Service Marketing: Report on Customer Service Experiences and Analysis

This report provides an in-depth analysis of service marketing through two contrasting customer experiences. The first section details a positive encounter at Dior Cosmetics, highlighting factors contributing to customer satisfaction such as attentive employees, personalized service, and product quality, while also discussing how the company could ensure this level of service consistently. The second section examines a negative experience at the 'Indulgence' hair beauty clinic, identifying sources of dissatisfaction, including poor service quality, broken promises, and a mismatch between expectations and reality. The report uses the GAPS model to analyze the service failure. The report covers service quality, specific product or service features, price, product quality, and consumer emotions to provide a comprehensive understanding of customer service dynamics.

Running Head: SERVICE MARKETING
SERVICE MARKETING
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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Introduction:
Service marketing refers to the initiative of the companies or brands to create their own
values by providing premium quality services to the customers. Service marketing has become
one of the crucial factors marketers are concerned about while dragging new customers and
retaining the existing ones. The purpose of the study is to focus on service marketing and find
out one good as well as one bad customer experiences. In order to elaborate good experiences,
Dior Cosmetic Services, has been selected. Brand chosen to depict bad experience is,
'Indulgence' hair beauty clinic in Hong Kong. In case of the good experience the sources of
satisfaction, action of the employees, my expectations as a customer and the process through
which the company can ensure premium quality services to the customers are discussed with
minute details. Similarly in the case of bad experience the sources of dissatisfaction along with
the employee performance are analyze in the lights of GAPS model. The concluding section
contains personal insights on both the good as well as bad experiences.
Discussion of Best Service
I have received premium quality customer service experience in Dior situated in the
Festival Walk of Hong Kong. The warm welcome that I received just after entering the store
was one of the factors that bring a gentle smile on my face. After they ask me in a very formal
yet cordial tones about my queries. I told them about my anxiety regarding the selection the right
beauty products compatible to the type of skin and lips I have. She assured me that there are skin
test tools in the shop, and guided me to a separate room. She stayed with me during the
determination of the skin tone and type. After that she collected the result of the test and request
me to wait and have some refreshments while she finds the moisturizer, concealer and also

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foundation suitable to the particular skin type I have. After a few minutes she appeared with the
moisturizer, concealer and also foundation suitable for my skin. Further she explained me that
the result showed that my lips lack proper moisturizing and I need to use Lip Glow, which is the
color-adaptive lip balm exclusively manufactured by Dior, for those who desire to have a
perfectly moisturized lips. Further she demonstrates me the rules regarding the usage of all the
products. Along with this she provided me some valuable beauty tips, for example she elaborates
me how a lip maximizer can enhance the overall beauty of my face. She also discussed with me
how a lip maximizer can make me look tempting and gorgeous during festivals. Thus she
addressed all my queries in details, with a care and patience. After that the employees at the
packaging counter kept the products inside waterproof and colorful carry bags. Further I did not
have to wait in much in the cash counter, the scanning of the barcodes and payment procedures
took a few seconds. Moreover the prices were within my budget. The employee at the cash
counter collected my contact number and address and inform me that, I can also avail home
delivery services, in case I cannot visit the store. The polite and cordial behavior of the
employees, patience and care and valuable suggestions of the saleswoman, her vital tips to look
tempting and gorgeous during festivals, the scientific methods to test skin type and tones, and
efforts made by the employees to help me in the selection of the beauty products that perfectly
matches with the skin tone and type of mine, are the sources of my satisfaction, for which I
would love to visit the store again and again.

