough for customers to enjoy their time there. However, it should be noted that some of the fans are not operational which results in a stuffy and hot atmosphere.

Nevertheless, despite this setback regarding fan functionality, all tables and chairs within the restaurant are arranged neatly and tidily. The restaurant boasts a total of 15 tables which have been arranged with care. While most tables are clean without any issues, a few chairs do have small stains consisting of curry sauce drops.

The walls inside Restaurant Choc Eke have been painted yellow in color while behind it lies a cashier counter equipped with a cigarette cabinet for convenience.

Additionally providing supplementary services for customer enjoyment is a television featuring Astor channels; however,the sound quality leaves much to be desired as it falls short of satisfactory standards.

Furthermore,due to poor maintenance,the two toilets available also suffer from uncleanliness and an unpleasant

odor.There is also an absence of tissues and soap for customers' personal hygiene needs such as hand cleaning or drying purposesInside the toilet, there is only one mirror available, while another mirror is placed near the handwashing basin. In terms of appearance, the restaurant employees do not wear uniforms. Additionally, the restaurant is located near public drains. Despite being relatively clean, the smell from the public drains negatively impacts the overall satisfaction level of the environment.

For this service marketing assignment, each individual has been assigned equal parts to compare and contrast among three selected service outlets. The first service outlet is "Seed ABA," also known as "Glutton." The second service outlet is "Bumming," also known as "Atman Sea Make." The third service outlet involves visiting restaurants for food tasting and experiencing their service quality.

When it comes to customer greetings, Glutton failed to greet customers properly while Bumming also did not greet customers properly initially but later improved by greeting customers promptly upon their arrival. In terms of furniture arrangement, Glutton's tables and chairs were arranged neatly while Choc Eke's furniture was old and rusty but still well-organized. On the other hand, Bumming had orderly and neat tables and chairs.

In terms of speed in serving meals after ordering, at Glutton it took about 30 minutes for all meals to be served to customers. However, at Bumming they served all ordered meals within approximately 5 minutes, providing swift and efficient service. Choc Eke had a longer waiting period of 22 minutes to serve all meals.Choc Eke has a bright environment but is affected by a foul odor from nearby drains. The staff promptly cleans tables before new

customers sit down to order, despite the smell. Customers keep coming back for the delicious food, although there are no supplementary services like radio or Wi-Fi provided.

On the other hand, Glutton restaurant offers a clean environment with narrow tables and chairs. There are no signs of pests like rats, cockroaches, or cats. The efficient employees quickly clean up leftover plates, bowls, and cups as customers pay and leave. In addition to that, Glutton restaurant provides fast Wi-Fi, clean washrooms (though they have a strong stench and lack tissues), "stay" hawker stalls, a radio, and LCD televisions. The "stay" shop at Glutton restaurant also offers three meat options: chicken, beef, and lamb.

Bumming restaurant in Dammars Jay is known for its tasty food and excellent service. Despite being crowded, they manage to serve meals ordered by customers within 5 to 10 minutes. Located at the back section of a shop lot, Bumming restaurant does not offer any supplementary services.However, the cleanliness and hygiene of the surroundings are commendable, with no signs of litter or infestations like cockroaches or rats. Choc Eke restaurant stands out by offering a diverse range of dishes including fried chicken, NASA lemma, fried rice, fried MME, and more. For our tasting session at Choc Eke restaurant, we sampled their fried chicken, "Indo MME green teller tats", "root plant", and "Maggie soup". When it came to beverages, we tried "syrup banding", "the ice", "mill ice", and "the half". The overall flavor of the food at Choc Eke was average as most items were pre-cooked and reheated upon ordering. Unfortunately, even when customers requested less sugar in their drinks, they tended to be overly sweet.

However, the waiters promptly replaced the cup upon request. Despite these minor drawbacks in taste and sweetness level of drinks, we found the service at Choc Eke restaurant satisfactory. Moving on to Bumming restaurant; this establishment solely specializes in serving "NASA lemma Maya" without any other meal options on their menu. Although limited in variety, Bumming restaurant strives to excel in customer satisfaction due to the exceptional taste of their signature dish - "NASA lemma". In addition to that highlight item on their menu; they offer various types of beverages such as "the ice", "Mill ice", "the half" and more. Bumming's reputation is primarily built on its efficient employees who manage to serve orders within 5 to 8 minutes along with their unparalleled specialty - the deliciousness of their unique rendition of 'NASA lemma Maya' which sets them apart from other restaurants. Lastly is Glutton restaurant which boasts an extensive selection of food and drink options for patrons looking for variety. They also provide additional services like Stay shop,"Sup Gambling,"and"Sup Dazing".In addition to these services, Glutton restaurant offers their own food types such as "Tom Yam Sup", "MME sedan", "cheese nana" and more. The tried foods include "Maggie curry noodles", Indonesian MME, "root plant", and "NASA lemma Maya", all of which are deliciously prepared. The drinks are also enjoyable, including ice water, "the ice", "mill ice", and "lime juice". At the Choc Eke restaurant, the drinks arrived in approximately 5 minutes and tasted very good. However, the food was served too slowly, resulting in an overall unsatisfactory experience. In terms of pricing, Choc Eke offers legitimate and affordable options with most drinks ranging from R

M 1.80 to R M 2.00 and reasonable prices for food items like a bowl of "curry MME" priced at R M 6.00.

