{"id":1043,"date":"2022-04-21T20:36:00","date_gmt":"2022-04-21T18:36:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/support.centreforelites.com\/marketing-of-services\/"},"modified":"2023-08-16T12:42:14","modified_gmt":"2023-08-16T10:42:14","slug":"marketing-of-services","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/support.centreforelites.com\/en\/marketing-of-services\/","title":{"rendered":"TIPS ON MARKETING OF SERVICES"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>In this informative article, we will delve into the challenges encountered during the marketing of services. While many of the conventional marketing concepts remain applicable to services, it is crucial to recognize and address the distinct considerations inherent to service-based offerings. This piece will elucidate these unique aspects and offer valuable insights into effective service marketing strategies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-69d9928fc3771\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-69d9928fc3771\"  aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/support.centreforelites.com\/en\/marketing-of-services\/#_NATURE_OF_SERVICE\" >&nbsp;NATURE OF SERVICE<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/support.centreforelites.com\/en\/marketing-of-services\/#_CHARACTERISTICS_OF_SERVICES\" >&nbsp;CHARACTERISTICS OF SERVICES<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/support.centreforelites.com\/en\/marketing-of-services\/#Perishability\" >Perishability<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/support.centreforelites.com\/en\/marketing-of-services\/#Variability\" >Variability<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/support.centreforelites.com\/en\/marketing-of-services\/#INTANGIBILITY\" >INTANGIBILITY:<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/support.centreforelites.com\/en\/marketing-of-services\/#_INSEPARABILITY_VARIABILITY_HETEROGENEITY\" >&nbsp;INSEPARABILITY, VARIABILITY (HETEROGENEITY)<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/support.centreforelites.com\/en\/marketing-of-services\/#Variability_Heterogeneity\" >Variability (Heterogeneity)<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/support.centreforelites.com\/en\/marketing-of-services\/#PERISHABILITY_AND_FLUCTUATING_DEMAND\" >PERISHABILITY AND FLUCTUATING DEMAND<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/support.centreforelites.com\/en\/marketing-of-services\/#_MARKETING_STRATEGIES_FOR_SERVICE_FIRMS\" >&nbsp;MARKETING STRATEGIES FOR SERVICE FIRMS<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/support.centreforelites.com\/en\/marketing-of-services\/#INTERNAL_MARKETING\" >INTERNAL MARKETING<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/support.centreforelites.com\/en\/marketing-of-services\/#INTERACTIVE_MARKETING\" >INTERACTIVE MARKETING<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/support.centreforelites.com\/en\/marketing-of-services\/#MANAGING_DIFFERENTIATION\" >MANAGING DIFFERENTIATION<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/support.centreforelites.com\/en\/marketing-of-services\/#_MANAGING_SERVICE_QUALITY\" >&nbsp;&nbsp;MANAGING SERVICE QUALITY<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/support.centreforelites.com\/en\/marketing-of-services\/#MANAGING_PRODUCTIVITY\" >MANAGING PRODUCTIVITY<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-15\" href=\"https:\/\/support.centreforelites.com\/en\/marketing-of-services\/#CONCLUSION\" >CONCLUSION<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"block-86d2ae17-ffcf-465d-a442-36195e2b7a85\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"_NATURE_OF_SERVICE\"><\/span>&nbsp;NATURE OF SERVICE<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-a7885b01-4427-4ce2-b4a5-3e8768945f82\">A service is any activity or benefit that one party can offer to another that is essentially intangible and does not result in the ownership of anything. Its production may or may not be tied to a physical product.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Generally, a product refers to any item or service that can be presented to a market in order to fulfill a specific need or desire. While the term \u201cproduct\u201d typically brings to mind tangible objects like cars or telephones, its scope is not limited solely to physical entities. Anything capable of meeting a need can be classified as a product. The significance of physical goods lies not solely in their ownership, but rather in the benefits they offer. For example, we procure food not merely for the purpose of visual admiration, but rather to satiate our hunger. Similarly, the acquisition of a microwave oven is motivated by its ability to cook our food effectively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-e783e4c2-adca-4885-bd3d-cf4676db123a\">Actually, a service is a performance that delivers some combination of benefits to the buyers. A service can be provided by a machine (e.g automatic teller), a person (e.g. consultant), or a combination of both (e.g. mechanic). A service can be directed toward the buyer (e.g dental check-up) or toward the buyer\u2019s possessions (e.g. roof repair). Al government agencies are service providers, as are schools, hospitals, and transportation systems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-fe3d1b63-1437-4ce2-897c-43b8904ef7af\">As you already learnt in units 1 and 8, most products are actually a combination of tangible good and intangible services,&nbsp;Goods&nbsp;\u2014dominant products&nbsp;rely primarily&nbsp;on the exchange of physical goods to fulfil customer needs. However, with service-dominant products, the majority of the exchange is a service. Although we talk about \u201cgoods\u201d and \u201cservices\u201d as separate categories, you can see that many products&nbsp;include <a href=\"https:\/\/support.centreforelites.com\/en\/elements-compounds-and-mixtures\/\">elements<\/a> of both.