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In this case the sources of satisfaction are:
1. Service quality:
Analyzing the positive experience with the parameter of service quality, it can be said
that, The humble as well as cordial behavior of the saleswoman, patience, care and valuable
suggestions of the saleswoman, her vital tips to look tempting and gorgeous during festivals,
and efforts made by the employees to help me in the selection of the beauty products that
perfectly matches with the skin tone and type of mine, are the sources of my satisfaction, for
which, I would love to visit the store again and again (Cook 2017).
2. Specific product or service features:
One of the specific service which I liked the most is the scientific methods to test skin
type and tones. Further the demonstration of the process of using the beauty products by the
saleswoman, is another feature which made me feel happy and satisfied.
3. Price:
Another reason behind the high level of satisfaction I received, is affordable price of the
beauty products.
4. Product quality:
Dior products are popular for their premium quality. After using those beauty products, I
find that Dior products are light weighted and they cause no damage to the skin, rather they
bring back the natural glow of my skin and enhanced my look.

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5. Consumer emotions:
Women are concerned about their skin tone and are always in search of perfect moisturizer as
well as foundation for enhancing their beauty. the Consumer emotions are touched properly.
The employees’ good understanding of my bewildering situation at the time of selecting
beauty products, satiated my search for an empathetic as well as knowledgeable person to
conduct a skin test, and guide me to choose the right beauty products (Mauri Minazzi and
Muccio 2013).
What were your expectations?
I did not expect the Dior shop will arrange for scientific tests of skin tests and types, I
expected that they would apply their strategies to increase sales and hand over me products
without any assurance whether the beauty products would be suitable for the skin tone as well as
type of my. The reality was completely opposite of my expectation. Instead of applying merely
sales strategy, they showed their concern for me by conducting a skin test and finding the right
beauty products for me. I also did not expect that they would demonstrate the usage of the
products, but they elaborated the instructions for using those products. Hence, the quality of the
service was beyond my expectation, which melted my heart. Now I would love to ccome back to
their shop again and again.

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What could the company do to ensure that this kind of encounter is the “rule”
rather than the “Exception”?
In order to ensure that the premium quality service is a “rule” not an “exception”, the
brand should focus more on some of the attributes that will accelerate the success of the
customer service. The good quality service by Dior, made me feel that they care for customers
and values the anxieties or problems of the customers. This is one of the crucial factors, in case
of customer service marketing. Dior should make sure that all of the shops they have across the
world treat every customer equally, make the customer feel that they are valued, guide the
customers to select the right beauty products as per their requirements. If the brand focuses more
on the creation of this perception among the customers, this will ensure that providing premium
quality service is a “rule” not an “exception” for Dior.
Discussion of worst service:
As the worst service 'Indulgence' hair beauty clinic in Hong Kong, can be mentioned. On
the first day when I visited 'Indulgence' hair beauty clinic, they have promised me a discount on
hair spa , if I select an expensive hair cut and hair style from the catalogue. Further, when I
asked them about the most appropriate hair style suitable to my look, they advised me to avail a
special hair cut as well as hair style service that is the most expensive one in the catalogue. The
next day after I had gone through the hair cut and style service they told me that, they could not
offer me any discount on the hair spa, as promised on the first day. I was astonished as they
promised me that, the discount would be available for those undergoing expensive hair cut and
style services, and I opted for the most expensive services as per their suggestion only. I was
very much disappointed, when I realized that they have made fake promises. Moreover when I

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returned home I found that the most expensive hair cut and style services which they suggested
was not suiting my face and the hair therapy they suggested me made my hair freeze gradually.
In this case the sources of dissatisfaction are:
1. Service quality:
One of the sources of dissatisfaction in this case is the extremely poor quality of the
service. They insisted me to have a hair cut which did not match my face. Further they made
a fake promise of providing me a discount on the hair spa. Apart from this the hair therapy
that they provided after the hair cut freezed my hair gradually. All these were the evidences
of the very poor service quality
2. Specific product or service features:
Specified service feature were hair cut, hair therapy, these were faulty , did not suit me
too. Hence the specified service features were the sole reason of dissatisfaction.
3. Price:
The nominal value or the price of the services received was very high as compared to
the actual value of the service. Moreover, the services they provided were not
satisfactory. They initially promised me discounts on hair spa, but abruptly increased the
price, declaring that no discount would be provided. This is indicative of the fact that,
unreasonable price were one of the significant reason behind the dissatisfaction.
Product quality:

