Deck 5: Distributing Service Through Physical and Electronic Channels

Question 1

Integrating mobile devices into the service delivery infrastructure can be used as a means to ____________ services, ____________ customers to opportunities or problems, and ____________ information in real time to ensure that it is continuously accurate and relevant.

A) Access; alert; update
B) Complement; alert; conceal
C) Access; attract; conceal
D) Access; guide; conceal
E) Complement; guide; conceal

Answer 1

A

Question 2

The convenience of service factory locations and operational schedules assumes great importance when a customer has to physically present throughout the service delivery or even just to initiate and terminate the transaction.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

Which of the following is NOT one of the factors that encourage extended operating hours?

A) Availability of employees to work during "social" hours.
B) Economic pressure from consumers.
C) Changes in laws.
D) Economic incentives to improve the use of assets.
E) Automated self-service facilities.

Answer 3

A

Question 4

All of the factors below are luring customers into virtual stores EXCEPT ____________.

A) potential for better prices
B) ease of search
C) broader selection
D) opportunities for networking
E) 24-hour service with prompt delivery

Question 5

When customers visit the service site, which factor/s) must be considered in the design of the service?

A) How expensive the service is.
B) Convenience of the location.
C) Operational hours.
D) A & B only.
E) B & C only.

Question 6

The need for economies of scale often restricts choice of location for service facilities.

Question 7

Franchisors usually seek to exercise control over all aspects of the service performance through tightly defined ____________.

A) service standards
B) procedures
C) scripts
D) physical presentations
E) all of the above

Question 8

____________ has become a popular way to expand delivery of an effective service concept, embracing all of the seven Ps, to multiple sites, without the level of investment capital that would be needed for rapid expansion of company-owned and managed sites.

A) The Internet
B) International trade
C) Franchising
D) Sole proprietorship
E) Limited partnership

Question 9

All customers will eventually voluntarily shift from high-contact delivery environments to new electronic channels.

Question 10

An ongoing problem of franchising is that when franchisees gain experience, they may start to feel that they should not be paying the various fees to the franchisor.

Question 11

A truck stop is a good example of a ____________.

A) centralized control center
B) single-source facility
C) k-minus strategy
D) multi-purpose facility
E) cash cow

Question 12

The four interesting innovations for service delivery arising from the Internet are all of the following EXCEPT _____________.

A) creation of websites as a delivery channel for information-based services
B) DVDs that can store huge amounts of information
C) development of "smart" mobile phones linking users to the Internet wherever they are
D) usage of voice recognition technology that allows customers to give information and request service by speaking into a microphone
E) smart card containing a microchip acting as an electronic purse containing digital money

Question 13

A ministore is a single-site service business that involves creating an innovative service factory.

Question 14

_______________ is a key driver of channel choice.

A) Risk reduction
B) Convenience
C) Colorful photos of the product
D) Internet access
E) Lower prices

Question 15

Physical logistics services now find themselves competing with telecommunications services. This is a result of the instantaneous delivery capability of information-based products.

Question 16

A local presence may be necessary when exporting information-based services for which of the following reasons?

A) Appeasing local citizens.
B) Conducting secondary research.
C) Building personal relationships.
D) Bargaining for cheaper facilities.
E) Restructuring out of date systems.

Question 17

Franchising is not an appealing strategy for growth-oriented service firms because franchisees tend to be less motivated and less concerned about quality than managers in company-owned stores.

Question 18

In general, service providers are more likely to visit corporate customers at their premises than to visit individuals in their homes.

Question 19

People, possession, and information-based services have strikingly similar requirements on an international distribution strategy.

Question 20

Service delivery is shifting to arm's length transactions for many services due to advances in telecommunications.

Question 21

Discuss the impacts of the cost globalization driver on people processing, possession processing, and information-based processing service categories.

Question 22

Give an example of a service with a locational constraint.

Question 23

List two of the four service delivery innovations facilitated by technology that are described in the chapter.

Question 24

Describe arbitrage in the context of service provider pricing.

Question 25

Taco-Bell's K-Minus strategy is an example of an innovation in locating in multi-purpose facilities.

Question 26

Elaborate statistical analysis, in the form of ____________, is sometimes used to aid decisions on where to locate supermarkets and similar large stores relative to prospective customers' homes and workplaces.

A) binary regression
B) cluster analysis
C) structural equation models
D) gravity models
E) predictive models

Question 27

Give two examples of firms that locate themselves in multi-purpose facilities.

Question 28

First Direct is an example of a bank with too many branches.

Question 29

______________ is an example of a service where the main mode of delivery is for the service provider to go to their customers.

A) Banyan Tree Resorts
B) Barnes and Nobles
C) Royal Flying Doctor
D) Starbuck
E) Dunkin' Donuts

Question 30

Yellow pages has come up with a global positioning service so that customers can click and download information to help them get from one place to another.

Question 31

What kind of service can DHL offer to its B2B and B2C clients?

Question 32

Which one of the following methods is NOT a banking service that can be delivered
a. Face-to-face.
b. Internet.
c. Mobile phone.
d. Call centers.
e. All of the above are bank service delivery methods.

Question 33

List the five factors that encourage extended operating hours.

Question 34

Firms like Dunkin' Donuts and Subway sharing space with quick service restaurants is an example of an) ____________.

A) single source market
B) economy of scale
C) ministore
D) economy of scope
E) multi-brand strategy

Question 35

Which of the following is an example of a franchised service firm?

A) Saks
B) Wal-Mart
C) Barnes & Noble
D) Starbucks
E) Pier One Imports

Question 36

List the six options for service delivery three natures of interaction between the customer and service organization; two availabilities of service outlets) and provide an example of a service that falls into each category.

Question 37

Give an example of a firm where the service provider visits the customers.

Question 38

Shanghai's Maglev train helps to overcome the locational constraint of having the airport sited in a far away place.

Question 39

First Direct describes itself as the largest virtual bank in the world.

Question 40

Describe the three ways information-based services can be distributed internationally and give an example of each.

Question 41

How do service processes affect international market entry for people processing, possession processing and information-based service categories?

Question 42

What are the three options for exporting people processing services?

Question 43

Describe Aggreko's core business with specific reference to which of the six service delivery options they employ.

Question 44

Give an example of a firm that imports customers to its service facility.

Question 45

Describe the key drivers of how consumers choose between personal, impersonal, and self-service channels.