ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the nature and meaning of services marketing. The term service product encompasses a myriad of different types of service. There are numerous different service products. Intangibility is certainly one of the key characteristics that distinguishes service products from tangible products. Non-ownership can sometimes make it difficult for a customer to assess and appreciate the advantages of purchasing the service. Inseparability places emphasis on the selection and training of the service provider's personnel. The characteristics of inseparability and variability associated with service products in particular mean that people are an extremely important element of the marketing mix in services marketing. The development of a marketing culture and, in particular, the training and motivation of all the individuals in an organization to achieve this is termed internal marketing. Banks, building societies, hairdressers, airlines, hotels and management consultants are examples of service marketers who make use of the mix elements of physical evidence.
