MASTER SYLLABUS
Course Number & Title: BUS 333 ‑ Services Marketing
Department: Marketing
Credit Hours: 3 Credit Hours
Prerequisites: BUS 233 ‑ Principles of Marketing
Fees and Charges: None
1. Catalog Description:
Presents the concepts that differentiate the marketing of services from the marketing of products. Topics for discussion include the services marketing mix, customer retention, and service quality.
2. Course Content:
> Grasping the Uniqueness of Services Marketing
> Frameworks for Managing the Customer’s Experience
> Plugging into the Information Age
> Planning and Producing the Service Performance
> Delivery Service Quality and Guaranteeing Services
> Regaining Customer Confidence Through Customer Service and Service Recovery
> Designing the Service Setting
> Leveraging the People Factor
> Developing Marketing Strategies for Services
> Setting a Price for the Service Rendered
> Promoting the Interactive Service Experience
3. Student Learning Objectives:
> Define services marketing and present the basic concepts which differentiate the marketing of services from the marketing of tangible products;
> Identify and analyze the components of the services marketing mix — the original 4 Ps of PRODUCT, PLACE, PRICE, and PROMOTION—plus three more Ps. These Ps include PROCESS issues, PHYSICAL environment and PEOPLE issues;
> Highlight the interdisciplinary nature of services marketing by integrating principles drawn from marketing, operations and human resource disciplines;
> Assess the conceptual and measurement issues relevant to customer satisfaction, customer retention and service quality indices; and
> Evaluate concepts like organizational culture, "seamless organizations" and service audits and apply them to real‑world case studies.
4. Student Assessment Criteria:
Interim Examination #1
15%
•Content Knowledge •Listening Skills
•Critical Thinking
Interim Examination #2
15%
•Content Knowledge •Listening Skills
•Critical Thinking
Interim Examination #3
15%
•Content Knowledge •Listening Skill
•Critical Thinking
Interim Examination #4
15%
•Content Knowledge •Listening Skills
•Critical Thinking
Team Project (paper)
25%
•Teamwork and Teambuilding •Cross‑Functional Integration
•Oral & Written Communication •Critical Thinking & Problem Solving
Team Presentation (articles)
5%
•Teamwork and Teambuilding •Cross‑Functional Integration
•Oral & Written Communication •Critical Thinking & Problem Solving
Class Participation
10%
•Peer Evaluations •Oral & Written Communication
•Teamwork and Teambuilding •Content Mastery
TOTAL 100%
5. Additional Information:
Course Materials
Course materials for Services Marketing will consist of a required textbook and a series of library readings.
Required textbook:
Raymond P. Fisk, Stephen J.
Grove and Joby John (2004). Interactive
Services Marketing, Second Edition, (
Additional readings will also be available as reserved readings in the library. These materials will consist of articles and case studies, which are required reading for the course.
Class Format and Method of Instruction
1. Class lectures, which will examine services marketing, highlighting areas where services marketing differs from classic product marketing and its procedures. Lectures will be supported by videos and pertinent journal articles taken from Fortune, Business Week and various trade journals;
2. Topical/Case Analyses. Student‑learners will be asked to analyze specific topics and case applications as a team. The team will present an oral and written summary of the material. All student‑learners are expected to read the material, regardless of whether the student‑learner is to provide the oral presentation and written analysis or not. The specific topical areas are identified in the "Tentative Course Schedule" section of the syllabus; and
3. Experiential/Research Project. Student‑learners will divide into small teams (3‑4 student‑learners) and research an existing services marketing organization which is of particular interest to them. The team will identify an outstanding service provider within an industry and present the "secrets of their success" to the class. A longer, more extensive written report is to follow the oral presentation. The written report will follow the format described in the "Instructions on the Team Projects" section of the syllabus.