On the other hand, Glutton restaurant has higher prices compared to Choc Eke due to being a larger and fancier establishment. However, the prices for food and drinks at Glutton are not considered overpriced with drinks ranging from R M 2.00 to R M 2.20 and food ranging from about R M 7.00 to R M 9.00.Glutton also offers cigarette service so customers can conveniently purchase cigarettes without having to go elsewhere.A packet of cigarettes at Glutton costs R M 10.50.Lastly,Bumming restaurant is known for offering the cheapest prices among the three service outletsThe price range for drinks at Bumming is approximately R M 1.0 to R M 1.50, while food prices start from about R M 4. The cost of a plate of "NASA lemma Maya" is $50. The lack of supplementary services, such as cigarette sales, in the restaurant is due to its primary focus on food outlet services. Overall, the quality of service and the environment of a service outlet are crucial factors that significantly impact customer satisfaction and their intention to revisit.

Moreover, the employees' service quality and the service environment play a vital role in promoting customer revisit intention and are essential in today's competitive world as well as in the future. Therefore, it is evident that the image of service outlets holds great importance.

Analyzing how physical ambient conditions affect customer satisfaction and employee performance is also significant. The ambient environment comprises various design elements and details that work together to create the desired service environment. These conditions include

lighting and color schemes, size and shape perceptions, sounds, temperature, and scents. These factors have an impact on both employee satisfaction and customer satisfaction.

Comparatively speaking, Restaurant Seed ABA has brighter lighting than other restaurants visited which serves as motivation for its employees to work efficientlyThe employees at Seed ABA are energized and more productive due to the bright lighting. The bright lights also create a comfortable dining atmosphere for customers, encouraging them to stay longer. Studies have shown that bright lighting can increase the speed of eating, enhance the taste of food, and stimulate appetite. The white walls contribute to cleanliness and hygiene. However, the limited space with narrow tables and chairs challenges employees in providing smooth service and may cause discomfort for closely seated customers. Furthermore, the presence of a television adds to the noise level, irritating and stressing employees during their work. This noisy environment can lead to mistakes in orders and affect employee focus. Customers may also struggle to hear phone calls in this noisy setting.Some customers prefer a peaceful and quiet dining experience rather than enduring a loud place; however, not all customers share this preference. Additionally, due to insufficient fans, the temperature at Seed ABA restaurant is quite warm.The lack of proper temperature control at Seed ABA results in employees being unable to concentrate and constantly sweating during their working hours, thereby reducing their efficiency. Consequently, customers prefer to enjoy their meal in a comfortable temperature as it directly affects their satisfaction and perception of the service quality. Additionally, the scent at Seed ABA is filled with cigarette smoke due to a poor ventilation system, which can negatively impact the

work performance or mood of employees who dislike the smell of cigarettes. Similarly, customers who are also not fond of the smell will suffer while enjoying their meal. Another restaurant visited was Bumming Restaurant where insufficient lighting causes a dark and dim environment. This leads to employees feeling sleepy and fatigued, hampering their efficiency and resulting in mistakes in customer service. The inadequate light system also makes it difficult for employees to identify customers which may lead to incorrect food orders. According to Keller (2006), workers' mood is negatively affected when the lighting is too dark. Moreover, this darkness also hampers customers' ability to read the menu leading to slower decision-making and decreased satisfaction.According to Bourn (2011), the restaurant's white walls and decorative flower pots represent a successful start, promoting cleanliness and motivating employees. The location of the restaurant in a back alley results in a rectangular space with ample room for customers to dine and staff to move around easily. This arrangement increases efficiency for both employees and customer comfort, leading to higher satisfaction and repeat business. The absence of additional services such as music or television allows the lively voices of customers to fill the large restaurant, which is not an issue for some customers who enjoy a bustling ambiance. Restaurant Bumming has fans placed throughout to create a refreshing environment, enhancing the dining experience for customers and motivating employees.

