116) The dimension of service quality called ________ is the ability to perform the promised
service dependably and accurately.
A) reliability
B) assurance
C) accuracy
D) responsiveness
E) empathy
117) Sterile Feral, Inc., is a nonprofit organization that catches wild or stray cats, and then
neuters, vaccinates, and releases them. Veterinarians are particularly impressed with how
effectively and safely the organization performs its service each and every time. With which
service quality dimension are veterinarians most impressed?
A) assurance
B) tangibility
C) reliability
D) credibility
E) empathy
118) Josh is looking for a new smartphone provider because he has grown tired of the many
dropped calls, particularly near his school. In terms of the service quality dimensions, Josh is
unhappy with which dimension of his service?
A) assurance
B) tangibility
C) responsiveness
D) reliability
E) empathy
119) As a dimension of service quality, the appearance of physical facilities, equipment,
personnel, and communication materials is referred to as
A) communication.
B) responsiveness.
C) competence.
D) tangibility.
E) empathy.
120) Amanda needs to have her car repaired. When she visits the shop she is considering, she
notices the AAA seal of approval in the front window. The shop is also clean and organized, and
the mechanics are dressed in tidy uniforms. Amanda notes these as part of her assessment of
which service quality dimension?
A) assurance
B) tangibility
C) reliability
D) responsiveness
E) empathy
121) As a dimension of service quality, responsiveness is
A) the ability to perform the promised service dependably and accurately.
B) the appearance of physical facilities, equipment, personnel, and communication materials.
C) the willingness to help customers and provide prompt service.
D) the knowledge and courtesy of employees and their ability to convey trust and confidence.
E) caring, individualized attention provided to customers.
122) The dimension of service quality called ________ is willingness to help customers and
provide prompt service.
A) assurance
B) reliability
C) responsiveness
D) empathy
E) sympathy
123) Gray is looking for a new financial advisor. The one he currently uses has been taking three
days or longer to return his phone calls, and the wasted time feels like a missed opportunity to
him. In terms of the service quality dimensions, Gray is unhappy with which dimension of this
service?
A) assurance
B) tangibility
C) reliability
D) responsiveness
E) empathy
124) The dimension of service quality called ________ is knowledge and courtesy of employees
and their ability to convey trust and confidence.
A) assurance
B) sympathy
C) empathy
D) responsiveness
E) reliability
125) As a dimension of service quality, the caring, individualized attention provided to
customers as a dimension of service quality is referred to as
A) reliability.
B) responsiveness.
C) competence.
D) assurance.
E) empathy.
126) Beth is a well-liked primary care doctor. Her patients comment on her great listening skills
and the gentle but firm way she gives them advice. She even relates personal stories to encourage
them to improve their own health. Here, Beth exhibits which service quality dimension?
A) assurance
B) tangibility
C) empathy
D) reliability
E) credibility
127) According to Figure 12-6 above, Box A represents which dimension of service quality?
A) tangibility (tangibles)
B) responsiveness
C) assurance
D) reliability
E) empathy
128) According to Figure 12-6 above, Box B represents which dimension of service quality?
A) reliability
B) assurance
C) tangibility (tangibles)
D) empathy
E) responsiveness
129) According to Figure 12-6 above, Box C represents which dimension of service quality?
A) reliability
B) empathy
C) tangibility (tangibles)
D) assurance
E) responsiveness
130) According to Figure 12-6 above, Box D represents which dimension of service quality?
A) reliability
B) empathy
C) assurance
D) tangibility (tangibles)
E) responsiveness
131) According to Figure 12-6 above, Box E represents which dimension of service quality?
A) reliability
B) empathy
C) tangibility
D) assurance
E) responsiveness
132) Which of the following statements about service failures is most accurate?
A) Only 5 to 10 percent of dissatisfied customers choose to complain to the company.
B) Once customers complain, they expect all of their demands to be met.
C) Only 20 percent of consumers will give a company a second chance if they are not fully
satisfied during the first encounter.
D) People are twice as likely to share good service experiences as bad experiences.
E) Monitoring social media websites causes unwarranted action since complaints are usually
isolated instances and are not indicative of the actual service delivered.
133) Most marketing experts agree that it is best to ________ service failures, particularly when
the failure is viewed to be the result of a controllable factor.
A) ignore
B) present success stories to negate
C) respond to
D) blog about
E) consider
134) The entire sequence of steps in the service delivery process is known as
A) a service routine.
B) customer access points.
C) service path-analysis.
D) a service encounter.
E) the wheel of services.
135) A customer contact audit refers to
A) the initial contact between a service provider and the ultimate consumer.
B) a flowchart of the points of interaction between a consumer and a service provider.
C) a method of consumer evaluation of service quality and consistency.
D) an estimation of demand based on service forecasting techniques.
E) a systematic assessment of a service provider’s objectives, strategies, and performance in
terms of social responsibility.
136) A flowchart of the points of interaction between consumer and service provider is referred
to as
A) a service continuum.
B) gap analysis.
C) a customer contact audit.
D) a customer contact continuum.
E) a service audit.
137) Recent research suggests that employees affect the success of customer relationships
through which of the following?
A) innovativeness
B) competence
C) persuasiveness
D) assertiveness
E) friendliness
138) Another version of a customer contact audit that includes all employee actions and
acknowledges that services are designed to be “experiences” is referred to as
A) a service continuum.
B) gap analysis.
C) a service blueprint.
D) an experience economy.
E) a service audit.
