Final answer:
Services marketing has key characteristics like intangibility, inseparability, perishability, and heterogeneity.
Step-by-step explanation:
Services marketing has several key characteristics that differentiate it from goods marketing:
- Intangibility: Services are intangible, meaning they cannot be seen, touched, or stored like physical products. For example, a haircut or a medical consultation is a service that cannot be physically possessed.
- Inseparability: Services are typically produced and consumed simultaneously. The provider and the consumer are often present during the service delivery process. For instance, when you visit a restaurant, you receive the service of food and the experience of dining together.
- Perishability: Services are perishable and cannot be stored for future use. If a service is not utilized at a particular time, it cannot be saved or carried forward. For example, a missed doctor's appointment cannot be used at a later date.
- Heterogeneity: Services can vary in quality and consistency across different service providers and even within the same provider. Factors such as the skills, attitude, and training of the service provider can influence the quality of the service. For instance, the experience you may have at one hair salon may differ from another salon.