What is a Service? A service is any activity or benefit that one
party can offer to another that is essentially intangible and does
not result in the ownership of anything. Its production may or may
not be tied to a physical product. Kotler and Amstrong (1997, p.
265) What is a Brand?.. a name, term, sign, symbol or design, or a
combination of them, which is intended to identify the goods and
services of one seller or group of sellers and to differentiate
them from those of their competitors American Marketing
Association
SERVICES BRANDINGChallenges in Services
BrandingIntangibilityHeterogeneityInseparabilityPerishability
THE SERVICES MARKETING
TRIANGLECOMPANYEMPLOYEESCUSTOMERSINTERACTIVEMARKETINGEXTERNALMARKETINGINTERNALMARKETING
SERVICE BRANDING MODELS Aakers brand identity model:Brand as
ProductBrand as OrganisationBrand as PersonBrand as
SymbolBrandProposed services branding model:
Brand as Product(5Ps)Brand as ProcessBrand as PersonBrand as
SymbolBrand as OrganisationBrand
LIVING THE CORPORATE BRAND
Enacted Through
VISION
CULTURE
OBJECTIVES
BRANDSPHERE
Staff Behaviour
Interacts
with
Stakeholder
Satisfaction
CORPORATE
BRAND
CONCEPT
(Character)
Interacts
with
Systems
Monitor then Revisit
To identify the gaps between actual and intended brand
promise
MEASURING SERVICES BRAND EQUITYEffectivenessInternal and
external message alignmentConsumer satisfactionBrand
reputationTypes of consumersRationalPoliticalEmotionalSpiritual
CONCLUSIONBranding plays a special role in service companies
because strong brands increase customers trust of the invisible
purchase. Strong brands enable customers to better visualise and
understand intangible products. They reduce customers perceived
monetary, social, or safety in buying services, which are difficult
to evaluate prior to purchase. Strong brands are the surrogates
when the company offers no fabric to touch, no trousers to try on,
no water melons or apples to scrutinise, no automobiles to test
drive.Berry (2000, p. 128)
