Customer Reviews

Services Marketing: People, Technology, Strategy (4th Edition)

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"Services Marketing" is written as a series of articles, each of which covers a particular subject in depth. This is not the kind of book which you read from beginning to end, but the articles include interesting material, so you may find yourself dipping into chapters without following any definite plan. The book is strong on marketing theory, and it includes extracts from numerous case studies which illustrate the propositions being discussed. The examples cover a wide range of industries and usually refer to real-life organizations such as Fedex, United Airlines, Citibank, Domino's Pizza....

The reason I first looked at this book, was because I came from a product background and needed to learn new skills that could be directly applied to ACSL's business: which is marketing information services. So it helped me as a newbie in marketing services. However, my co-editor from whom I borrowed this book, was at that time the European marketing manager of a major computer services company, and she found different aspects of the book useful. So we have no hesitation recommending it whatever your job title or previous experience.

"Services Marketing" is helpful whether you're just looking for a sourcebook to give you new ideas to use in your latest promotion, or whether you're looking for a framework to help you reorganize your international business around a marketing services culture.

The chapter headings in this book include:-

UNDERSTANDING SERVICES

1 Distinctive Aspects of Services Marketing 2 The Customer Experience 3 Developing Frameworks for Understanding Services Marketing

STRATEGIC ISSUES

4 Positioning a Service in the Marketplace 5 Managing the Customer Portfolio 6 Managing Demand

TOOLS FOR SERVICE MARKETERS

7 Creating and Delivering Services 8 Understanding Costs and Developing Pricing Strategies 9 Communicating and Promoting Services 10 Developing and Managing the Customer-Service Function CHALLENGES FOR SENIOR MANAGEMENT

11 Improving Service Quality and Productivity 12 Organizing and Implementing the Marketing Effort

As Services industries continue to become a larger and larger share of our global economy, the importance of Services Marketing can only grow. Wirtz and Lovelock have written an excellent book for understanding Services Marketing and backing it up with numerous excellent real world case examples. I have been in the Services industry for 21 years, but still learned a tremendous amount from the book and cases. The book makes it easy to grasp the key concepts and has a logical, smooth flow. If after reading this book and exploring the accompanying cases, you still don't have a thorough knowledge of Services Marketing, it is YOUR fault! I highly recommend this book and think it should be part of every MBA program.

This is such a well-written and well-organized book that you can simply read from cover-to-cover or jump into your interested chapters right away.

Not only does the authors present you with their in-depth coverage of the various services related topics, supplementary materials (papers, cases) from other excellent sources/authors make this an absolute encyclopedia of services marketing and a coherent contemporary literature for both novices and seasoned practitioners.

This is THE book for this very under-written and immensely critical topic of services marketing and an essential reading for the 60-80% of the workforce who are involved in the ever growing services sector.

Its a very useful book covering all aspects of services marketing. Contents are well organised with real world examples, frameworks that you can apply to practical issues etc. I have read through all the chapters in the book and a few headings very interesting
1) Loyalty
2) Managing services people
3) Understanding service quality
4) Power of service guarantee
I strongly recommend anyone interested in services marketing to buy this book.

Services Marketing by Lovelock and Wirtz is a down-to-earth practical textbook that covers the myriad facets of services marketing. I like it because it showcases real-life examples, and ties theory and models neatly in with practical examples that MBA students can easily relate to.

This is one of the best books for MBA courses. It captures most of the best and realistic ideas to keep a company having a real competitve edge through service. With competition heat up everywhere, service is the key to differentiation and this book tells you how to do it.

"Services Marketing" by Christopher Lovelock and Jochen Wirtz offers fascinating, new, and refreshing perspectives on Marketing in the Service Economy. By integrating the marketing function with other critical activities of the firm and setting the stage firmly in the present, this comprehensive manual asks the right questions: what are the specificities of Service oriented firms? How to develop and sustain a competitive advantage in the Service economy? How to attract and retain desirable customers? How to manage employees? and what strategies, processes, and leadership actions would most benefit firms in the Service Economy?

In short, this book is a reference for anyone interested in Marketing. It is also very well structured, features numerous interesting and very usable frameworks, and is very readable at the same time. The case studies, pictures, cartoons, and memorable quotes convincingly reinforce theoritical points in a well balanced act.

An excellent read for both those heavily involved in running a Services business as well as those looking to transform into a more Services oriented state. The book offers not just theory but practical examples and case studies of the principles being applied in a broad range of sectors. There are many so called "Service" companies that could do with a copy...

I read this excellent text during my Executive MBA year, and it opened my eyes to the broad and fast evolving services sector. The 8 P's of Services Marketing was particularly memorable, as were the many case studies on how service businesses have innovated to win in the market. Coming from a healthcare background and now in management consulting, I found the frameworks presented very useful in my work, and helped me think through and adapt solutions now for healthcare clients across diverse settings. Highly recommended!

The book was shipped from U.S. to Ireland. It arrived fast/after 1,5 or 2 weeks. I was surprise by quality of the book; insight was market a little, but that was something I was inform about before purchase. I am very happy from purchase and quality of service and quality of purchased good, will continue to do so.
Agnieszka