Final answer:
The distinctive characteristics of service operations are tangibility, inseparability, variability, and perishability.
Step-by-step explanation:
The distinctive characteristics of service operations are:
Tangibility: Services are intangible and cannot be seen, touched, or stored like physical products. For example, a haircut or a spa treatment is a service that cannot be physically experienced before it is delivered.
- Inseparability: Services are often produced and consumed at the same time. For example, when you go to a restaurant, the food is prepared and served to you at the same time.
- Variability: Services can vary in quality from one provider to another or even from one customer interaction to another. For example, the level of customer service in a hotel can differ depending on the staff's attitude or skill.
- Perishability: Services cannot be stored or saved for future use. If a service is not used at the time it is available, it is lost forever. For example, an empty hotel room cannot be saved for the next day.