SERVICES AND RELATIONSHIP MARKETING - 2021/2

Module Overview

The module has two distinct elements: services marketing and relationship marketing. First, it commences with introducing the principles of services marketing. The services sector, such as telecommunications, financial services, hospitality, transportation services, healthcare, and professional services, accounts for over three-quarters of GDP and employment in most developed countries. In light of the growing importance of services in local and global economies, it becomes crucial to study and understand the functionality of service offerings. This module will explore the distinctive characteristics of services and explain how these characteristics affect the marketing approaches used by firms – including challenges involved in controlling service quality and managing customer experience. Second, the module covers the principles of relationship marketing combined with the meaning and application of services and relationship marketing across different service contexts. Additionally, the module focuses on real-world business scenarios providing students with an opportunity to examine management decision-making and enhances a wide range of study skills, such as independent research, analytical skills, as well as critical thinking.

Module provider

Surrey Business School

Module Leader

HEIRATI Nima (SBS)

Number of Credits: 15

ECTS Credits: 7.5

Framework: FHEQ Level 7

Module cap (Maximum number of students): N/A

Module Availability

Semester 1

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

n/a

Module content

Indicative contents of the module include:

• Models and approaches to services and relationship marketing


• Consumer decision-making process


• Positioning core and supplementary services


• Service quality and customer experience 


• Designing and managing service processes


• Building and managing long-term customer relationships


• Managing customer complaints and misbehaviour


• Managing business relationships

Assessment pattern

Alternative Assessment

The individual report assessment will remain the same (reworked assignment with the same brief). An alternative for the group presentation assessment will be to an individual (1000 words) report based on the same assignment brief as the group presentation.

Assessment Strategy

The assessment strategy is aimed at giving students the opportunity to gradually build up their knowledge and understanding of services and relationship marketing and is designed to allow students to evidence their achievement of the learning outcomes. The assessment comprises an individual report and a group presentation.

For the first assessment component (the group presentation), students are examined based on critically reviewing the literature, theories and techniques related to the services and relationship marketing discipline and applying this subject knowledge to an organisation.

The second assessment component (the individual report) will assess students on services and relationship marketing within a service or retail environment; the expectation is that students will review current literature and combine this knowledge with up-to-date business examples, to make recommendations for managers, and for future research.

Students will be working with a consultant mind-set using relevant theory and research evidence; accordingly, students need to give a presentation which critically assesses an element of the current services and relationship marketing strategy of one organisation. Managerial implications need to be provided to show how the organisation can improve its services and relationship marketing strategy elements, with supporting evidence from theory and research in the relevant field.

A weighted aggregate mark of 50% is required to pass the module. The individual report accounts for 60%, the group presentation is given a weight of 40%. Students are informed about both pieces of assessment during the seminar in week 1.

Formative assessment and feedback

 

A detailed marking scheme is provided for students during their first seminar together with the assessment details. This allows students to clearly identify what is expected of them. The marking scheme outlines the percentage figures for each assessment component. This is also essential as it allows for consistency in the marking process

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  During the first seminar, the assignments and the feedback process is explained
  


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  Feedback is also provided during and after in-class discussions
  


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  As the seminars are built around topic-specific group exercises, students do not only benefit from lecture’s feedback but also receive peer evaluations
  


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  A pre-assignment feedback session is an integral part of this module. During this session, students work in groups on a task which reflects the report requirements and receive feedback on their work
  


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  In the first lecture after submission, students are provided with initial feedback on what went well and not so well, hence outlining key learning issues deriving from the assignment
  

Module aims

• Develop knowledge of fundamental concepts and frameworks widely used in services and relationship marketing.
• Synthesis and apply key elements of both services and relationship marketing strategies that help businesses across different contexts gain competitive advantage.
• Examine and critically analyse typical customer journeys and make strategic marketing decisions to improve customer experience by application of effective services and relationship marketing strategies.

Learning outcomes

Methods of Teaching / Learning

The teaching and learning strategy is designed to provide a framework of contemporary knowledge and

theories supported by examples from industry. The current issues and debates will be highlighted so that the students are able to apply critical thinking to the literature.

 

33 hours of lectures and seminars (comprising of one 2 hour lecture and one 1 hour seminar each week) plus 117 hours of Independent study

 

The learning and teaching methods include:

 

The content presented in the module document will be covered using a variety of teaching and learning methods.

Methods used may include academic lectures, lectures by industry guests, seminars, and academic-supported self-study sessions and directed reading.

Students should be prepared for assessment on topics from across the syllabus - irrespective of the mode of delivery e.g. whether the topic was covered by a formal lecture, seminar, self-directed study tasks, or directed reading.

Indicated Lecture Hours (which may also include seminars, tutorials, workshops and other contact time) are approximate and may include in-class tests where one or more of these are an assessment on the module. In-class tests are scheduled/organised separately to taught content and will be published on to student personal timetables, where they apply to taken modules, as soon as they are finalised by central administration. This will usually be after the initial publication of the teaching timetable for the relevant semester.

Reading list

https://readinglists.surrey.ac.uk
Upon accessing the reading list, please search for the module using the module code: MANM435

Other information

N/A

Programmes this module appears in

Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2021/2 academic year.