Previous edition: 2017.

THIRD EDITION CONTENTS -- -- Chapter 1: Introduction to customer service -- Customer service defined -- A history of customer service -- The role of customer service -- Unique characteristics of services -- Services marketing triangle -- The marketing mix for services -- Customer service in the tourism and hospitality sector -- Cases: -- `At Your Service' Spotlight: Walt Disney: A legacy of customer service -- Service Snapshot: Customer service at the Augusta Masters -- Case Study: The Lopesan Group, Gran Canaria, Spain -- -- Chapter 2: The financial and behavioural consequences of customer service -- The relative importance of the service economy -- Impact of service quality on market share growth, prices and profits -- The behavioural consequences of customer service -- The service profit chain -- Offensive and defensive marketing effects of service -- The financial implications of poor customer service -- Cases: -- `At Your Service' Spotlight: Andrew Dunn, Scott Dunn Travel -- Service Snapshot: Jonathan Tisch, Loews Hotels and Resorts -- Case Study: Profiting from culinary tourism in Stellenbosch, South Africa -- -- Chapter 3: Understanding the consumer -- Customer expectations -- The customer experience -- The importance of emotions in the service experience -- Understanding cross-cultural differences -- Global trends in consumer behavior -- Cases: -- `At Your Service' Spotlight: The Maldives - pivoting in response to a pandemic -- Service Snapshot: Cruise industry responding to changing consumer tastes -- Case Study: Bruce Poon Tip, G Adventures - understanding today's traveler -- -- Chapter 4: Developing and maintaining a service culture -- Internal marketing -- Establishment of a service culture -- The Importance of Empowerment -- Development of a marketing approach to human resource management -- Dissemination of marketing information to employees -- Implementation of a reward and recognition system -- -- Cases: -- `At Your Service' Spotlight: Isadore Sharpe, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts -- Service Snapshot: WestJet - fostering a caring culture -- Case Study: Micato Safaris - simply the best in the world! -- -- Chapter 5: Managing service encounters -- The employee role in delivering service -- Customer service training -- The customer role in delivering service -- Customer-to-customer (C-to-C) interactions -- Enhancing customer participation -- Cases: -- `At Your Service' Spotlight: Marcos Van Aken, Ten Travel, Tenerife -- Service Snapshot: Steamboat Springs training for service excellence -- Case study: Hotels getting social to compete with the sharing economy -- -- Chapter 6: The importance of market research -- An introduction to research in tourism and hospitality -- The `gaps model' of service quality -- Measuring service quality -- Importance-Performance Analysis; SERVQUAL; Comment Cards; Mystery shopping; Critical incidents studies; Lost customer research; Online research -- Common research errors -- Effective use of market research in decision making -- Cases: -- `At Your Service' Spotlight: Developing hospitality leaders of the future at the Hotel ICON, Hong Kong -- Service Snapshot: Qualtrics going above and beyond to wow conference delegates -- Case Study: Martinhal in Portugal - staying sensitive to the consumer -- -- Chapter 7: Building and maintaining customer relationships -- Relationship marketing -- Retention strategies -- Loyalty programs in tourism and hospitality -- Benefits of relationship marketing -- Targeting profitable customers -- Cases: -- At Your Service Spotlight: Developing loyal customers post-pandemic at Bucuti and Tara in Aruba -- Service Snapshot: Spotting a pandemic opportunity -- Case Study: African-American Travelers an increasingly profitable market -- -- Chapter 8: Providing customer service through the servicescape -- Elements of the servicescape -- The strategic role of the servicescape in delivering service -- Developing servicescapes -- Themed servicescapes -- The effect of servicescapes on consumer behaviour -- Waiting line strategies -- COVID-19 and the servicescape -- Cases: -- `At Your Service' Spotlight: Hospitality Starbucks-style -- Service Snapshot: Incheon Airport: First and last impressions -- Case Study: Attention to detail at Cavas Wine Lodge, Argentina -- -- Chapter 9: The impact of technology on customer service -- The impact of technological developments on tourism and hospitality -- Using technology to improve service during the consumer decision journey -- Delivering service through electronic and robotic channels -- Cases: -- `At Your Service' Spotlight: Leveraging social media at Bonnaroo Music Festival -- Service Snapshot: Employing virtual reality to enhance the customer experience -- Case Study: Vail Resorts using apps to capture memories on the mountain -- -- Chapter 10: The importance of service recovery -- Service recovery -- The service recovery paradox -- The service recovery process -- The consequences of an effective recovery process -- Guidelines for soliciting, tracking and handling complaints -- Service guarantees -- Cases: -- `At Your Service' Spotlight: Paul Hudson - solving problems for travelers -- Service Snapshot: Social media listening aids service recovery -- Case Study: Adaptability key to pandemic recovery for Australia's tourism industry -- -- Chapter 11: Promoting customer service internally and externally -- Developing an integrated communications strategy for customer service -- Managing service promises -- Ethical issues in communication -- Cases: -- At Your Service' Spotlight: Serving up a dream in Casablanca -- Service Snapshot: Customer service Kobe-style -- Case Study: Promoting the spirit of India -- -- ndex

A fully updated new edition of this bestselling text that explains not only the theory behind the importance of customer service but also acts as a guidebook for those wishing to put this theory into practice. With 10 new international cases focusing on how some in the hospitality sector have adapted - and thrived - during the COVID-19 pandemic. A fully revised and updated new edition of this bestselling and a unique text that explains not only the theory behind the importance of customer service but also acts as a guidebook for those wishing to put this theory into practice. In essence it is the `whys' and `hows'of customer service. Fully updated with current statistics, trends, and examples, it is full of references to all the latest research from both academic and practitioner literature. Chapters cover important topics such as the financial and behavioural consequences of customer service, consumer trends influencing service, developing and maintaining a service culture, managing service encounters, the importance of market research, building and maintaining customer relationships, providing customer service through the servicescape, the impact of technology on customer service, the importance of service recovery, and promoting customer service internally and externally. The third edition of this book - like the first and second - is easy to read, very current, and full of references to all the latest research. Chapters cover important topics such as the financial and behavioral consequences of customer service, consumer trends influencing service, developing and maintaining a service culture, managing service encounters, the importance of market research, building and maintaining customer relationships, providing customer service through the servicescape, the impact of technology on customer service, the importance of service recovery, and promoting customer service internally and externally. The third edition also pays special attention to the COVID-19 pandemic and how it has altered customer service in the tourism and hospitality sector - a sector that was impacted more than any other due to the crisis. In addition to fresh, up-to-date material, the third edition contains 10 new cases from around the world that focus on how individuals or organizations in the hospitality sector have adapted - and even thrived - during the COVID-19 pandemic.