A service is an act or performance that one party can offer to another.

A service is the action of doing something for someone or something.

It consists of 7 p’s, i.e.

1.Product 2.Price3. Place4. Promotion5. People6. Process7. Physical evidence.

Very important element of Marketing Mix.

For services there must be presence of people on both the end;

Giving EndReceiving End

Types of People

Especially Frontline Employees (FE) who have direct contact/communication with customers and represent company’s image in front of customers.

FE directly offer services to customers & they consume it.

Customers provide their valuable feedback and expectations to FE.

Eg:- Shopkeeper showing sarees to customers.

Beautician cutting/ coloring hair.

Due to some special characteristics of services:-

1.Inseparability of production & consumption:- Services are tailor-made & they only produced at real time when customers want to consume it.

Eg; Dental Check-up, Travel etc.

2. Imbalance between Demand & Supply:- In services nothing like “stock” so, whenever there is hick in demand & delay in providing services, customers have wait in a “Queue” which causes dissatisfaction & frustration amongst customers. So, to keep them calm & satisfied people needed.

Eg; Banking Service (DD/ Cash Withdrawal etc.)

Presence of customers is essential because:-

1.Specification of services is needed.Eg. Flavor of Cake.2.Presence of customers on premises.Eg. Blood Test.3.Participation of customer in delivery.Eg. McDonald’s Self-Service.4.Co-operation from customers.Eg. Regular medicine in treatment of

disease.