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-328cc9c5-c21c-4c20-b067-b5a6e7bacee6\">Activities such as renting a hotel room, depositing money in a bank, taking an insurance policy, travelling on an aeroplane, visiting a medical doctor, getting a haircut, having a car repaired, watching a professional sport, seeing a movie, having clothes cleaned at a dry cleaner, and getting advice from a lawyer all involve buying a service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"block-e4952553-5229-47ba-9e67-9b68753dae56\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"_CHARACTERISTICS_OF_SERVICES\"><\/span>&nbsp;CHARACTERISTICS OF SERVICES<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-b0b16435-4788-4134-96d3-ad8d95f55599\">Services have a number of distinctive characteristics, which create special&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/motivemeaning.com\/introduction-to-marketing\/\">marketing<\/a>&nbsp;challenges and opportunities. These characteristics are summarised in the&nbsp;Figure below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\" id=\"block-f0ce2e86-3e63-4ae8-a045-95c7aa256236\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/motivemeaning.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Four-Service-Characteristics.jpg?w=1200&amp;ssl=1\" alt=\"four service characteristics - marketing of services\" title=\"Marketing Of Services. Three Things To Consider 1\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Four service characteristics<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-12f9980f-c612-4369-a836-94dfede6e803\">Inseparability&nbsp;Services cannot be separated from their providers<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-b83f09a0-d7df-4771-9770-0bfb134cfdcc\">Intangibility&nbsp;Services cannot be seen, tasted, felt, heard, or smelled before purchase<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"block-44f838f8-333f-4662-b189-3ceede75f912\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Perishability\"><\/span>Perishability<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-f4c49d5e-abec-4e9e-9fc4-ff3202a16541\">Service cannot be stored for later sale or use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"block-67dda30d-0834-4333-8b05-fea911b52cec\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Variability\"><\/span>Variability<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-f7d68bcf-7c79-42c4-80eb-489ca950c3ee\">Quality of services depends on who provides them and when, where, and how<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"block-1780dfe5-12d4-4c2a-a95e-52aaea193867\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"INTANGIBILITY\"><\/span>INTANGIBILITY:<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-c493cb31-44b6-4212-88b0-038fcb17a2c2\">This means that services cannot be seen, tasted, felt, heard, or smelled before they are bought. For example, people undergoing cosmetic surgery cannot see the result before the purchase, and airline passengers have nothing but a ticket and the promise of safe&nbsp;delivery to their destinations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-ab12de29-16c6-480c-b7ec-dd3d051442fb\">To overcome intangibility, buyers usually look for \u201csignals\u201d of service quality. They draw conclusions about quality from the place, people, price, equipment and communication material that they can see. Therefore, the service provider\u2019s task is to make the service&nbsp;tangible in one or more ways.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-c825ecbf-e6f8-4b9b-baba-5c6852b3f8d9\">Intangibility also leads to special implementation and control challenges. For instance,&nbsp;whereas product marketers try to add intangibles to their tangibles offers, service marketers&nbsp;try to add tangibles to their intangible offers. For instance, a bank that wants to convey the idea that its service is quick and efficient must make this positioning&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/blog\/post\/edit\/3718099119877372482\/3802570587801267507#\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">strategy<\/a>&nbsp;tangible&nbsp;in every aspect of customer contact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-33ebe695-84ea-4b74-8a72-f0feaac56956\">The bank\u2019s physical setting must suggest quick and efficient service: its exterior and interior should have clean lines, internal traffic flow should be planned carefully, waiting lines should seem short at tel er windows and Automatic Teller Machines (ATMS), and background music should be light and upbeat. The bank\u2019s staff should be seen to be busy and properly dressed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-a61bd71e-c1c6-4a15-8a56-3313d1aca1c1\">The equipment such as computers, copy machines, current counters, desks etc. should look modern. The bank\u2019s advertisement and other&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/motivemeaning.com\/6-tips-to-business-communication-skills-to-never-forget-2\/\">communications<\/a>&nbsp;should suggests efficiency, with clean and simple designs and carefully chosen words and photos that communicate the bank\u2019s