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4. Consumer emotions:
Consumer’s emotion were not touched, rather they played with the emotion of thye
customer by making fake promises, and providing a bad hair cut as well as hair therapy. This
is one of the major causes of dissatisfaction (Madera 2013).
What did you expect and what did the employee do to make this such a bad encounter?
I expected and good hair cut that matches my face and enhance my look and hair spa for
enhancing the beauty of my hair. The employees did not cooperate at the time of selecting
appropriate hair style. They lacked knowledge and skills and were not attentive too. They lacked
focused in their work. They did not value my concern for a stylish hair cut. Moreover they made
fake promises and denied that initially they assured a discount on hair spa.
Recovery: As a recovery the clinic should offer me a free hair treatment and provide discount on
hair spa.
Adaptability: 'Indulgence' hair beauty clinic should employ skilled hair dresser. They need to
train their employees to be more focused and value customer’s concern (Liang Ma and Qi 2013).
Spontaneity and coping:
'Indulgence' hair beauty clinic needs to educate hair stylists as well as other employees to
become spontaneous while assisting customers. They need to focus on building their unique
selling propositions, rather than copying other beauty clinics. If they are capable of enhancing
the quality of their services by recruiting proficient hair stylish and train the employees to be
well mannered, follow business ethics and value customer needs; they will be able to create
positive perceptions among the customers and their USP will automatically be enhanced. This
will help them to attract and serve the customers in a better way (Wilson et al. 2016).

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The gaps in the service quality that causes a service failure can be found using GAPS
model of service quality:
The first gap as per the first gap, the difference between, customer’s expectation and the
actual service is one of the root cause of service failure. Further, as per the second gap the
difference between management perception and actual specification are the reasons, why the
service become failure. For example, the management initially allowed a discount on the hair
spa, but later the employees told that no discount will be allowed. Management has made
provision for the scientific methods for proper determination of the hair style; but employees
were not attentive while guiding me to select proper hair style for me. Moreover, employees did
not follow business ethics and denied that that initially they had promised discount on hair spa.
All these induced the above mentioned gaps. The fake promise by the management also

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indicative of the third Gap, which is the difference between experience specification and the
delivery of the experience (Tan Hamid and Chew 2016).
In the conclusion, as personal insights on the specific plan for improvement, it can be
suggested that, the management needs to be more conscious about fulfillment of the commitment
made to the customers. The employees need to enhance skills and follow business code of
conduct. The employees need to be trained to be more focused, value customer’s concern and
exhibit excel through their performance. These may help 'Indulgence' hair beauty clinic to reduce
the there gaps-difference between customers’ expectation as well as the actual service, difference
between management perception and actual specification, difference between experience
specification and the delivery of the experience.

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References
Cook, S., 2017. Measuring customer service effectiveness. Routledge.
Liang, D., Ma, Z. and Qi, L., 2013. Service quality and customer switching behavior in China's
mobile phone service sector. Journal of Business Research, 66(8), pp.1161-1167.
Madera, J.M., 2013. Best practices in diversity management in customer service organizations:
an investigation of top companies cited by Diversity Inc. Cornell Hospitality Quarterly, 54(2),
pp.124-135.
Wilson, A., Zeithaml, V., Bitner, M.J. and Gremler, D., 2016. Services marketing: Integrating
customer focus across the firm.
Mauri, A.G., Minazzi, R. and Muccio, S., 2013. A review of literature on the gaps model on
service quality: A 3-decades period: 1985-2013. International Business Research, 6(12), p.134.
Tan, L.H., Hamid, S.R. and Chew, B.C., 2016. Service quality audit based on conceptual gaps
model of service quality: a case study of top three largest local bank in Malaysia. International
Journal of Productivity and Quality Management, 18(1), pp.99-115.

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