SERVICES MARKETING - 2025/6

Module Overview

Services drive the modern economy, shaping how we communicate, travel, manage finances, receive healthcare, and conduct business¿accounting for over three-quarters of GDP and employment in most developed countries. Mastering the marketing and management of services as unique, exceptional experiences is essential for service companies seeking to thrive in a competitive landscape. This module equips students with advanced knowledge and expertise on services marketing, customer experience management, and relationship marketing. It also introduces cutting-edge topics, including the transformative role of digital technologies, the imperative of building responsible and ethical service organizations, and the strategic management of service platforms and ecosystems.Through a combination of rigorous theoretical principles and applied learning, students will analyse real-world case studies, use AI-enabled tools and apply consultancy-based workbooks to develop critical thinking and analytical skills and make strategic and impactful decisions. By the end of the module, students will have acquired the knowledge and hands-on skills needed to design and manage exceptional service experiences, harness digital technologies for service innovation, and build responsible service organisations, preparing them to become strategic service leaders in their future careers.

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

None

Module content

• Foundations of service marketing and customer experience management
• Understanding service consumers and consumer engagement
• Developing and positioning services
• Managing customer experience and service processes
• Managing service environment and people for service advantage
• Developing customer relationships and loyalty
• Managing customer complaints and service recovery
• Responsible use of emerging technologies in services 
• Managing service platforms & service ecosystems

Assessment pattern

Alternative Assessment

N/A

Assessment Strategy

The assessment strategy of this module is aimed at allowing students 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. For each assessment component, students will be working in a consultant mindset by synthesizing and applying services and relationship marketing principles to real-world companies. Managerial implications need to be provided to show how a company can improve its services and relationship marketing strategy elements, with supporting evidence from theory and research in the relevant field. Both assessments components support students to achieve all module learning outcomes. The assessment components comprise an individual presentation and an online exam.

Thus, the summative assessment for this module consists of:

• Coursework


• Online exam

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 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.


• During the seminars, requirements of the individual presentation and online exam and the feedback process will be explained. As the seminars are built around topic-specific group exercises, students do not only benefit from lecture's feedback but also receive peer evaluations.


• A Q&A and feedback session is provided for each assessment component.


• Students will be provided with initial feedback on what went well and not so well on Surrey Learn.

Summative Assessment Feedback

Detailed feedback will be provided for the individual presentation. Feedback is provided by the marker on the University [official] Feedback sheet, and uploaded to Surrey Learn with a final mark and a breakdown of marks using a marketing grid with five marking criteria with detailed descriptors for each mark point for each of five marking criteria. The grid is detailed and structured to show the breakdown of marks in each band for each criterion. All students will be able to check the detailed marking grid against the marks they scored for each part of the assignment, and see what the higher-level descriptor is for achieving marks above [and below] the marks they were awarded.

Module aims

• This module aims to provide students with knowledge of fundamental concepts and frameworks widely used in services marketing and customer experience management.
• It employs diverse practical techniques to design and manage exceptional service experiences, critically assess the implications of emerging technologies, and build responsible service organizations.
• This module enables students (as future managers) to synthesis and apply principles of service marketing and management to navigate complex service environments and make strategic and impactful management decisions.

Learning outcomes

Methods of Teaching / Learning

Lectures. Lectures will introduce the services and relationship marketing principles and discuss the application of those principles in real-world scenarios. Development of subject-specific and cognitive skills are introduced in lectures and further developed through suggested reading and consolidated using case study material and other examples. In this module, theory and practice go together.

Seminars. Seminars intend to ensure a comprehensive understanding of the topic area and to make sure that students can apply learned concepts to practice. To achieve this goal, a mixture of case studies and exercises will be used. Preparation and active participation in seminars will be expected.

The module schedule is provided using a separated document in Surrey Learn.

Please note that there are sometimes unforeseen circumstances that may necessitate some changes to this schedule (e.g., the order of topics).

Thus, the module schedule is only indicative. Every effort will be made to communicate such changes to students in a good time. Slides and on-demand learning resources will be provided via Surrey Learn. Please note that lecture slides are only indicative of the contents covered. It is essential that students prepare each teaching week.

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: MANM545

Other information

Employability:
This module is designed to enhance students' employability by equipping them with advanced skills in service marketing, customer experience management, and strategic decision-making. Through real-world case studies and practical assessments, students develop critical thinking, analytical, and problem-solving abilities¿highly valued by employers across various service industries, including hospitality, healthcare, finance, and technology. As products and standardized services become more commoditized, customers differentiate brands based on their experiences rather than specific product/service features and functions. Customers want to feel connected to their preferred brands, and they expect companies to understand, recognize, and respect their needs. Customer experience has become the leading competitive differentiator; thus, businesses must ensure that their service strategies deliver seamless, personalized, and engaging interactions at every customer touchpoint. This module equips students with both theoretical knowledge and practical techniques, including AI-enabled tools, to analyse the customer journey, manage service processes, build strong relationships with target customers, and ultimately successfully manage the customer experience. The consultant-style assessments mirror industry practice, preparing students to assess service challenges, propose data-driven marketing strategies, and present actionable insights. By applying theoretical frameworks to practical scenarios, students gain transferable skills in customer relationship management, service innovation, and digital transformation, making them highly competitive candidates for managerial roles in service-driven organizations.

 

Global and Cultural Capabilities:
The module is taught in an interactive and collaborative way, within a cohort that commonly represents a wealth of nationalities and backgrounds. Students are encouraged to engage with and learn from diverse perspectives through interactive discussions and case studies. The service sector is inherently global, requiring managers to navigate diverse cultural landscapes and customer expectations. This module fosters global and cultural capabilities by integrating international case studies, cross-cultural consumer behaviors analysis, and ethical considerations in service delivery. The module goes beyond consumer personality trait differences and advances the understanding of how cultural factors shape customer experiences and service quality perceptions. Through collaborative discussions and assignments, students develop cultural intelligence and the ability to adapt service marketing strategies to different markets. The emphasis on responsible and ethical service organizations ensures that students are prepared to lead in multicultural environments, fostering inclusive, customer-centric service experiences.

 

Resourcefulness and Resilience:
Success in the dynamic service industry requires adaptability, innovation, and resilience. This module cultivates these qualities by challenging students to navigate complex service environments, manage customer relationships effectively, and address service failures through strategic recovery approaches. In addition to theoretical insights, this module equips students with practical tools, including AI-enabled analytics, to evaluate the customer journey, manage service processes, build meaningful relationships with target customers, and ultimately enhance the customer experience. Through problem-based learning and case study analysis, students develop the ability to think on their feet, tackle ambiguous service challenges, and implement creative solutions. The focus on emerging technologies in service marketing enhances students' resourcefulness by encouraging them to leverage digital tools for innovation and competitive advantage. Additionally, reflective learning activities help students build resilience, preparing them for leadership roles in fast-paced, customer-driven industries. The module¿s formative and summative assessments are specifically designed to strengthen students' critical thinking, problem-solving, and self-management skills, enabling them to thrive as independent learners.

 

Sustainability:
Although sustainability issues are not the primary focus of this module, it addresses the role of emerging technologies and AI in enhancing service efficiency and designing virtual servicescapes for customers. Furthermore, all the resources for this module are available digitally, and students are required to submit their assessments electronically, minimizing the module¿s environmental impact.

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 2025/6 academic year.