positioning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-dca36c88-3f14-4196-a133-e35b45f9fdb5\">Consequently, a company\u2019s promotional programme must portray the benefits to be derived four the service, rather than emphasizing the service itself. From promotional strategies that may be used to suggest service the benefits are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-a94bac68-8368-4195-92c3-7860f220a820\">(i) Visualization \u2013 depicting benefits with an advertisement that show many features<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-828fe05a-0fca-44d5-966b-02e0c4515552\">(i ) Association, that is, connecting the service with a tangible good, person, object, or place. For example, the following animals listed in Table 16.1 are usual y employed to depict the services offered by some service firms:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-e2938b54-3d7f-4c30-b137-c9bb4f474268\">Table: Connection between some animals and service delivery<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><tbody><tr><td>Animal<\/td><td>Perception<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Elephant<\/td><td>The strongest animal<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Dolphin<\/td><td>The smartest animal<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Tiger<\/td><td>The most dynamic animal<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Eagle<\/td><td>The sharpen eyes sight<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Rhinoceros<\/td><td>The most Volatile animal<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-a97ff6fe-7aec-4621-9b96-ac8b7043641d\">(iii)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Physical representation. For example, some banks use colour, gold or platinum, for their credit card services to symbolize wealth and prestige Fast&nbsp;food chains, telephone companies, etc. dress their service representatives in&nbsp;clean, distinctive uniforms to stress visibility, cleanliness, and dependability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-1b5d6644-57e3-4d86-ba1f-02bb851a8c76\">(iv)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Documentation i.e. citing facts and figures in advertisements to support claims&nbsp;of dependability, performance, care etc. For instance, insurance firms should always&nbsp;publicise claims already set led. In addition, services marketers cannot rely on normal measures of product quality to make sure they are offering the right level&nbsp;of performance. Instead, service marketers often we customer satisfaction surveys to monitor and maintain control over product quality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"block-453e8296-efd0-4135-ba9c-e99d56f955c8\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"_INSEPARABILITY_VARIABILITY_HETEROGENEITY\"><\/span>&nbsp;INSEPARABILITY, VARIABILITY (HETEROGENEITY)<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-0a207789-1b4f-425f-9dd4-532503e4af9b\">Service inseparability means that services cannot be separated from their&nbsp;providers, whether the producers are people or machines. If a service employee provides&nbsp;the employee service, then, the employee is a part of the service. Because the customer is also present as the service is produced, provider \u2014 customer interaction is a special feature of services marketing. Both the provider and&nbsp;the customer affect the service outcome. Consequently, customers\u2019 opinions&nbsp;regarding a service are frequently formed through contacts with the production \u2014 marketing personnel and impressions of the physical surroundings in the&nbsp;factory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-3a038b59-adbb-4ed0-897f-04836386f50f\">Inseparability has a special meaning in many service industries. In some cases, a particular provider is so closely identified with a service that substitute providers will simply not suffice. For example, in the case of entertainment and professional services, buyers care a great deal about who provides the service. For example, it is not the same service at a&nbsp;Sunny Ade concert if Sunny gets sick and is replaced by one of his band boys. A legal&nbsp;defence supplied by Rotimi Williams differs from one supplied by Festus Keyamo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-29b8e63e-ec65-4728-b53f-b84828e40e0b\">Hence, when consumers have a strongly provider preference, price is used to ration the limited&nbsp;supply of the preferred provider\u2019s time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-4badcd59-0aca-4717-8f92-e4f8f8ec4631\">From a marketing point of view, inseparability frequently means that direct sale is the only possible channel of distribution, and an individual seller\u2019s services cannot be sold in very many markets. This characteristic limits the scale of operation in a services firm. As an exception to the inseparability feature, the service may be sold by a person who is representing the creator-seller. For example, a travel agent, insurance broker, etc. may&nbsp;represent and help promote services that will be sold by the institution producing them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"block-67039c55-653c-4062-a55b-cb3ee649d952\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Variability_Heterogeneity\"><\/span>Variability (Heterogeneity)<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-54035a8b-eedf-4ab0-87d6-93d1b4f89260\">Service variability means that the quality of services depends on who promotes them as well&nbsp;as when, where, and how they are provided. For example, some