The comfortable temperature within Restaurant Bumming prevents excessive sweating among employees, strengthening and improving their workforce. Sacks (2013) cites a report from the military published by the Institute of Medicine stating that heat decreases appetite.Customers are more likely to have increased appetites when

dining in a comfortable temperature environment. However, excessively hot temperatures at Restaurant Bumming, which primarily offers hot food, can potentially affect customer satisfaction and appetites. Despite its location in a back alley, Restaurant Bumming excels in maintaining cleanliness in its surroundings to prevent any unpleasant odors that could negatively impact both employees and customers.

Another restaurant visited was Restaurant Choc Eke, renowned for its bright lighting. Bright lighting allows employees to easily identify customers in need of assistance or support. Loftier (2011) suggests that lighting plays a crucial role in determining mood. Therefore, adequate lighting is essential to positively influence customer mood and satisfaction levels. In a well-lit environment, customers can clearly see the dishes and enjoy their meals with a good mood.

Additionally, the walls of Restaurant Choc Eke are painted yellow—a color associated with joyfulness and energy according to Bourn (2011). The yellow color energizes employees and helps them work efficiently while also attracting customers and bringing them joy. The size of Choc Eke restaurant is regular and square-shaped; everything within the restaurant is arranged neatly for easy accessibility of equipment by employees—thus enabling faster service delivery. Overall, the clean and tidy environment at Restaurant Choc Eke has a positive effect on customers' moods.The lively atmosphere of the restaurant may irritate some customers, impacting their satisfaction. Additionally, the warm temperature in the restaurant can cause employees to sweat while serving meals, which may not appeal to customers. Moreover, the proximity of public drains can result in unpleasant odors for customers.

Furthermore, working in a smelly environment at Choc Eke can make employees feel uncomfortable and decrease efficiency and productivity. This can also harm the well-being of

employees. The smell can also have a negative impact on customers by decreasing their appetites and discouraging them from staying longer in the restaurant. In this situation, suggested service improvements to enhance the service environment and quality of each service outlet would be helpful.

According to Google news (2002), creating a comfortable working environment is crucial for employee satisfaction. Desktop Publishing (2013) emphasizes the importance of a pleasant ambiance for both employees and customers. Pumped (2006) explains that an unpleasant smell can have negative effects on employee well-being and productivity.Bourn Creative (2010) highlights the influence of color on mood and comfort in a work environment. Monetary (2013) points out that an unpleasant odor can diminish customer appetite and impact their dining experience. Home and Graded (2011) demonstrate how lighting affects mood and creates a more enjoyable environment for employees and customers. Bourn Creative (2011) explains that colors like yellow can enhance mood and create a positive atmosphere in service outlets. Considering these factors is essential for enhancing service quality, as demonstrated by visiting three famous Make stalls in this service marketing assignment. One of the visited stalls, Seed ABA Make, had lower service quality with unclean tables and chairs, as well as waiters who only took orders when asked, potentially resulting in a negative service experience.In addition, the state of the toilet in this restaurant is neglected. Thus, it is the responsibility of employees and managers to implement measures to improve service. This includes ensuring that tables and chairs are wiped down for customer comfort.

Firstly, it is crucial for waiters to be proactive in taking customers' orders promptly. Furthermore, maintaining cleanliness in the toilets is vital

to prevent customers from losing their appetite after using them and allow them to continue enjoying their meals.

Moving on to another restaurant called Bumming (also known as Atman Sea Make), it is located in a back alley between two buildings. While the environment is relatively cool and reasonably clean, there are some areas that negatively impact the quality of service. There is a shortage of available waiters to serve and take orders due to an overwhelming number of customers. Additionally, the toilet is unclean due to a malfunctioning flush.

To enhance customer satisfaction, it would be beneficial to consider increasing both the number and size of tables overall. This would also help older workers manage tasks more efficiently and improve service efficiency.

Furthermore, fixing the toilet is essential in providing convenience for customers so they won't have to search for alternative facilities nearby.Finally, I went to Restaurant Choc Eke (also known as DC Make) in a lively area with many people around midnight. The restaurant's environment is fairly clean but hot. The waiters are efficient - they approach customers at their tables and take their orders promptly, resulting in quick food service. However, there are a few issues that need attention in order to enhance the overall service experience. The tables should be cleaned more regularly after customers finish their meals as they are not always clean. Additionally, more fans should be placed around the restaurant to help cool down the high temperature. To address the smell from the public drain, it would be beneficial to request regular cleaning by the government and ensure no waste is thrown into it. In conclusion, implementing a service improvement plan

and maintaining service quality are essential for upholding the company's reputation and customer satisfaction. Enhancing the service environment will significantly contribute to attracting more customers; therefore, delivering exceptional service that exceeds expectations is crucial. As a result, companies must continuously evaluate and enhance their services.