7.9 Contrast between the advantages and disadvantages of customer participation in the service delivery process
7.9.1 Introduction
There is a trend towards customers getting involved in the service delivery process. This is especially so in the case where self service technologies (SSTs) and ATMs are involved. As services are often difficult to visualise and understand because of their intangibility, customers must be communicated with and educated on how they can best use a service. It is therefore crucial to extend the services marketing mix to manage the customer interface, (Lovelock and Wirth, (2011: 47).
7.9.2 Education of and Communication with customers
In order for marketing programmes to be successful they must be communicated to the target market. The target customers must be informed about the services that are offered – in this way the customer is given the necessary information and advice, it educates the customers. This is especially useful for the new customers where suppliers teach customers about the benefits of the new service, where and when it can be acquired, as well as how to participate in the service processes to obtain the maximum benefit from its use. The communication can be obtained from salespeople and frontline employees, from websites, brochures, and display screens in self service equipment and through most types of advertising media available. In addition when organisations promote a new offering they may offer a monetary offering which will