hotels such as Sheraton have reputations for promoting better service than others, and, within these good ones, one registration, desk employee may be cheerful and efficient whereas another standing just a&nbsp;few feet away may be unpleasant and slower. Even the quality of a single Sheraton\u2019s employee&nbsp;service varies according to his\/her energy, and frame of mind at the time of each&nbsp;customer encounter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-29dc3119-8ff4-4436-9b01-8194078ccc23\">Service firms can take several steps to help manage service variability. They can select and carefully train their personnel to give good service. They can provide employee incentives that emphasize quality, such as employee of\u2014the \u2014 month awards or bonuses based on customer feedback. A firm can check customer satisfaction regularly through suggestion and complaints systems, customer surveys, and comparison shopping.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"block-e31c4f48-f8f1-445d-beeb-3da5820a402b\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"PERISHABILITY_AND_FLUCTUATING_DEMAND\"><\/span>PERISHABILITY AND FLUCTUATING DEMAND<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-c7f3d84d-b386-4469-9e35-710134f6369d\">Service perishability means that services cannot be stored for later sale or use. For instance, unused telephone time, empty seats in a stadium or aeroplane and idle mechanics in a garage all represent a business that is lost forever.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-00600818-bc9c-4c93-98d1-91a88861ac45\">Furthermore the market for services fluctuates considerably by season, by day of the week, and by hour of day. There are exceptions to this generalization regarding the perishability and storage of services. In health and life insurance, for example, the service is purchased by a person or a company. Then, it is held by the issuance company until needed by the buyer or the beneficiary. This is holding constitutes a type of storage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-a9a6ced4-b3ef-4040-85bf-f1b7e7411dee\">The combination of perishability and fluctuating demand offers product: planning, pricing and promotion challenges to service executives. Some organizations have developed new uses for idle plant capacity during off-season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-d8811d79-8e19-4537-84e9-f0692bb3a82d\">Advertising and creative pricing are also used to stimulate demand during slack periods. Some hotel offer lower process and family packages on weekends. Telephone service providers charge lower rates for long, distance cal s during nights and weekends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"block-0d7d6ef3-fb53-4aa8-8322-35c247be4026\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"_MARKETING_STRATEGIES_FOR_SERVICE_FIRMS\"><\/span>&nbsp;MARKETING STRATEGIES FOR SERVICE FIRMS<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-c4145243-e630-4308-bcb4-e339136a999a\">Good service firms should always use marketing to position themselves strongly in chosen target markets. However, because services differ from tangible products, they often require additional marketing approaches. In a product business, products are fairly standardized and can sit on shelves waiting for customers. But in a service business, the customers and frontline service employee interact to create the service. Thus, service providers must work to interact effectively with customers in order to create superior value during service encounters. Effective interaction, in turn, depends on the skills of frontline service employees, and on the service production and support processes backing these employees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-b10dedd3-366b-42f5-b93f-ce7ca668d6a5\">Hence, successful service companies focus their attention on both their employees and customers. They usually employ the service-profit chain, which links the service firm\u2019s profits with employee and customer satisfaction. This chain consists of five links.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-98bac632-52d7-40cf-bd44-de6de0c4e20b\">Internal service quality i.e. supervisor-employee selection and training, a quality work environment, and strong support for those dealing with customers. This results in:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-0a5410ea-9b11-46dd-9dcf-72f92de5ba0c\">Satisfied and productive service employees i.e. more satisfied, loyal, and hard-working employees. Thus leading to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-c8fa6819-ab28-473e-b640-f6b7ea3621dc\">(i i) Greater Service values i.e. more effective and efficient customer satisfied loyal customers i.e. satisfied customer, who remain loyal, repeat purchase, and refer other customers, hence leading to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-def95b7c-ce3c-4740-8b2d-7bbff53bef58\">(iv) Healthy service profits and <a href=\"https:\/\/support.centreforelites.com\/en\/definition-of-growth-and-development\/\">growth<\/a> i.e. superior service firm performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-cfc957a5-c173-443f-9913-f4f300e85c0f\">Therefore, reaching service profits and <a href=\"https:\/\/support.centreforelites.com\/en\/definition-of-growth-and-development\/\">growth<\/a> goals, begins with taking care of those who take care of customers. Evidently, service marketing requires more than just traditional external marketing using the 4PS<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-681473a9-1c27-4114-a589-e14ddb9093c0\">Service