SERVICES MARKETING - 2027/8

Module Overview

Services drive the modern economy, shaping how we communicate, travel, manage finances, receive healthcare, and conduct business. Mastering the marketing and management of services as unique, exceptional experiences is essential for service companies seeking to thrive in a competitive landscape and deliver value. 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 organisations, and the strategic management of superior customer journeys.

Through a combination of rigorous theoretical principles and applied learning, students will analyse real-world case studies of service industries, use practical tools and apply consultancy-based principles to develop critical thinking and analytical skills and make impactful decisions. By the end of the module, students will have acquired the knowledge and hands-on skills needed to design and manage superior experiences, harness digital technologies for service innovation, and build responsible organisations, preparing them to become strategic leaders in their future careers.

Module provider

Surrey Business School

Module Leader

ABBOUD Liliane (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

Indicative content includes:

• Foundations of services marketing 
• Characteristics of services
• Developing and positioning services
• The service experience: customer engagement and customer experience 
• Service quality and customer satisfaction
• Customer complaints and service recovery
• Managing people for service advantage
• Developing customer relationships and long-term loyalty
• The role of AI technologies in services (e.g., agentic AI, service robots)
• Transformative services for well-being, inclusivity and societal impact 
• B2B relationships and digital servitization

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.

Thus, the summative assessment for this module consists of:

• Presentation (addresses learning outcomes 1, 2, 4, 5)
• Report (addresses learning outcomes 2, 3 and 4)

Formative assessment is delivered throughout the module as students engage with a range of learning activities. Students will be encouraged to reflect on their learning to take this forward into their summative assessments. 

Students will receive written feedback on their summative assessment as detailed by the Code of Practice for Assessment and Feedback. An overview report will be shared with the cohort to highlight key metrics and themes found in the marking and feedback process.

Module aims

• To provide students with knowledge of fundamental concepts and frameworks widely used in services marketing and customer experience management.
• To employ diverse practical techniques to design and manage exceptional service experiences, critically assess the implications of emerging technologies, and build responsible service organisations.
• To enable students, as future managers, to synthesize 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

The learning and teaching strategy is designed to introduce 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.

The learning and teaching methods include lectures and interactive seminars focused on developing a comprehensive understanding of the topic area and ensuring that students can apply learned concepts to practice. To achieve this goal, a mixture of case studies and activities will be used. Preparation and active participation in class will be expected.

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

Surrey Business School is committed to developing graduates with strengths in Employability, Digital Capabilities, Global and Cultural Capabilities, Sustainability, and Resourcefulness and Resilience. This module is designed to allow students to develop knowledge, skills, and capabilities in the following areas:

Digital capabilities: This module equips students with practical tools, including AI-enabled technologies, to evaluate the customer journey, build meaningful relationships with target customers, and ultimately enhance the customer experience. The module focuses on the role of emerging technologies and how to leverage AI-enabled digital tools for competitive advantage. This module addresses the role of AI in enhancing service efficiency and promoting positive benefits for different stakeholders. 

Employability: This module is designed to enhance students' employability by equipping them with advanced skills in services marketing 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. 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 to analyse customer journeys, manage service processes, build loyal relationships, 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, making them highly competitive candidates for managerial and leadership roles.

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 behaviour analysis, and ethical considerations in service delivery. The module advances the understanding of how cultural factors shape customer experiences and service quality perceptions. Students develop cultural intelligence and the ability to adapt service marketing strategies to different markets. The emphasis on responsible and ethical service organisations ensures that students are prepared to lead in multicultural environments, fostering inclusive, customer-centric service experiences.

Resourcefulness and Resilience: This module cultivates adaptability, innovation, and resilience by challenging students to navigate complex service environments, manage customer relationships effectively, and address service failures through strategic recovery approaches. Through problem-based learning and case study analysis, students develop the ability to tackle ambiguous service challenges and implement creative solutions. Additionally, reflective learning activities help students build resilience, preparing them for leadership roles in fast-paced, customer-driven industries. 

Sustainability: This module addresses the role of transformative services and the principles of building responsible service organisations. It also provides knowledge on the impact of business activities and technologies on the environment, society and people. In doing so, students will be able to understand and critically assess the role of marketing in promoting sustainability and develop strategies accordingly.

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 2027/8 academic year.