139) Ron had a craving for sushi so he searched yellowpages.com for the name of a restaurant in
his vicinity that serves this type of food. When he arrived at his destination, he was impressed
with the menu posted outside the door and decided to go in. He was greeted with a smile by a
hostess and then immediately seated at a well-appointed table where he was given a warm cloth
for his hands. The food was beautifully presented, the rice was the perfect texture and
temperature, and the fish was fresh and delicious. Halfway thought the meal, he excused himself
to go to the restroom. It was clean, but the paper towel dispenser was empty. He returned to his
table, finished his meal, and paid his check. The hostess said good-bye and asked him to return.
The first point in his customer contact audit was
A) searching yellowpages.com.
B) reading the menu on the door.
C) being greeted by the hostess.
D) being seated at his table.
E) receiving his meal.
140) Ron had a craving for sushi so he searched yellowpages.com for the name of a restaurant in
his vicinity that serves this type of food. When he arrived at his destination, he was impressed
with the menu posted outside the door and decided to go in. He was greeted with a smile by a
hostess and then immediately seated at a well-appointed table where he was given a warm cloth
for his hands. A waiter beautifully presented the food, the rice was the perfect texture and
temperature, and the fish was fresh and delicious. Halfway thought the meal, he excused himself
to go to the restroom. It was clean, but the paper towel dispenser was empty. He returned to his
table, finished his meal, and paid his check. The hostess said good-bye and asked him to return.
Which of the following statements about this scenario is most accurate?
A) Reading the menu posted outside the door was Ron’s first point of interaction in the customer
contact audit because if he hadn’t liked the selections, he wouldn’t have gone into the restaurant.
B) Being greeted by the hostess was the first point of interaction in the customer contact audit
because it was the first “human” encounter with the actual service provider—the restaurant’s
employee.
C) The first point of interaction in the customer contact audit wasn’t written, it was implied. The
real first point in the customer contact audit should have been between Ron and the waiter, not
Ron and the hostess. The waiter is wholly responsible for the service quality delivered.
D) The lack of paper towels in the restroom was the first point of interaction in the customer
contact audit because it was the first time his expectations weren’t met.
E) The yellowpages.com ad, the menu on the door, the hostess’s greeting, the waiter, the quality
and presentation of food, and even the restroom were all important service encounters.
141) Which of the following is a point in the customer contact audit for a health club?
A) participating in the health club’s exercise class
B) the customer’s diet
C) too much traffic on the way to the club
D) a willingness to exercise
E) meeting an attractive gym member
142) Which of the following statements about relationship marketing is most accurate?
A) The number of encounters in a service experience should always be the same.
B) The service encounter represents an opportunity to develop social bonds with customers.
C) An after-holiday sale is a good incentive to create a loyal customer relationship.
D) The purpose of relationship marketing is to benefit the customer, not the organization.
E) A major customer benefit of relationship marketing is a reduction in the price that is paid for
the services an organization renders.
143) Relationship marketing provides several benefits for service customers, including which of
these?
A) customized service delivery
B) no need for comparison shopping
C) discounted switching costs
D) implied warranties
E) strict government quality performance guidelines
144) Recent surveys of consumers have indicated that while customers of many services are
interested in being “relationship customers,” they require that the relationship be balanced in
terms of
A) honesty, a lack of prejudice, and empathy.
B) loyalty, benefits, value, kinds of connections, and respect for privacy.
C) loyalty, honesty, and integrity.
D) financial benefits, product benefits, and preferential treatment.
E) financial benefits, product benefits, and personal benefits.
145) An expanded marketing mix for services that includes the four Ps (product, price,
promotion, and place or distribution) as well as people, physical environment, and process, is
referred to as the
A) seven Ps of services marketing.
B) service matrix.
C) service continuum.
D) service encounters.
E) service mix.
146) While there are the four Ps of marketing, there are the ________ Ps of services marketing.
A) three
B) five
C) six
D) seven
E) eight
147) All of the following comprise the seven Ps of services marketing except which?
A) product
B) process
C) profitability
D) people
E) physical environment
148) The use of brand names is especially important for services because of which unique
characteristic of services?
A) inventory costs
B) inseparability
C) inconsistency
D) invisibility
E) intangibility
149) Which of the following statements regarding service branding is most accurate?
A) New services cannot be patented.
B) Because services are intangible and more difficult to describe, brand names and logos are of
critical importance.
C) Services must include the word service in all their brand names.
D) Service firms without a brand reputation find it easy to introduce new services.
E) All service logos and brands must be designated with the “SM” symbol.
150) Which of the following statements regarding service branding is most accurate?
A) Unlike products, services do not use subbranding.
B) Services must include the word service in their brand names to assure that customers are not
purchasing a tangible product.
C) Service firms with a well-established brand reputation will find it easier to introduce new
services than those without a brand reputation.
D) Many consumers are suspicious of service providers that offer too many service line
extensions.
E) Many service organizations, such as banks, hotels, and restaurants, do not rely heavily on
branding because of the extent to which they are people-, not equipment-based services.
151) The FedEx brand name suggests that its service is credible and fast. This perception is
important because of which unique characteristic of services?
A) inventory costs
B) inseparability
C) inconsistency
D) invisibility
E) intangibility
152) Which of the following is the most important aspect conveyed by the American Express
credit card and travel brand, which focuses on providing unique services and attentive service
provision?
A) its international experience
B) differentiation and an image of quality
C) the ownership of the company
D) the nonprofit aspect of the company
E) the patent for its service
153) Tuition, charges, fares, fees, and rates are all terms
A) given to the tangible portion of the price of a service.
B) that are interchangeable when identifying the price of a service.
C) given to the intangible portion of the price of a service.
D) given to describe the price of services.
E) used in services to imply a higher quality product than the terms cost or price.
154) Because of the intangible nature of services, consumers often perceive price as a possible
indicator of the ________ of the service.
A) profit or ROI
B) customer value
C) quality
D) target market
E) cost