marketing also requires both internal marketing and interactive marketing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-703fe0a6-a441-4114-99b5-cb7ce1057869\">Company<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-1a0bdf6d-23fa-4cfa-a37f-670828ad248c\">External Marketing<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-b40dd6ed-7efe-4531-956a-1bef5d2558f8\">Employees<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-860d84ef-b8f1-4d94-b975-3c33a7fee9cb\">Interactive marketing<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"block-f2b690d9-b5ee-4288-8e87-0148003ae684\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"INTERNAL_MARKETING\"><\/span>INTERNAL MARKETING<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-6b6d4233-1531-49d0-b383-b114d34e402d\">Means that the service firm must effectively train and motivate its customer contact employees and all the supporting service people to work as a team to provide customers satisfaction. In order for the firm to deliver consistently high service quality, everyone must practice a customer orientation. Internal marketing usual y precedes external marketing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"block-4fe15375-dcfd-4ae6-bf73-9e195ecaa369\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"INTERACTIVE_MARKETING\"><\/span>INTERACTIVE MARKETING<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-0e993cc3-3fec-4a16-90a5-4f089c286dfa\">This means that perceived service quality depends heavily on the quality of the buyer-seller interaction during the service encounter. The customer judges service quality not just on technical quality (e.g success of surgery) but also on its functional quality (whether the doctor showed concern and inspired confidence). Thus, professionals cannot assume that they will satisfy the customer singly by providing good technical service. They need to master interactive marketing skills or function as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\" id=\"block-5cadd2d0-6d79-4164-bd4d-6e58bd1ee14f\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/motivemeaning.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/social-media-iconos-1.jpg?w=1200&amp;ssl=1\" alt=\"interactive marketing of services\" title=\"Marketing Of Services. Three Things To Consider 2\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Interactive marketing of services<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-c1f98170-3c57-4820-b92a-7570c92e625c\">Today, as competition and costs increase, and as productivity decreases, more marketing sophistication is needed. Hence, service companies face three major marketing tasks: They want to increase their competitive differentiation, service quality, and productivity. Let\u2019s examine each of these.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"block-cd898e4d-edaf-4d8b-baf9-3722cfa37108\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"MANAGING_DIFFERENTIATION\"><\/span>MANAGING DIFFERENTIATION<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-0c644027-c93b-43d9-b9c8-471b95faca0a\">Many service firms experience the difficulty of differentiating their services from&nbsp;those of competitors, especially in these days of intense price competition.&nbsp;This is even made worse by the attitudes of customers who view the service of different providers as being similar. They therefore care less about the provider&nbsp;than the price.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-0c644027-c93b-43d9-b9c8-471b95faca0a\">Price competition is can be tackled by developing a differentiated offer,&nbsp;delivery, and image. For instance, the offer can include innovative features that set one company\u2019s offer apart from competitors\u2019&nbsp;offers. eg. Airlines have introduced such&nbsp;innovations as in-flight movies, advanced seating, air-to-ground telephone service, and frequent-flyer award programmes to differentiate. Some airlines&nbsp;also provide sleeping compartments hot showers and cooked-to-order breakfasts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-933a678b-53f3-4ba0-8e2b-64bc9cfffc53\">The unfortunate thing here is that most service innovations are copied easily. This notwithstanding, the service company that innovates regularly will gain a succession of temporary advantages and an innovative reputation that may help it keep customers who want to go with the best.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-ac782cf2-457a-490e-b14f-476748b3c8b9\">It is possible for service companies to differentiate their service delivery in three ways, namely, through people, physical environment, and process. The company can&nbsp;distinguish itself by having more able and reliable customer-contact people than its competitors have. Or it can develop a superior physical environment in which&nbsp;the service product is delivered. Finally, it can design a superior delivery process. (eg. Electronic home banking). Service companies also can work on differentiating their image through symbols and branding. e.g Lions\/elephants as an image of strength.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"block-7131fa8a-f610-4789-972c-ed494b0f3b91\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"_MANAGING_SERVICE_QUALITY\"><\/span>&nbsp;&nbsp;MANAGING SERVICE QUALITY<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-ce775b2f-bfec-4e93-82ab-5b88b31535d9\">One of the major ways a service firm can differentiate itself is by delivering&nbsp;consistently higher quality than its competitors do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-4a2ce4e8-bc60-47b4-8635-2a7e3812f5cc\">To this end, many service firms have now joined the total quality movement, having&nbsp;observed that outstanding service quality can give them a potent competitive&nbsp;advantage that leads to superior sales and profit performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-9cc51249-34ee-48c7-b723-535a623ad731\">The key is to exceed the customers\u2019 service \u2014 quality expectations. As one chief executive puts it, \u201cpromise only what you can deliver and deliver more than you promise!\u201d. These expectations are based on past experiences, word of mouth, and service firms\u2019 advertising. If the perceived service of a given firm exceeds expected service, customers will want to use the provider again. Customer retention is perhaps the best measure of quality, therefore, a service firm\u2019s ability to hang onto&nbsp;its customers depends on how consistently it delivers values to them. Hence, the service provider\u2019s quality goal should be \u201czero customer defections\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-9cc51249-34ee-48c7-b723-535a623ad731\">The service provider needs to identify the expectations of target customers concerning service quality. Unfortunately, service, quality is harder to define and judge than product quality. Moreover, although greater service quality results in higher costs, still, investments in service quality usual y pay off through increased customer retention and sales. Whatever the level of service provided, it is important that the service provider clearly define and communicate that level so that its employees know what they must deliver and customers know what they will get.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-c073fe0f-beae-4ab4-a252-a4410b04f2df\">Service providers should always take steps that will offer good service every time.&nbsp;They must also take steps that will allow them to recover from service mistakes when they occur.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-e0b16c4b-b03e-4831-9e50-0ca9928d742d\">In these regards, the first step to take is to empower frontline service employees, to give&nbsp;them the authority, responsibility and incentives they need to recognize, care about, and&nbsp;tend to customer needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-3ed30524-0be2-4162-81b9-008ea4f499ce\">Studies of well-managed service companies show that they share a number of common virtues regarding service quality:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-3f23ff90-d168-4623-8418-f354e289abed\">(i)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Top service companies are \u201ccustomers obsessed. They have a distinctive&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/motivemeaning.com\/6-major-types-of-strategy-in-business-management\/\">strategy<\/a>&nbsp;for<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-39f9cbba-555a-4ffc-89fd-2382b2426a6f\">satisfying customer needs that wins enduring customer loyalty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-c7696b29-a46c-47ad-9b24-7322e863b2d0\">(ii)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Well-managed service companies have a history of top management commitment<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-1465b92b-7b5a-4c02-ae3d-369d9b4b906a\">to quality i.e. apart from financial performance, service performance is looked&nbsp;into.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-3a2d2d11-a4d1-45e9-8cdd-e11b89a78273\">(iii)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The best service providers set high service quality standards<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-24722e1e-f932-43ee-9f10-8c8eaaf278bc\">(iv)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The top service firms watch service performance closely, i.e. both their own and that<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-c4de17a4-1c71-4c31-814a-da2a89a02230\">of competition. For example, they use methods such as comparison shopping, customer surveys, and suggestion and complaint forms. Some service providers also take the regular measure of \u201cART\u201d (an acronym for Accuracy, Responsiveness,&nbsp;and Timeliness)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-b42c1e99-8971-4d99-bcc9-bf13c13747dc\">(v)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Good service companies also communicate their concerns about service quality to&nbsp;employees and provide performance feedback.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"block-fe2569e9-8ef0-43d8-ab27-e90d9207b4fc\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"MANAGING_PRODUCTIVITY\"><\/span>MANAGING PRODUCTIVITY<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-ac3d5047-b79e-44fe-9d46-ccebf7947c38\">Service firms are under great pressure to increase productivity, especially with their costs rising rapidly. This can be done in several ways:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-2ba9397b-d527-4b7e-91a1-29a0da793616\">(i) The service providers can train current employees better, or they can hire new ones who will work harder or more skillfully for the same pay. Or they can increase the quantity of their service by giving up some quality eg. Some doctors who work in health maintenance organizations have moved towards handling more patients and giving less time to a patient. The provider can \u201cindustrialise the service\u201d by adding equipment and standardizing production.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-8de1219e-cd87-4d7d-a976-711a2fbfc9b5\">However, companies must avoid pushing productivity so hard that doing so reduces perceived quality. Some productivity steps help standardize quality and increase customer satisfaction. But other productivity steps lead to too much standardization and can rob customers of customised services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"block-7bfffcd3-db01-460a-bf94-ef17b9bad8d3\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"CONCLUSION\"><\/span>CONCLUSION<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-247ee85f-c7db-444d-a45f-c010385d3d25\">You have learned in this unit that conceptually, services are marketed in the same way as tangible goods. In practice, however, the characteristics that differentiate&nbsp;services from goods lead to different marketing programmes.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In this informative article, we will delve into the challenges encountered during the marketing of services. While many of the conventional marketing concepts remain applicable to services,<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":901,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"wds_primary_category":135,"footnotes":""},"categories":[135],"tags":[227],"class_list":["post-1043","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-fundamentals-of-marketing","tag-principles-of-marketing"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/support.centreforelites.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Marketing-of-Services.jpg?fit=1280%2C720&ssl=1","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1050,"url":"https:\/\/support.centreforelites.com\/en\/fundamental-product-concepts\/","url_meta":{"origin":1043,"position":0},"title":"Fundamental Product Concepts","author":"centreforelites","date":"April 21, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"This article introduces you to fundamental product concepts, beginning with a broad definition of \"product\". After this, we will see how marketers classify the products they deal with and, this is usually a vital step in designing your marketing strategy. The unit also takes you through the elements that make\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Fundamentals of Marketing&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Fundamentals of Marketing","link":"https:\/\/support.centreforelites.com\/en\/category\/fundamentals-of-marketing\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Fundamental Product Concept","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/support.centreforelites.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Fundamental-Product-Concept.jpg?fit=900%2C509&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/support.centreforelites.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Fundamental-Product-Concept.jpg?fit=900%2C509&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/support.centreforelites.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Fundamental-Product-Concept.jpg?fit=900%2C509&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/support.centreforelites.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Fundamental-Product-Concept.jpg?fit=900%2C509&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1097,"url":"https:\/\/support.centreforelites.com\/en\/the-building-blocks-of-marketing\/","url_meta":{"origin":1043,"position":1},"title":"THE BUILDING BLOCKS OF MARKETING","author":"centreforelites","date":"April 10, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"\u00a0We may view marketing generally as resting on six inter-connected platforms. These are the building blocks of marketing, which are: needs, wants, and demands; products; value and satisfaction: exchange, transactions and relationships; market; marketing and marketers. We shall attempt to run through each of these platforms. NEEDS, WANTS, AND DEMANDS\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Marketing&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Marketing","link":"https:\/\/support.centreforelites.com\/en\/category\/marketing\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"THE BUILDING BLOCKS OF MARKETING","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEgMQx8mUfnvpOOFbrxv3RAXyzpjwnX96pSN2gkMiBf6HsR2mvaYbaDGsWQ9VV16s4YXzYyBEq7u04uxG3Z4JFeYz63kCkF8t1VDdm5BMQHzX2Vkb5AhVNx-OPCnPq7PF5BoQmjrjaWlswKz7djLshEbZEAKwW__lDm-GxUauLE5X-NMF3L_DuTGyJP_\/w400-h293\/Need%2C%20Wants%20and%20Demands%20-%20The%20Inter-connected%20Platforms%20Of%20Marketing.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1041,"url":"https:\/\/support.centreforelites.com\/en\/fundamentals-of-online-marketing\/","url_meta":{"origin":1043,"position":2},"title":"Fundamentals of Online Marketing","author":"centreforelites","date":"April 21, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"\u00a0\u00a0Introduction We are in the age and times of \"here\" and \"now\"; Individuals and organizations seem to be in a hurry and everyone wants to obtain quick and immediate results. There is also the issue of tight schedules and very busy lifestyles, so everyone is looking for the quickest and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Fundamentals of Marketing&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Fundamentals of Marketing","link":"https:\/\/support.centreforelites.com\/en\/category\/fundamentals-of-marketing\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Fundamentals of Online Marketing","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/support.centreforelites.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/pexels-photo-3153199.jpeg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/support.centreforelites.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/pexels-photo-3153199.jpeg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/support.centreforelites.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/pexels-photo-3153199.jpeg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/support.centreforelites.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/pexels-photo-3153199.jpeg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/support.centreforelites.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/pexels-photo-3153199.jpeg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1071,"url":"https:\/\/support.centreforelites.com\/en\/the-concept-business-market\/","url_meta":{"origin":1043,"position":3},"title":"The Concept Business market","author":"centreforelites","date":"April 10, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"The business market consists of organizations that buy goods and services to produce other goods and services, to resell to other business users or consumers, or to conduct the organization's operations. It is an extremely large and complex market spanning a wide variety of business users that buy a board\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Marketing&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Marketing","link":"https:\/\/support.centreforelites.com\/en\/category\/marketing\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"The Concept Business market","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/support.centreforelites.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/pexels-photo-730564.jpeg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/support.centreforelites.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/pexels-photo-730564.jpeg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/support.centreforelites.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/pexels-photo-730564.jpeg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/support.centreforelites.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/pexels-photo-730564.jpeg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/support.centreforelites.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/pexels-photo-730564.jpeg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1096,"url":"https:\/\/support.centreforelites.com\/en\/marketing-functions\/","url_meta":{"origin":1043,"position":4},"title":"MARKETING FUNCTIONS","author":"centreforelites","date":"April 10, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Marketing is made up of a number of activities known as marketing functions. Ordinarily, identifying these functions might look simple since it would appear necessary only to itemise the various activities required to move goods and services from producers to consumers. The difficulty of determining exactly where marketing begins and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Marketing&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Marketing","link":"https:\/\/support.centreforelites.com\/en\/category\/marketing\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":1076,"url":"https:\/\/support.centreforelites.com\/en\/nature-and-scope-of-the-business-market\/","url_meta":{"origin":1043,"position":5},"title":"NATURE AND SCOPE OF THE BUSINESS MARKET","author":"centreforelites","date":"April 10, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"\u00a0The business market consists of all business users, organizations that buy goods and services for one of the following purposes: (i)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 To make other goods and services. FFF buys wood to make furniture. (ii)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 To resell to other business users or to consumers. (iii)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 To conduct the organization's operations. The\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Marketing&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Marketing","link":"https:\/\/support.centreforelites.com\/en\/category\/marketing\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/support.centreforelites.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1043","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/support.centreforelites.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/support.centreforelites.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/support.centreforelites.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/support.centreforelites.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1043"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/support.centreforelites.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1043\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2038,"href":"https:\/\/support.centreforelites.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1043\/revisions\/2038"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/support.centreforelites.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/901"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/support.centreforelites.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1043"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/support.centreforelites.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1043"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/support.centreforelites.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1043"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}